Rating: 
Summary: Who you callin' Soldierboy, boy?
Review: The Forever War is my favourite SF novel, so to discover that Haldeman had written a companion novel was no small matter. While Forever Peace is not a sequel (it's not even set in the same 'universe'), it is a companion novel in the sense that it explores the same issues, with the benefit of the new technology and ideas that have surfaced in the last twenty years, when Forever War was first published.Being a big fan of futuristic war type stories, I liked the way this novel started, and there was a very similar feel to Forever War. However, Forever Peace goes into much different areas, and the story line becomes rapidly unlike the original. This is not a bad thing at all. I didn't want to read the same story again, or roughly the same ideas. This novel is about a man caught up in war, and how it affects him, and this is the common thread between the two, but beyond that, they are more or less totally different. A very clever narrative device in this novel, which I haven't seen elsewhere, is the constant change between first and third person perspectives. We see sections of the novel through the eyes of the main protagonist (a la Forever War), but these are interspliced with third person narratives, sometimes involving the main character, but other times not, allowing us to learn of events that the main character is not witness to. I liked this style of writing a lot, and I hope to see it done more often. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book, and I recommend it to any fan of the genre.
Rating: 
Summary: Broken, but enjoyable.
Review: The plot of this book has been stated numerous times, so restating it does little. The very problem with this statement is that the book does not have a single plot. I can't help but think that this piece would have been better as a collection of three short stories. There are three basic stories that are occuring in the novel: Julian's struggle with his humanity, the Jupiter Project, and the humanization project. Going too deeply into any of these would ruin the story for those who wish to read it, but the plots aren't intertwined. In fact, Julian's struggle with his humanity takes a sudden vacation as the focus of the book shifts to the Jupiter Project. The same occurs for the shift to the humanization project. The disparity in pace, tone and execution is a bit unnerving, especially when you're really into a portion of the book. I was often disappointed with the sudden change in perspective, and it didn't do much to further my immersion into the story. Despite these setbacks, the book does have a keen emotional base. Some of the concepts brought forth have profound social and mental considerations which are enjoyable to contemplate. The story is fast-paced, albiet unevenly, and it is a good recreational read.
Rating:
Summary: Ambitious, but uneven
Review: Thematic sequel to The Forever War. The U.S. wages war against third-world countries using robots remote-controlled by soldiers whose minds are jacked into a neural network. One of these soldiers, Julian Class, also works as a physicist. When Class discovers that a particle acceleration project he is involved with is capable of destroying the galaxy, one of his colleagues reveals that the process of networking minds can eliminate the human tendency toward violence. This sets off a struggle between forces bent on destroying the world, and those resolved to create eternal peace. The story felt a bit rushed, it contained a lot of ideas for a 300-page novel. Haldeman could have developed his concepts with more patience and detail. Satisfying as an adventure yarn with fun political intrigue and ambitious themes. The twists of the plot seemed a bit too convenient and implausible at times. Seems like it won the Hugo & Nebula based on its politics, thematic ambition, and Haldeman's reputation, rather than its level of execution.
Rating: 
Summary: Its Excellent.
Review: The plot is well oiled, which cuts down the books size (I hate the oversized trend in sf of the 80's 90'). Excellent pros and its definitely exciting. Again Joe Haldeman is one of the most underrated sf writers.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring, pale comparison to Haldeman's earlier work
Review: I know this is no sequel to Haldeman's FOREVER WAR, it says so in the book. And it's not. Whereas FOREVER WAR was an imaginative metaphor for Vietnam, FOREVER PEACE is a dull read. Is there a trend toward domestic issues in sci-fi? It appears so. COSM, TERMINAL EXPERIMENT, and now this book, all devote large chunks to the character's "issues," dysfunctions, and interpersonal problems. Hey, if I wanted that, I'd listen to some radio psychobabbler or watch Jerry Springer. The characters in this book would make great guests on those shows. And they're self-absorbed enough to enjoy doing it. To me, the reader, they're just boring. What sci-fi elements this book contains (jacking into one another's minds) isn't terribly original. From some unknown first time writer, this book would be acceptable pap. I guess I just expected something more from the author of THE FOREVER WAR.
Rating:
Summary: Yet another possible future - a great read!
Review: Darn it! Here it is, 2:30 in the morning again. Joe Haldeman's "Forever Peace" was too great a read for me to stop! I've long been interested in issues around the man<=>machine interface. Contemporary computers, keyboards and screens have remarkably extended our intellectual reach to the robotic exploration of outer, local and inner space. We have developed formidable interpretive methods that enable us to synthesize and deduce reliable information from often unrelated signals spread over time, form and distance. The ultimate realization of such an extension of man and machine might well be Haldeman's "soldier boys". In this exciting and suspenseful novel he has craftily perfected this interface so that "mechanics" located great distances from the soldier boy machines have complete sensory and functional control. Even more wonderful, he has humanized the interface by linking the multiple minds, histories and realities of the several or many persons that "jack" together. His vision of the consequences of such a linking, and how vividly he expressed it, fascinated me. I found the characters and the concepts extremely interesting, intense and believable. The suspense built right up to a thrilling conclusion that left me slightly breathless and just itching to sit down and say something about it. For readers who like to ponder our possible futures this is a fine vision to add to their collection.
Rating:
Summary: two unrelated books stuck together
Review: This book is really wierd. The first half is all about war in the future, where soldiers fight from bunkers and use virtual reality hook-ups to androids in the field. All of a sudden, Haldeman throws in this conflict from left field and the story takes off in a totally different direction. The war portion of the book is kinda slow- nothing much happens but description, setting, and background. If Haldeman did something with that portion, he could have made a really good book - I mean, he had enough technology and problems to talk about. The second part of the book was kinda over the top, even for science fiction. The characters solved their overwhelming problems way too easily. It got pretty intense and exciting towards the end, but like another reviewer said, the way the ending is written is really cheesy. Haldeman comes up with some cool ideas, but he doesn't take them as far or as deep as they can go.
Rating:
Summary: Soldierboy, Go Home
Review: Julian Class does battle every day...by proxy, while his body sits safely in a capsule, operating a huge robot 'soldierboy' by remote control as an agent of his government's foreign policy. He hates it, too, but the draft is on and his number came up. He has other problems as well: in his civilian life he's part of a team of scientists who are beginning to suspect that their experiment could start a new Big Bang...right on Earth. This sounds great to a group of religious fanatics. Unless humanity can nerve itself to change into something less aggressive, it will destroy itself. Is this SF, or just cold logical reasoning? Can Man change, and should it? Why can't we all just get along? Trust Haldeman to ask disturbing questions and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: So disapointing
Review: I rarely regret the money I spend buying a new book. I regret the money I spent buying this book. If you loved the Forever War and were ready to buy any new book from Haldeman, skip that one...
Rating: 
Summary: No relation to The Forever War
Review: THERE ARE *NO* SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW Is it worth reading? Not in my opinion. I hate to say it, but this book was a big disappointment. If you're expecting this to be in any way related to Haldeman's awesome The Forever War, it's not. Not in any way. It was misleading on Haldeman's part to title this novel in such a way as to lead people to believe it's a sequel or continuation of some sorts. I even searched the web before I bought this and could only pin the book down as "sort of a sequel, but not really"--so I wasn't sure what to expect. Was it written in the same vein, but with different characters? Did it explore similar issues or extensions of those issues in a new locale? No, no and no. I only gave it two stars in comparison to The Forever War. Perhaps this isn't fair in that, on it's own, it's an okay read, but certainly nothing to crow about--it's just not up to par with what Haldeman has shown himself capable of. Bottom Line: Falls short due to inevitable comparisons to The Forever War. I don't recommend it unless you don't have anything else to read--sorry.
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