War Birds

Rating:
Summary: Probably the best science fiction novel I have ever read
Review: Brilliant, introspective novel from the perspective of a frequently-grounded pilot. Two planets from a double-planet system go to war and achieve a peace of Versailles. Unfortunately, the aggressor in the next war is not a party to the agreement. The narrator, a vanquished pilot living among the victors, must come to terms with his own identity as well as the results of the last war, while fighting the next one.

Nordveldt is as fascinating a character as any in recent English literature, not just the science fiction genre. As with any setting in any great novel, the science fiction aspect is just a plot device; the interesting part is the people, whom Meluch develops wonderfully. (And, for what it's worth, the setting is done extremely well.)