This is an excellent book: At least a 9/10. Go and read it!
Unlike ‘The Forever War’, there are no bug-eyed aliens in this book, just human nature itself. Set in the not too distant future (2043) space travel is still as limited as today, but the book has almost everything else:
A futuristic war between the northern and southern hemispheres, fought with remote-controlled robotic soldierboys, in which limited nuclear strikes have occurred, but the war continues in stalemate. It is also a kind of romance, as well as a study in racism. It also has a hard SF physics concept with profound consequences for the universe itself. It concerns religious fanaticism, group consciousness, and details the personal psychological effect that war has on the combatants. Yet it is also quite gripping, and page turning, with assassins, chases, and double and triple-crosses, so to tell you more would spoil it.
If you really want a full review first try these:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/forpeace.htm
http://www.sfsite.com/11a/fpeace20.htm
http://members.aol.com/misuly/haldeman.htm
http://members.aol.com/sfandfbookclub/forever_free.htm
http://www.sfreviews.com/docs/Joe Haldeman_1997_Forever Peace.htm
My only criticism would be the ending, which I thought was a little limp. I also was a bit unsold on the nature of the nanoforge technology and why the Ngumi could not have it. If St Bartholomew’s could have one without anyone knowing, I’m sure that Ngumi agents could have stolen plans for one. I thought it might be the warm fusion energy source that was the limiting factor, but then they took one down to Mexico in the back of a bus and had no energy problems getting it to work.
Unlike ‘The Forever War’, there are no bug-eyed aliens in this book, just human nature itself. Set in the not too distant future (2043) space travel is still as limited as today, but the book has almost everything else:
A futuristic war between the northern and southern hemispheres, fought with remote-controlled robotic soldierboys, in which limited nuclear strikes have occurred, but the war continues in stalemate. It is also a kind of romance, as well as a study in racism. It also has a hard SF physics concept with profound consequences for the universe itself. It concerns religious fanaticism, group consciousness, and details the personal psychological effect that war has on the combatants. Yet it is also quite gripping, and page turning, with assassins, chases, and double and triple-crosses, so to tell you more would spoil it.
If you really want a full review first try these:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/forpeace.htm
http://www.sfsite.com/11a/fpeace20.htm
http://members.aol.com/misuly/haldeman.htm
http://members.aol.com/sfandfbookclub/forever_free.htm
http://www.sfreviews.com/docs/Joe Haldeman_1997_Forever Peace.htm
My only criticism would be the ending, which I thought was a little limp. I also was a bit unsold on the nature of the nanoforge technology and why the Ngumi could not have it. If St Bartholomew’s could have one without anyone knowing, I’m sure that Ngumi agents could have stolen plans for one. I thought it might be the warm fusion energy source that was the limiting factor, but then they took one down to Mexico in the back of a bus and had no energy problems getting it to work.