Old Man’s War

I have but one question to pose to you, dear friends, as I begin my weekly journey with TURN ME INTO A NERD: why is the thought of life on other planets, for lack of a better word, so cool?

That was the first question that popped into my head as I began reading John Scalzi’s “Old Man’s War”, a book that captivated me from page one and only became more fascinating as I delved deeper into John Perry’s “second” life post-Earth. I think I liked it so much because the premise was completely believable; I do not doubt for one second that this could happen sometime in the coming decades.

What I liked best about “Old Man’s War” was Scalzi’s creation of a world that, at first glance, seems foreign and unfamiliar but becomes more real as we learn about the people (and creatures) living there. They all had unique personalities and character traits that fit them. I bit my tongue dozens of times for Perry, hoping he would make it out alive in the various scrapes and scuffles he found himself in. The drama, the sex, the action…I can get used to this!

I think I loved the first half of the book more than the second. How Perry got from turning 75 and being human to being “20”, inhabiting a green-skinned imitation of himself, and fighting a war in the multi-verse is mesmerizing to me. I wanted more of the crazy hi-jinks that went down with the “Old Farts”, but then again, I couldn’t wait to see what happened in the aftermath of the Coral massacre and who this Jane Sagan (or Kathy?) person could be.

My terminology might be incorrect. I might be way in over my head with trying to figure out what exactly the Colonial Defense Forces do, but I’m onto something here. I want to learn your ways, people! Give me recommendations. Tell me off! I’m beginning something that can only be finished with your help.