The Forever War (The Forever War, #1) in The Sword and Laser

May 02, 2015 Silvana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series-i-abandoned, military-sf, space-the-final-frontier, sci-fi, dick-lit

3.5 stars, to be precise.

Should have been a four-star book, but the lame epilogue (sigh) ruined it. I actually like this so-called military scifi classic. I always like an army/navy/whatever where females are allowed to be in combat. The book's military/scientific babbles, I did not really understand them but what makes Forever War interesting is its vast coverage on social issues: societal development, wars, sex, gender, famine, technology and its side effects and most of all, the concept of f ...more

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Oct 16, 2015 mina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Fast-paced. One of my fastest and fun read. I warn you, though, the wars in this story were not fun at all. Not with all the gory details. I am almost willing to add 0.5 star just for the gory details. Oh, and the awesomeness of the author who published this very futuristic story in 1974! I was not even born yet when he wrote this!

This is 1100-something-years chronicle of a bright scientist, William Mandella, drafted into UNEF, the armed guard for portal planets of collapsars (the book has made Fast-paced. One of my fastest and fun read. I warn you, though, the wars in this story were not fun at all. Not with all the gory details. I am almost willing to add 0.5 star just for the gory details. Oh, and the awesomeness of the author who published this very futuristic story in 1974! I was not even born yet when he wrote this!

This is 1100-something-years chronicle of a bright scientist, William Mandella, drafted into UNEF, the armed guard for portal planets of collapsars (the book has made me curious enough about these words, I actually went to Google to find out what are those; usually I do not even care), fighting against some alien creatures called the Taurans whom, at the beginning of his training, nobody had any idea how they looked like. He started from Private and progressed to a Major at the end of the war(s), without he himself really thought it was appropriate. He thought he became Major just because he were there since the very beginning. How could he survived that long life? All because all this relativity thing when you travel at the speed of light. He started the training at the age of 22, and ended the war while he was still in his twenties, I guess.

It is an interesting way of seeing a war when one is involved in the front combat, but very reluctantly. He was a reluctant soldier, and tried to leave the force unit as soon as he could (which he failed over and over). (SPOILER WARNING) How depressed I am when, at the end, I find out what triggered all these long wars with the Taurans. I shouldn't be surprised, though, maybe this issue is also one of the most common reasons people starting a war. I also think this read is very timely, with the sudden crazy idea of my country starting a compulsory military training for everyone under 50.

A small comment about the cover: Previous cover version showed Mandella in his combat suit. Wondering why this book cover version showed Potter instead? Yes, you guess it right :)

Anyway, I am shocked that this is a part of series. NO! I have to endure another (I assume, combative) life story of Mandella? I was hoping he really lived his rest of his life in peace. ...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Tanvir Muntasim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One of the best science fictions ever, no wonder it won both the Hugo and the Nebula. Full of insights into how war affects the human soul and damages the psyche . Even after 34 years of publications, it remains chillingly relevant, the mark of a true classic.

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