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Summary: Thought provoking, original, classic
Review: Starship Troopers is a must read for all ages. It proposes political and philosophical concepts as well as military training and strategies. It weaves all these themes together in one impressive book. A lot of people that gave ST a bad review didn't even seem like they read the book. This book is also original. The political and philosophical concepts in the book seem like they are of Heinlein's creation, but not his personal belief's. READ THIS BOOK.
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Summary: One of the best books I've read
Review: I would have to rate this book as one of the best books I've come across. Outside of the entertainment value (excellent character development, good plot) it was an excellent source for philosophy, politics, and sociology. This novel made you think. In some ways Heinlein's future world is better off than our own (though there are some rather obvious flaws). This book is so thought provoking. It'd make an excellent subject for discussion in any philosophy, political science, sociology, or anthropology course. This book not only set out to entertain, but to make the reader think. And that is what makes this book one of the best I've ever read, it did both.
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Summary: A MUST READ FOR ALL WHO SERVE
Review: Be cautious when reading this book. Though it is easy to dismiss the politcal and societal ideology presented by the author as Cold-War rhetoric, there are underlying principles in these pages that even the most extreme civil liberarians must acknowledge. Service, duty, responsibility: timeless values that this country was built on and will fall without. For those who have no appreciation for these ideals, for whom they are merely words spoken by the elderly, militant sociopaths, and those on the Right, it is easy to see where your opinions of this book and its ideals are formed. The author should have included just three more words for these people, "You've been warned." As for the movie, I wish they would leave books with such an important message to those other than the director of "Robocop."
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Summary: Get a clue
Review: Excellent Book... Movie was good for an action flick... But the movie was made by someone who was more worried about PC than making it about the book... Still great reading by anyone's standards... This means you.. yes you... the ones that rated it so low... Because even if you rated it low you still read the book and it made you think enough to comment about the contents... Pretty interesting how we can comment on something that was published awhile ago... But it seems to hit alot of nerves today... Made alot of people think... I think RAH accomplished his goal for this book...
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Summary: Characters vs. Action
Review: I just happened to be reading some of these reviews, and it seems to me that those who read ST either loved it or hated it. I loved it. The characters make you want to care about them because they are almost overflowing with personality. You want to get to know them. Johnny Rico could be just about any one of us growing out of the innocence and sometimes aimlessness of childhood to join the ranks of the world we live in. This book is about understanding yourself and the world you live in even though the world Heinlein created may not be exactly like ours. I think that if you read this book and didn't get anything out of it, you weren't reading it. I haven't seen the movie yet, though I read the script and judging by that, I think the people that made the movie were more concerned in making this into an action flick, rather than focus on the people and the motives like Heinlein did. I'm not so sure Heinlein would have been happy with it, but I liked it. : )
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Summary: i LOVE THIS BOOK, READ IT!!!!
Review: I have read this book and i believe it is one of the best books i have ever read.Heinlein takes us to a far off world with teenager recruits of the future that have to defend the galaxy of giant bugs.Ive read this book three times, it is a great book.
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Summary: This book is like Space: Above and Beyond
Review: Juan Rico's nobody special. Just an ordinary kid who never really intended to follow through on his promise to join the Federal Service. As a World War II buff, I'm intrigued by the action. I guess all World War II veterans felt that way. Something made them join up. Whether it was patriotism or a judge saying, "Son, you have two choices, the Army or prison." It really doesn't matter. This reminds me of a mistakenly cancelled Fox series called Space: Above and Beyond. R. Lee Ermey's drill sergeant makes West, Hawkes, Vansen, Wang, and Damphousse, think of the concept of teamwork. Teamwork is essential in war. If you can't trust the people you fight with, you're dead. As the British said during World War II, of pilots who'd died in the Battle of Britain, "you'd buy the farm." During the Civil War, it was called "Seeing the Elephant." Whatever you call it, whatever euphemism you use, you're still just as DEAD. Disregard all other bad reviews of this book. I haven't seen the movie. Someone once told me: "You can't say you hate bananas if you haven't tried them." I'm saying that to people who are tempted to write a review of a book they haven't read. Both ST and S:AAB are about the same thing. Faceless enemies attacking Earth. Whether it's the Chigs of Space: Above and Beyond,or the Bugs of Starship Troopers, its moral is the same. Don't get caught with your pants down. Nobody should listen to people like Patrick Buchanan or the militia movement. Patrick Buchanan is an isolationist with a Father Coughlin complex. He thinks that if we withdraw from world affairs, everything will be all right. In the 1920s, it was called "a return to normalcy," a euphemism for isolationism. If the Cold War has taught us anything it's that the United States can't abdicate its responsibility as a world leader. A responsibility we reluctantly inherited because Britain, France, and the other countries of Europe were unable to lead. Since we were virtually unscathed by the war, we were the logical choice by default. Major Reid's History and Moral Philosophy class at the M.I.'s OCS, is interesting. He discusses the reasons why the Federation came about. He mentions a war that never happened in 1987. He also mentions the Korean War which had ended six years before. The fact is that Robert A. Heinlein got some things right and some things wrong. Starship Troopers is a good book. As for the movie, I'll reserve my judgment of it until I see it. For those who are tempted to compare it to the book. Wait until you see it for yourselves. A good book is always better than a movie based on it but sometimes movies that get bad reviews are the best and those that get good reviews are the worst. You'll never know.
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Summary: Good thing I'll Be Dead by Then
Review: The movie coming out, I thought I'd read this. I was dissapointed. Heinlien seems to preach throughtout the book of this "wonderful" new nation in which military and brutality is held above all. I got a little sick of Johnnie's one-armed teacher ranting and raving about the weaknesses of the 20th century democracies "a department of defense never won a war" and the harsh treatment of military offenders. And there was little character realism. Nearly every line of dialogue dated the book, I found myself imagining characters from 50's sitcoms as the book's characters. Anyway, this is as ok book if you're looking for something different. If you like philosophical looks at people fighting insects, try Ender's Game.
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Summary: Starship Troopers - One of Heinlein's best
Review: As a recently retired veteran of almost 23 years of total service, I think that RAH captured in this book an essential truth about soldiers; that is, in spite of the advanced weapons systems and powered armor available to his Mobile Infantry the troopers themselves possess the same mind-set and philosophy of their predecessors. This is evidenced by Heinlein's use of quotations at the start of each chapter of Starship Troopers (i.e., "You apes want to live forever? - Unknown Marine Sergeant, France, WWI). Although his political views expressed in this book may be considered a little extreme with regard to the fact that only honorably discharged veterans were granted citizenship, the book overall is a good, fast read.
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Summary: The Book and The Movie - Why you can love them both
Review: I have owned a copy of ST since it was first published in paperback and have always loved the book. You can like(or love) the movie as well if you simply treat it as entertainment. Even with the internal contraction, the movie is a story I think RAH would have enjoyed. It did things he wanted to do, but because of the morals of the time, it would have been impossible. Just watch it, enjoy the special effects(ignore the fact that creatures that build faster than light ships kill with claws and pincers). and get a good laugh at the Nazi uniforms.
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