Camouflage

This book engaged me right away: neat idea; fascinating development; good writing without excess detail; good pacing. I was totally into it.

Then in the middle of the book, things started to go downhill: ***SPOILERS BELOW***

The changeling stops being an alien and starts to become more human, which makes the character much less interesting and more predictable. And then there is a stupid and useless love interest/relationship that really diminishes the story. The only other interesting character besides the Changeling is the Chameleon, who really doesn't get much page time or development. And the ending is really bad - just corny and stupid.

Even saying all that, the book was still overall entertaining and I read it quickly. I am looking forward to reading more of Joe Haldeman's books.

This was my first book by Haldeman, and I enjoyed it. The story immediately drew me in. I don't usually read books about aliens, usually avoiding anything about outerspace, but this was worth the read. Its opened up my mind to check out more science fiction, with and without more aliens in them. Since reading everyone elses reviews, I'm looking forward to checking out more books by this author especially.

Most of this book is a fantastic story, quickly paced, interesting characters, etc. The most engrossing parts are told from the point of view of two different shapechanging creatures who secretly mimic humans. This situation naturally leads the reader to anticipate how the real humans will react when they discover the identity of the aliens. The human and alien characters are interesting enough that I didn't mind one or two illogical aspects of the alien physiology (example: the alien has no DNA yet it produces histamine -- what does histamine do for this alien if it has no DNA to produce histamine "receptors"??). Everything was fine until page 250 (out of 296) when I realized that the book was not going to deliver a satisfying ending in so few remaining pages. Indeed, the last ten pages deliver a hasty convergence of three plotlines that must be described as "incomplete". Another hundred pages like the first 250 and I would have given in five stars easily, but like this I give three stars and a bemused chuckle. Apparently the Nebula judges have lowish standards for established authors like Joe Haldeman. Whatever....

Haldeman's early works are among my all-time favorites. Since then he's cranked out a seemingly endless stream of almost-great but ultimately forgettable copy.

Of Camouflage's three parts, one is as good as it gets. An alien shapeshifter has been on the planet for eons, so long that it's forgotten it ever was anything but a marine predator at the very tippy-top of the food chain. Then it comes ashore and undertakes the project of learning how to fit into the much more complex social structure of that environment's top species. Fascinating, and well worth a book in itself.

"But wait," I can hear some editor saying. "We need a quest for origin." Okay, throw in a mysterious and impenetrable object salvaged from the bottom of an ocean trench. Problem; the reader already knows the object and the alien will come together at the end, memories will be restored, sidetracked destinies fulfilled, blah, blah. Boring.

"But wait," says some other editor. "Don't we need conflict?" (I'm assuming meddling editors are demanding these changes, because Haldeman is a better writer than this.) Anyway, JH sighs "No problem," and adds a second, completely superfluous evil shapechanging alien which seems to serve no purpose in the entire book. I have to presume its origin is identical to the first shapechanging alien, but the differences between them are never explained. I think it's supposed to be a big surprise when the evil alien's identity is revealed, but it just wasn't important enough to the story for me to give a damn.

"But wait," says a third editor. "We need a romance angle!" At which point there really should have been a complete - and if necessary violent - refusal. Alas, that's not the way it worked out.

In total, the book reads as if Haldeman originally intended a thousand-page epic and so could afford 300 pages of build-up, but then someone - possibly a fourth meddling editor - said, "Time's up!" As many other reviewers have already mentioned. there's a lot of great, leisurely material and then an abrupt, tacked-on ending.

All in all, Haldeman's done a lot better.

This book was my introduction to the excellent science fiction of Joe Haldeman. It is not his best work, but I found it entertaining and interesting. My major disappointment was the insubstantial character development and the other tantalizing plot elements. I just wanted more of the same, particularly about "the Chameleon" and the world from which the Changeling came.

I completely enjoyed reading this -- Without Synopsizing the book, or giving away the ending --- I would just like to say -- What Fun! Kept me turning the pages and going on to the next Chapter-- Nice Struture --- Couldn't wait to see what happened next -- The one thing I did not expect, --- The Ending!~

Thanks for the great entertainment Joe!

I liked the concept of two aliens roaming the planet changing themselves and events around them. This could have been a much better book but I got the sense that the Author was rushing to get to the end. The first third of the book is intriguing but then its downhill from there. I think he should take this story re-write it when he has some time to really finish it.

The character depth and development was excellent. The science, the plot, it works for me. Another Haldeman book you race through dreading the end. And if that ending doesn't get your mind racing with possibilities, you're probably not from earth. ;)

Hot alien babeomorph seduces nerd scientist to get near priceless treasure only to be semi-waylaid by evil billionaire immortal whilst buffeted by the passions of unintended xenoromance.

Good stuff!

I found Haldeman's work easily digestible, yet unsatisfactory. There are a number of weaknesses evident in the writing style and plot development. The most irritating have already been indicated by other reviewers. Looking to read anything at all? This is your book. If you want better Haldeman, check out The Forever War.

I like Haldeman... well liked anyway.

What could have been a terrific story ends up with lack of depth and is rife with inconsistency in logic and technology. The good news however is that this type of effort draws television production like mice to that which is cheesy.