Rating: Summary: Superbly written, excellently paced. Review: Amazingly, I believe this book surpasses the quality of "The Forever War." The book is paced at a break-neck speed with very few exceptions. The story picks up where the Forever War left off. We learn that the characters are placed on a frozen world where they are preserved as breeding stock. Haldemen quickly explores the societal problems of living in a world designed as a human zoo. The characters, (war vets with a genetic proclivity for "finding a new frontier") develop a plan for rebellion against their "alien" captors. This plan proceeds as one would expect in any adventure novel, with lots of action and inspired character development. At this point in the story, (at the exact moment when you think you can predict the story's outcome) Haldeman's imagination begins to take over. In a series of awe inspiring plot twists (inspiring for both their creativity and their expert placement in the story), he transforms the theme from that of a simple adventure in space into a profound message about humanity's role in the universe. This book was captivating (I read it in less than 6 hours), well written, and most of all, thought provoking. It also relies less heavily science than his previous work, although a rudimentary knowledge of time dialation is required. Masterfully done, I wouldn't be surprised if Haldemen has a Hugo\Nebula award headed his way. Nick Caldwell - MIT Class of 2003
Rating: Summary: At long last! A Forever War Sequal! Review: Man, I didn't think it would ever happen! I read the FOREVER WAR in the late 70's, and instantly wanted to know what happened to the main characters after the war was over. I have since read everything Haldeman has written, but my favorite character was always William Mandella. Needless to say I pre-ordered the minute I saw the book on Amazon! Well you can read the stuff above for the plot. Let me just say the book lives up to the legend. FOREVER WAR is still my favorite Haldeman, but FOREVER FREE is now #2. The story is great and the ending is wild. It reminded me a bit of THERE IS NO DARKNESS and ALL MY SINS REMEMBERED. I can't tell you how much I miss good sci-fi like this! Haldeman and Brin are incredible, but they can only write so much, and Isaac Asimov had to go and die (the nerve of the guy!). All I can say is: great job Joe! Another classic! Now don't slack off and go write a series of mysteries set in the ALL MY SINS REMEMBERED universe! (I'm begging here.) Don't let it slow down the Forever War movie too much though. (A guy can hope can't he?)
Rating: Summary: One of the Best Review: Joe Haldeman is simply one of the best SF writers of the century
Rating: Summary: Sequel to THE FOREVER WAR Review: I know that whatever I say, this confusion is going to haunt me for the rest of my days, but let me try to straighten it out here on Amazon, at least. I always contended I would never write a sequel to THE FOREVER WAR, even though several publishers offered me pretty good deals. The story was complete, I said. So twenty years later, I wrote FOREVER PEACE, and carefully explained to anybody who was interested that it wasn't a sequel to THE FOREVER WAR, but rather was a separate book in which the author, twenty years older, takes a look at many of the same problems. Then along comes Robert Silverberg. Bob was putting together an anthology, FAR FUTURES, where people who had written "modern classics" of sf would write a novelette or novella set in the same world as their famous novel. Since he was offering more money than I originally got for the novel, of course I said yes. I'd gotten about a third of the way through the novella when I realized it was undeniably the beginning of a novel -- a sequel to THE FOREVER WAR, but an odd one, since twenty years pass between the two stories -- the main characters are parents of teenagers, far removed from their violent past ... but not really. They're trapped on Middle Finger, a world that's little more than a breeding colony for Man, the inhuman successors of mankind. And they're about to do something about it. Anyhow, I wrote Bob and asked him whether there was any problem with my using the novella as the first chapter of a novel. He said no problem for _him_, but I'd have to wait three years to publish it (two years after his book came out). So I wrote him a different story ("A Separate War") and continued the original as a novel, called FOREVER FREE. Well, obviously, the title had to have "forever" in it, but people (inlcuding me and my wife) are already confusing it with THE FOREVER WAR and FOREVER PEACE. I guesss I've made my bed and have to lie down in it. My new mission in life is trying to say the right word after "forever." Joe Haldeman
Rating: Summary: a different follow up Review: This is the direct sequel to the "Forever War". The book picks up about twenty years after the end of the forever war. The soldiers are now chafing at the bit from the treatment at the hands of the clones from Earth. They are tired of being kept on their planet of middle finger as insurance against genetic failure of the perfect clones. A group led by the hero of the first book, Mandella, steal a space ship and travel into the far galaxy to find their fortune. What happens is unexpected and the group returns to Earth to find the truth.
This takes a different turn from the "Forever War" in its scope. This book questions religion and not the meaning of war. The ending is a bit contrived for me, but the book was enjoyable non the less. A nice bit of lite reading. If you are a bit strict in your interpretation of religion, be warned you might not find the subject matter that easy. Recommended
Rating: Summary: Despite what most people say it's quite good Review: Nothing could top haldeman's first book but this comes close for me. Many say that the slow pace and rather random plot majorly detract from the book. However I thoroughly enjoyed this novel for that very reason. It's an inventive way to answer the story's question; What will they find 40,000 years in the future? I was expecting something strange but this end twist was wholly unexpected. Willaim's life on middle finger and his relationship with his family is also quite good. We are left thinking happily ever after when really William's new life isn't so wonderfully amazing. AMybee it's just me but this is one of my favorite reads.
Rating: Summary: Frank Herbert did this better Review: And in fewer words, in his short story "Rat Race", which you can find in his collection /Eye/. Skip it unless you're a huge Forever War fan.
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