OMG, so boring! I can't believe this won a Hugo! Or mabybe bec it's so white male americentric, derivative, boring, conventional- like reading something written before the mindset of the writers themselves opened to the fact that it will be more than just WASP males in space. It's like- free your mind, dude! We're all going to be in space! Everybody!White folks, red folks, brown folks, black folks- 1st world, 2nd world, 3rd world, everyone!

This book is a prime example of why I very, very rarely read sci-fibooks written by men- who by the way, are white, with the exception of Walter Mosely (I read Asimov and Bradbury in high school) least with white female writers, we have one thing in common. Still, I read the sequels because it's an intresting premise. There was a bit more "color" in later books. But still boring! I just kind of skimmed them, to be honest.

Update 8/12- I've written literally hundreds of reviews, but only two consistently generate comments and only one gets readers' shorts in a twist. These misguided persons obviously didn't read the review thoroughly, but rather jump, like frogs stepping on a live wire, to the conclusions due to the phrases "white male", "WASP" and my dislike of THE BOOK and dismissal of the author's efforts. I am sure Scalzi has improved over the last decades, but his style and oevre is just not for me and this, his first effort was so derivative, it just sucked. And still I gave it Two Stars, people! Geez!

Please note, future commentors, racism is hating people for their color/culture/ethinic background. I DISLIKE this book bec the viewpoint is ameri/eurocentric, there is a real retro, 50's sci-fi feel to it, etc. etc. I am entitled to my opinion. The fact that everyone eventually turns green not withstanding.Culture doesn't disappear w/ skin color, sweets despite his obvious effort to have everyone start over from square one, equals. Dears, refer again to my review where I tell you that I tried to read the rest of the series but skimmed them, they bored me so. I did try. So please save your index fingers and yourselves the trouble of making these ticky-tacky comments. Read what I actually wrote and just chill, folks. It's just one book of many.