Who Said Getting Old Was No Fun?

OLD MAN'S WAR by John Scalzi (2005 Tor / 316 pp / hc)
I've been on a military sci-fi binge the past few years, thanks in large part to Robert Buettner's ORPHANGE series, and I've had several people recommend this one from John Sclazi to me (and I'm glad I took the time to read it).
The Colonial Defense Forces (CDF) recruit people when they turn 75 years old to protect the human race and colonies we've started on distant planets. They fit them with new, modified bodies that enable them to fight like advanced soldiers with the stamina of a 20 year-old, and gadgetry that'd make Heinlen himself envious.
Tired of life on earth and being without his wife, 75 year-old John Perry enlists in the CDF and on his way to their space station, meets several like-minded seniors who are about to take the same life-changing plunge. The early parts of OLD MAN'S WAR, in which we see John being modified and trained with his new body and equipment, are quite entertaining (some even spooky), and although at times filled with technobabble, Scalzi keeps it to a minimum and I wasn't lost or bored for a second. One of the more interesting weapons new recruits get are called BrainPals, which are basically micro-computera that are fit into the brain in which crucial data and communication can be given and received without having to utter a word (and what Perry and his new friends name their BrainPals is quite funny). While most of this novel is serious and action-packed, there's lot of well-timed humor, especially during the first half.
Understanding that once he joins the CDF there's no returning to earth, Perry goes on his first mission to rescue a human-colonized planet from a fierce alien race. While the mission is a success, he barely makes it out in one piece, and is rescued by a woman who looks like his late wife. Without giving anything away, Scalzi gives this tale a heart-breaking, romantic-side story that's every bit as good as the alien battles and "skip-jumping" technology that the CDF goes into battle to protect and hopefully learn more about.
I was surprised how quickly the final battle between the CDF and an alien race known as the Rraey is, but OLD MAN'S WAR is a solid, fun read filled with neat ideas, some violent battles, and a cast that I grew to like very quickly. I'm looking forward to reading the next 3 books in this series, and hope the coming film-version of OLD MAN'S WAR is even a quarter-as-good as this stellar novel.
(NOTE: The cover art above is from the hardcover version available only thought www.sfbc.com)