Armor

Does anyone know if this is Steakley's first book? I can't find anything before it, and only Vampires that followed--what, about 20 years later? I think Armor is one of my favorite books. Sure, it's reused material from Starship Troopers and The Forever War, but a great book. Plenty of authors write about the same things. There are only so many original subjects left for plots. I love the Felix character. So tragic, but that's what makes him interesting. A man tortured by destiny. The Jack Crow plot-switch thing is also a fun diversion, and it ties in nicely at the end, though it's not a huge surprise. Now, can you say Captain Jack Sparrow ripoff? I think Pirates Of The Caribbean stole this guy right down to the lecherous swagger and aw-shucks evil hero persona. Anyway, it's too bad Steakley didn't do more books. I think Armor stands on its own as great sci-fi. A really fun read.

This was a really excellent sci-fi novel, and, if you get the audiobook, it is very well read. There was a sequel being planned, but John Steakley had only told his friends and fans about the story, without writing it down.

This is perhaps my favorite Sci-Fi book of all time. I orgianlly bought it just before a family vacation. I meant to read it during our beach visits, but could not put the book down. I'm not kidding. I picked it up Friday night around 6pm before we left and finished it around 2am the next morning. This book was chilling. I've recommended to all sci fi fans i know. You won't be sorry that you bought it. I've read it numerous times since then and never tire of it. Harsh, real and scary. Armor is a trip to the future battlefields in space.

Armor is a very powerful book. It is rare to find a war (anti-war?) novel that makes the feel the despair and hopelessness of the soldiers in battle. The story is also quite moving in its multitude of tragedies. Don't be fooled by the (bad) cover photo, this is about as far as you can get from a "cool war shoot'em up". You will feel for the characters on every page and will ultimately come to understand the horror it is to be them. It is also very interesting how the title Armor also refers to how all the characters in this fine novel are trapped in their personas and unable to escape.

I constantly look for great Sci-Fi book to read, I devour one and then search for another, this leads me to read quite a few good books and even more bad ones. So when I took a chance and started reading Armor I didn't expect anything special but I found a great book. I won't go on and talk about the plot and the characters, you can read the description and find out all you need to know I just want to recommend the book. Its fast paced, quick to read and you can't put it down.

This book is truely a classic. It is what every military Sci-fi novel should be judged by. This book kept me interested till the end, with the constant question of what happens to Felix? I have read "Starship Troopers" (which I found a very good book)yet it is often a commentary on the proper mindset of a soldier in war. ARMOR is the story of a solider in war the ups, the downs, and the hell he must indure as long as he remains alive. I believe this book is great because it tells not a story of war, but the story of a man. A man who although he won't admit it wants to die, but with honor because his love is dead. This is a great story, one I wish had a sequel.

This is a story set in the future about a soldier and his experiences fighting an insurmountable alien force; you're thinking "so what, almost all sci-fi novels are like that." So what makes the book special? Nothing, really.
It's a rather dull book with no big twists that I bought completely off the reccommendations of others. Even Steakley's command of the English language is a little shaky throughout the book. Our protagonist, Felix, is a bit of a weird one and I had a hard time identifying with his character; and when that happens, it suddenly becomes a very hard novel to finish.
This novel is good for nothing more than passing time; a "TV book" if you will. If I had the choice to read Ringworld (L Niven) for the 10th time, or this book for the first, I would go with the former.

Amazing military SF novel that ranks right up with Starship Troopers and Forever War as a seminal work of military science fiction. Jack Crow and Felix are unforgettable characters that jump off the page at you. A great novel from an underappreciated author.

Armor came out in 1984. Vampire$ in 1990. In 1996, I waited patiently for the next book, and was sorely disappointed that none appeared. Steakley's style is unbelievable, the pace and detail of his stories is second to none. I lent Armor and Vampire$ to a friend in New Mexico, BIG mistake. Never lend these books to anyone whose house you cannot go to and take them back. I have new copies on order, I eventually gave up on getting them back ;)
Mr. Steakley, if you ever see this, please inform us all of your writing plans!

Armor is, I believe, my favorite science fiction novel ever. It follows to basic plotlines -- one is the story of a desperate soldier fighting an impossible war, the other from the point of view of an ex-pirate escaped from prison who joined up with the wrong crew. The two plots do intertwine, but the plots aren't the appeal of this novel.
The author's writing style is unique. On the battlefield, you get that feeling which is rarely accurately conveyed in words, the feeling of the rush, the confusion, the horror of combat (I've never been in a combat situation, but I like to pretend I can imagine what it is like). But it's more than that. Steakley questions the whole purpose of the war, the necessity and the making of heroes, and the humanity and desperation of the soldiers.
When you get to the the pirate's section, it switches over to a first person POV, but instead of using one of the usual first person styles (either normal third person with the word 'I' substited in a lot, or subtance-less with a lot of jokes,) you really get into the head of the character, into what makes him tick, and it's really a fantastic experience.
And even with all the fantastic points necessarily made, this book never lets up. There's nary a boring or dull moment, there are the obligatory plot-twists, action sequences, etc..
This is simply a must read novel.

when i first started reading this book I thought it was yet another people in powered armor fighting bugs book.

I was wrong this turned out to be a real page turner which I enjoyed thoroughly and over the years since I first read it, in my own opinion, set the bar for all power-armor/space-opera

I highly recommend it

I loved this book. I've read it a few times and it always grabs me. My favorite part is the fort they build on Banshee. I was in the service in the '70s and it's such a great commentary on military command incompetence. "We have the technology, why didn't it work?"

Felix is the quintessential anti-hero. And, when you find out why he's there, it explains so much.

A great read. Even the Jack Crow part is essential to the story. Otherwise, how would we find out what happened?

I love the idea of "Scream Singing". You must be seriously drunk first. (Or at least, seem to be.)

There are people who complain about Armor being a cheap rip-off of Heinlein's Starship Troopers. They are partially correct. Steakley himself has admitted that he stole Troopers outright and has commented that if Heinlein could write action, a quality which he regrettably lacked as a writer, Armor never would have been written.
But this is incorrect and here is why: Whereas Troopers shows how political intrigue and maneuvering can affect a war and the warrior participating in it, Armor shows how the brutal combat of close-up futuristic warfare with Aliens we can know nothing about affects a warrior experiencing it.
The third book of power armor, Haldeman's The Forever War, shows a third aspect: how society views a war and the changing veiws of that society as time passes, governments change and social norms slowly develop new trends and how this affects a warrior fighting in that war.
Bashing Armor for its lack of an aspect is not a reasonable thing to do. If Steakley wished to include the sociological and political aspects of the book, he would have, but that would have detracted from the book's focus: the people involved and nothing else. Not on the technology, not on the society, not on the politics. On the people. Two of them: Felix and Jack Crow. The back even reads, "...and how the strength of spirit can be the greatest armor of all."
This novel is about two viewpoints: How war affects a warrior participating in it and How war affects a civilian aware of it.
Bashing a novel is completely unacceptable in my eyes because by insulting a novel, it implies that one feels they could have written it better. Well, if that is the case, go ahead and write it better. If you can do it, kudos for you. If not, quit your whining and don't read it if you don't like it.
The Gunman

The book is set in a universe closely resembeling the Starship Troopers book. But is accually two stories in one. One storie is about Felix a bit of a loner with no past who simply refuses to die. the other is about about a bunch of scientists who relive Felixes battles through his suits mental interface. I just read this book for the second time. I read it a few years ago but this time I read it but skipped all of the middle parts about the scientists reliving his battles through the suit. And the book was better than ever.
i wonder if John Steakley has started on any sequels. the book has masive potential.

After reading all these reviews, I have to admit that I'm pleasantly surprised! I had no idea that "Armor" was such a cult novel with such a huge following.
It's revealing how many veterans gave the book positive reviews. It seems to confirm something that I've felt for a long time: Steakley himself may be a veteran, and this book was a way for him to put his experiences of war (whichever one it was) down on paper. Why sci-fi? Why not?
I have to agree with those who say that the book slows down during the Jack Crow sections. It's sad but true. At least J.C. seems to undergo some sort of character development (more than one could say for many SF novels) but the dialogue especially was only so-so. I would have to say, nonetheless, that the scenes with Felix more than make up for those sections.
Comparing "Armor" with "Starship Troopers" does neither book justice. Heinlein seems more concerned with the military mind than he is with the actual experience of combat. We are never told what Earth society is like in "Armor," or at least it's only broadly described. "Troopers" was about why we need a military (and, IMHO, is much more ambiguous concerning warfare than some unsophisticated readers would think); "Armor" is about the deleterious effects of warfare on the mind and spirit. (Except for the JAck Crow stuff.)
This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I would recommend it in turn, not as a great work of literature, or even great SF on the level of Poe, Wells, Clarke, Heinlein's best, Dick, Zelazny, Lem, etc. But it is a powerful book, with a lot to say, if we're willing to listen.

A friend of mine loaned a copy of this to me when I was 17. I'm 37 now and have read it every year since then.

I have NEVER, repeat, NEVER read the same book that many times in my life. Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles" comes close, but not close enough.

This book literally DRAGS you into Steakley's universe and refuses to let you return to reality. This was the first book that ever made me nervous while reading it. Steakley's style of storytelling is relentless and unforgiving. I could virtually FEEL Felix's anguish and torment as well as Jack Crow's desperation.

This novel could be turned into a spectacular film (IF it's done right! Remember what happened to the "Battlefield Earth" movie? God, I still get sick to my stomach when I think about it).

Many complain that it's too much like Starship Troopers and on many levels, it is, but Steakley takes the concept of Troopers and puts his own spin on it. The result is a unique narrative with two seemingly unrelated plotlines that converge near the end to form a goose-bump enducing climax.

Think "Saving Private Ryan" meets "Aliens".

I usually read this one with the music of Tangerine Dream played at a level just above the hearing threshold. The result is an eerie journey into Steakley's harsh universe.

Read on....

This is John Steakley's all-time classic contribution to military science fiction. I am very pleased to see that it has been re-released, although I do like to old cover better. However, covers aside, the content of the pages is a beautiful glimpse into the horror of war, the despair of the soldier, and the unconscious willingness of the human spirit to survive. I first read this book back in 1986, and have re-read it three times since then. Truly one of he best ten books I had read, and it has clearly shown through against a lot of competition. I am very pleased to see this great story and author get its due.

This book isn't TRYING to be Starship Troopers either. It is its own book, unashamed and unapologetic. Gripping is not even the word for it: This book is rough. It's psychic brutalization of the best sort.

For those who have and will complain about the secondary storyline, it is absolutely necessary. Without it, two important things would be missed. One: A connection to Felix is made from the perspective of an external observer, allowing us to analyze and cope with our feelings about what happened to him as they do likewise. Two: Downtime. If the book were nothing but an exhaustive, fleshed-out, full-length account of what Felix goes through one would be emotionally drained at best, emotionally dead at worst. Is my description of the mental payload overwrought? Perhaps, but there are those who have been or will be affected by this book as I and others have been. They'll understand.

If you like Starship Troopers you MAY like this book, and it's worth a shot at relatively low expense. It's not Heinlein, but it is excellent.

The controversy about this book on this site is amazing. All I can say is with a library of over a thousand science fiction books this is one of the very few I read over and over again. Yes, it is an 'unending numbers against one guy' book, but it does it so well that I was actually purchased Steakley's other book despite my extreme dislike of the entire vampire genre.
If you like Weber, Drake, Ringo, Flint and the like you'll probably enjoy this. If you search for deep meaning in science fiction perhaps you should stick to others.

I bought this book by chance one Christmas when I spent 3 hrs in a book store with my family. As you'd expect I was bored out of my mind and while I was browsing the Sci-fi section, discovered ARMOR. It sounded interesting and it was only a few dollars, so I bought it and started reading it. I read it for the next two hours, on the way home, throught the night and until my eyes stopped functioning correctly. Needless to say it didn't take me long to finish it. Then I took it to school and gave it to one of my friends to read, he gave it back within the week and I gave it to another friend. After circulating around about 4 or 5 of my friends, the general concensus was that it was the coolest book they'd ever read. Unfortunatly, now my book looks like ITS been through an intergallactic war!
I can best describe this book as a "Starship Troopers" on steriods, Mr. Steakley is a brillant writer and I think even though the change in viewpoint and story midway through the book was shocking and apalling at first, the book wouldn't have been as near as spectacular without it. I feel that this book has quietly turned out to be one of the best stories ever told and I yearn for a sequel, prequel, spinoff, whatever. Anyway, I, in my great wisdom (I'm only 15, but I think I've gathered quite a bit of wisdom so far), recommend that this book be read by all who have a means to aquire it and promise you won't regret it.

If you're a big fan of novels such as Starship Troopers or Expendable, or perhaps Aliens, you'll really get into this book. Right from the beginning, it's one of those books that immediately puts you into the thick of the action and drags you in. The down side, (If you really want to call it that) is that the story shifts gears about 1/3 of the way in to start telling another story that branches off about what seems different characters and a different story line. But that's not really the case.... I remember reading this and really loving it till I hit that part where it changed stories. The biggest mistake I made was jumping ahead in the book to find the part with Felix and the power armor and the battle for Banshee. Big Mistake. The story that starts up in the middle is really all tied together very nicely with the first and by the time you're done, you've got one heck of a good story that leaves you wishing for more. This is one of my favorite books of this type. I think it's on par with Starship Troopers yet holds it's own without being a cheap knock-off of it. I think I've read it at least 8-9 times and each time, I enjoy going along for the ride.

this is a unforgetable tale of a man namd felix. it starts off with a page turning being and and very elaborate battles with ants the back of the book explains it so here it is."The planet was called simply A-9. The air was unbreathable,the water poisonous. But it had to be conquered, for it was the home world of the most implacable enemies that cosmically expanding humanity had yet encountered. body armor had been devisedfor the commando forces that were to be dropped on A-9-the cumination of ten thousand years of the armors craft. A man in that armor would be stronger than a 20th century tank force. But the enemy had a weapon that was its equal-sheer murderous mass attack by a horde of thousands of antlike almost unkillable beings. But there is more to war than battle-there is allways the question of the human being within the armor.And in this unforgettable tale of such a man." well if that has not gotten you the real book will.

"THIS BOOK IS UNBELIEVABLE!" That was all I could think as I read this book. And to call it a book is undermining...It is an EXPERIENCE. I was completely astounded by the fact that it described, in words, those human emotions and feelings that no words can possibly describe. While this book is one of the greatest I have ever read, it still has a few "downsides" (for a lack of better wording) to it. While the Jack Crow sections were pretty cool, you, as the reader, are immediately thrown into his section without any warning after page 84 in the revision edition. And besides that, the sections on Jack Crow are much longer than the section on Felix. Nonetheless, it is extremely cool when Jack Crow finally comes to understand the world of Felix. What was the deal with the Archon thing though? What was the importance? (If anyone understood this, please e-mail me!!!) This EXPERIENCE must be allowed to take place for many people out there, if not EVERYONE!!! READ THIS PSEUDO-BOOK AND UNDERGO A COMPLETE EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF 500 PAGES AND BLACK INK!!!

This book is good. This book is bad. Basically, it splits the story between two characters - a warrior - Felix, and a pirate of sorts, Jack Crow.
The sections from Felix's perspective are fantastic and quite, quite brilliant. The sections from Jack Crows perspective are not so good, in my opinion.
The problem is that the book begins to concentrate far too much on Mr. Crow than Felix. The ending is somewhat rushed, though it does have an out-there twist. And, as others have mentioned, the book does not give us a set ending for Felix, which is a pity.
Because Felix is a wonderful character, and he deserves more 'air-time' than does Mr. Crow. A masterpiece, then. Flawed, but still a masterpiece.

I remember reading this book when I was about 9, for some reason it grabbed me at the time. I reread it twice, at that age something about the story inspired me, I loved it. The book got stuck on a shelf eventually, and I was unable to locate it till a few months ago. I am still not entirely sure what I found so captivating at the time, for a 9 year old, but now, as a 16 year old, the story had even more meaning. I would not reccomend this book to your 9 year old, but I would reccomend it to everyone else with enough maturity and interest in the genre. The comparison to Starship Troopers is there, you can see similairities as far as the hopeless war, the incompetent authority, and the massive enemy. However, Starship Trooper explored the character of a young officer, we saw boot camp, in a slightly more barbaric and facinating way, we saw a culture that was interesting and almost backward. This book does not touch these issues. This book explores what makes a hero. Throughout the book we encounter numerous characters that all could be defined as heroes, and ironically, in the first few chapters, a vet tells the protagonist, Felix, that human's need a hero. The truth is, they have heroes. They have the unstoppably determined Forrest, they have the talented and near perfect olympic winner, they have the skilled and morally struggling Crow, they have the brilliant scientist, and then, finnally, they have Felix. Felix is unlike any hero I have ever read. He is not an Anti-Hero. He is a hopeless man who is absolutely certain he will die, and this is what makes him humanities ultimate hero. This hope deprived fatalist and the exploration of his character is what Armor is about, and it is awesome.

John Steakley's, Armor, is quite possibly the greatest book I've ever read. A good read just over four-hundred pages, this novel contains a mixture of action, violence, love, betrayal, heart wrenching tales of sorrow, and countless life morals that everyone should hear. Placed in the distant future, humans of colonized many planets, and have highly advanced forms of space travel. However, in this classic science fiction narrative, we humans are not alone. A viscious race of insect-like aliens, referred to as ants, attacked earth, and thus the start of the book is a headlong pitch into the first assault onto the alien home world, A-9. Felix, the remarkable soldier that the reader follows, is the first to touch ground onto the foreign planet. Raging winds and chaotic sandstorms quickly earned the planet a new name among the soldiers, Banshee.

The giant, three-meter tall, ant-like monstrosities that dwelled on the planet attacked the soldiers en masse, a never-ending swarm of bugs. The only hope of these lost soldies on the unknown world was the amazing power suits that they fought in. Able to survive in a complete vacuum for several days wtih food and water built into the armor, the once human soldiers take on a completely different aspect of war. Able to leap thirty meteres straight up, tear men in half, and absorb the constant fire of the laser guns used in the future, Felix and his fellows are monsters of their own. However, this book does not follow the adventures of a lost Felix on an alien planet throughout the entire story, a new character, Ex-Spaced Pirate Jack Crow, plays an important role in the novel. The two characters are entwined throughout the srory, complimenting each others' personalities, even though the Jack Crow adventures take place several years after the "Ant War." With secrets hidden just under the surface,

action, love, and life all thrown into one, this book is a must-read novel.

Most people set out comparing Armor with Starship Troopers. I have read both books, and I find comparing these two books to be like apples and oranges. They're both good, but they have different flavors. Yes, they are both books about people in powered armor fighting a race of giant insectoids, But there is were the comparison ends. Armor is the story of Felix, a warrior who is on the edge. Much grittier than Starship Troopers, Armor pulls no punches when it comes to describing the horrors of war, and the toll it takes on the human psyche. Perhaps the least desirable part of the book is the second part, that deals with another character called Jack Crow. It's the equivelent of running full tilt down a hallway, then hitting a sudden right turn. It throws off the continuity and pacing of the book, and leaves you asking "What about Feix?" But even this is worth reading, and don't worry, you'll get back to felix soon enough.

A lot of people trash this story as a knock off of Starship Troopers. Now Mr. Steakley does admit that as a muse "Starship Troopers" had strong influence on him, but this story stands alone in my eyes. I love the two discrete story lines and how Mr. Steakley ties them together in the end. And deep down inside me, something resonates with the idea of the Engine. Buy this book, because I won't lend you mine. ;)

This book is a classic. It is one of the best military science fiction novels that I have read. It not only depicts the horrors of combat but the psychological consequences as well! The description of the "engine" that dwells within all of us is hair raising and positively reeks of someone who has experienced combat firsthand! One of my favorite quotes comes from within the pages of this book. "You are,what you do,when it counts." Simple but very deep! This novel is a must read by anyone who has "seen the elephant".

About 65% of Armor is a good read, and fits into the classic structure and feel of legitimate sf as opposed to confusing "modern" sf which is poorly written fantasy or romance pretending to be sf. I think some of the criticism is harsh, and not every book is a "Bester" or your favorite. This is good, and should be read. It will not waste your time, and is better than most out there now. A solid 7.

I thought this was a terrific novel. My brother introduced this book to me and I recognized the name as the author of Vampire$. I normally don't read sci-fi, but my brother insisted. I was hooked with the non-stop action and thought it was written very well. Felix was a great character. My only complaint was that I would have liked to have seen more battle sequences. I would definitely recommend this book!!

If you liked Haldeman's "The Forever War", and/or Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", then you'll wonder why you've never read "Armor". Read it, re-read the others and read it again. And realize that in each book, although the battle-suits are flashy,they are but minor characters in remarkable stories. Steakely's "Armor" HAS to be mentioned whenever the other two are!!!!!

I picked this book up in the used bookstore because I have studied armor, I enjoy sci-fi and the synopsis promised both. The book delivered. The author interspersed the action of battle with revealing narratives from the supporting cast. Without the style and tone switches the plot would not have had the same impact. When I finished this one a shiver ran down my spine. By far a shining example of the genre - in a word: Excellent.

I have been a soldier. A coward. A hero. And so has Felix/Lewis. Armor is similar to Starship Troopers, but Heinlein did it on a broader scope. Steakley is much more personal. The ants are not the bugs. Humanity is still brilliant, ignorant, cowardly and courageous. Just like in real life. Armor, Starship Troopers, Ender's Game, Novels by Barry Sadler and WEB Griffin are as close as most of you will ever come to experiencing a war, a battle. Thankfully. It means Me and Mine have done our jobs properly.

Forget the Starship Troopers comparisions. Heilein was'st a combat s.f. author anyway. Armour was only predictible to people who read too much combat sfi-fi anyway! The books' definitely worth a sequel anyway. I,m not trying to rank it with the absolute best, but it was quite good. Steakley has possibilities, lets see what developes. meanwhile the markets pretty slim lately, lets encourage some the new writers to do their best!

Having read science fiction written by many different authors my entire life, Armor has to be the single best of the lot. I have read this book more times than I can count, and the single word that comes to mind to descibe it is 'WOW'. Steakley's style is unique, and reading it a person finds themself part of the action, humor, and horror of the hero's life. It is an absolute must read, time and again

The description of combat in the beginning was a real hook. However, the Jack Crow section was like a completely different story thrown in to confuse me. The Felix story stops and then you have to play catch up for the last few pages. Forever War, for example, is a far more disciplined and structured narrative showing the effects of combat on individuals than this book. I was disappointed in ARMOR

Even if you enjoy fantasy more than hard-core Sci-Fi you'll enjoy this one. Interweaving of different lives and times really bring this story a sense of reality that is lacking in many stories of this genre. The suit almost becomes an entity in and of itself, allowing part of the past to be re-lived. Humanity wouldn't be so drawn to history if we didn't want to experience it for ourselves!

Steakley's ARMOR is incredible for about 125 pages. Even the beginning of the chapter, Jack Crow, a twist in the book's style, was equally enthralling. There were, however, well written yet tiresome parts of this book...almost a much as to say: About half great action, half great something-or-other. Amazingly enough, everyone i know who has read this book could not put it down, from start to finish. It is well worth reading, in my opinion, because albiet the "slow" parts, one should never miss the opportunity, as in (for example) Robinson Caruso, where the plot twists and possibilities physically tingle your mind. Very nearly the last 125 pages were even more pulse pounding than the first; you will fight fatigue to finish ARMOR-i know! -owz

About 65% of Armor is a good read, and fits into the classic structure and feel of legitimate sf as opposed to confusing "modern" sf which is poorly written fantasy or romance pretending to be sf. I think some of the criticism is harsh, and not every book is a "Bester" or your favorite. This is good, and should be read. It will not waste your time, and is better than most out there now. A solid 7.

I thought this was a terrific novel. My brother introduced this book to me and I recognized the name as the author of Vampire$. I normally don't read sci-fi, but my brother insisted. I was hooked with the non-stop action and thought it was written very well. Felix was a great character. My only complaint was that I would have liked to have seen more battle sequences. I would definitely recommend this book!!

If you liked Haldeman's "The Forever War", and/or Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", then you'll wonder why you've never read "Armor". Read it, re-read the others and read it again. And realize that in each book, although the battle-suits are flashy,they are but minor characters in remarkable stories. Steakely's "Armor" HAS to be mentioned whenever the other two are!!!!!

I picked this book up in the used bookstore because I have studied armor, I enjoy sci-fi and the synopsis promised both. The book delivered. The author interspersed the action of battle with revealing narratives from the supporting cast. Without the style and tone switches the plot would not have had the same impact. When I finished this one a shiver ran down my spine. By far a shining example of the genre - in a word: Excellent.

I have been a soldier. A coward. A hero. And so has Felix/Lewis. Armor is similar to Starship Troopers, but Heinlein did it on a broader scope. Steakley is much more personal. The ants are not the bugs. Humanity is still brilliant, ignorant, cowardly and courageous. Just like in real life. Armor, Starship Troopers, Ender's Game, Novels by Barry Sadler and WEB Griffin are as close as most of you will ever come to experiencing a war, a battle. Thankfully. It means Me and Mine have done our jobs properly.

Forget the Starship Troopers comparisions. Heilein was'st a combat s.f. author anyway. Armour was only predictible to people who read too much combat sfi-fi anyway! The books' definitely worth a sequel anyway. I,m not trying to rank it with the absolute best, but it was quite good. Steakley has possibilities, lets see what developes. meanwhile the markets pretty slim lately, lets encourage some the new writers to do their best!

Having read science fiction written by many different authors my entire life, Armor has to be the single best of the lot. I have read this book more times than I can count, and the single word that comes to mind to descibe it is 'WOW'. Steakley's style is unique, and reading it a person finds themself part of the action, humor, and horror of the hero's life. It is an absolute must read, time and again

The description of combat in the beginning was a real hook. However, the Jack Crow section was like a completely different story thrown in to confuse me. The Felix story stops and then you have to play catch up for the last few pages. Forever War, for example, is a far more disciplined and structured narrative showing the effects of combat on individuals than this book. I was disappointed in ARMOR

Even if you enjoy fantasy more than hard-core Sci-Fi you'll enjoy this one. Interweaving of different lives and times really bring this story a sense of reality that is lacking in many stories of this genre. The suit almost becomes an entity in and of itself, allowing part of the past to be re-lived. Humanity wouldn't be so drawn to history if we didn't want to experience it for ourselves!

Steakley's ARMOR is incredible for about 125 pages. Even the beginning of the chapter, Jack Crow, a twist in the book's style, was equally enthralling. There were, however, well written yet tiresome parts of this book...almost a much as to say: About half great action, half great something-or-other. Amazingly enough, everyone i know who has read this book could not put it down, from start to finish. It is well worth reading, in my opinion, because albiet the "slow" parts, one should never miss the opportunity, as in (for example) Robinson Caruso, where the plot twists and possibilities physically tingle your mind. Very nearly the last 125 pages were even more pulse pounding than the first; you will fight fatigue to finish ARMOR-i know! -owz

I first read this in 1990. I just it again vacationing in Germany this week, 2008. I LOVE this book. It is so much more than Starship Troopers and could be made into such an awesome movie. Felix is fascinating in the suit and with Jack Crow ARMOR provides the best of both worlds - pure testosterone plus intellectual subterfuge. It also still has so much potential as a series.

My high school buddies and I still talk about how this was one of the best books we ever ready. If I had the money, I'd make it into a movie. A video game would really be fun to play. John, PLEASE give Hollywood or Blizzard a call!?

One damn bad book as far as I am concerned. I did not like this book at all. I found it a total waste of my time. Frankly, I just do not see why other people think this book is so great. I hated it and it was a struggle just to finish it.

I have read 1000s of speculative fiction books in my life. Many of them multiple times. Several of them as many as 20 times. But this book seemingly transcends them all. Its inexplicable. Its one book. The author is a mystery. As far as I can tell, he only wrote one other book; Vampire$. A good book, but not spectacular.
And yet, this book seemingly percolates up amongst all the other books I have ever read. I am on my second copy and its showing some serious wear. The first one fell apart. All the other books I have read as much as 20x are hale and whole.
Recommendation: At the very least, I can virtually guarantee the time spent reading it, if you like speculative fiction, will be time well spent.

I'm a huge fan of Starship Troopers and The Forever War. I wanted to read another popular military sci-fi novel, read some glowing reviews of Armor, and stumbled upon the book at a used book store. I eagerly read through Part One of this novel in one sitting. I was under the impression I was going to finish the book in one day until I got to part two. Suddenly, a new character is poorly introduced as is really never given any background. I found myself thumbing through the book looking to see if I was ever going to read about Felix again. Part Two is a real letdown. I wasn't interested in anything that was going on (mostly because I didn't understand). Part Three was exciting again when I finally got a feel for the characters. Part Four goes back to Felix and I read that entire section in one sitting again, being completely immersed in the novel. I don't want to ruin too much, but Part Five has one huge coincidence that you might be shaking your head at and laughing. I cannot recommend this book because it left me disappointed.

This is an amazing story, you must read it. The battle scenes are well thought out and easy to follow. The technical part of science-fiction is plausible and not too wordy. Basically, a great story of courage and the human condition. If nothing else, read it to study the breakdown of Felix's personality into that of a berserker killing machine. This needs to be a movie.

While scrolling down past reviews of this book, it did not surprise me to see a few U.S. servicemen giving good reviews to Armor. The book effectively conveys the feelings and coping mechanisms (The Engine) that soldiers must face during battle. Two stories are told in the book: that of Felix, the armored soldier, and Jack Crow, a space outlaw. At first one feels as if one is reading two different books, but eventually the two storylines meet at the end.
Regarding the subject of wars against bugs, Armor attempts to portray war, warts and all, like the movie "Saving Private Ryan", whereas Starship Troopers tends to glorify war like the John Wayne classic "The Green Beret." (Don't take me wrong, I like Starship Troopers and "The Green Beret"!)
I recommend All Quiet on the Western Front and Johnny Got His Gun, both non-scifi books, yet excellent in portraying the realities of warfare.

To clarify something other reviewers have questioned, Starship Troopers did indeed come before Armor. 20 years or so before Armor. And Armor was indeed heavily influenced by Starship Troopers. John Steakley himself even said that he stole it outright. That said, what Armor is is emotional where Starship Troopers is intellectual. Starship Troopers used the pretext of a futuristic war to deliver the author's views of society and the military, whereas Armor barely sketches in details about it's society and military in order to tell the story of one man's struggle to survive in an unsurvivable situation.

I read this book in '84 when it first came out and was struck by the simulairity to "Starship Troopers". The author may not have plagerized but he was certainly heavily influenced by "Starship Troopers". I may be slightly bias because Heinlein is probably my favorite author. "Armor" is a good read but the simularity was a little much for me

This story starts out strong, but the writing style gets exhausting. 20% of this book pulls you in and makes you care about the characters, the other 80% on things you'll *never* care about. There were times I was plowing through boring, irrelevant chapters so hard that I actually EMPATHIZED with Felix plowing through the never-ending hordes of ants.

It really comes away feeling less like a story and more like a blizzard of information that happens to contain a story within it (e.g. I didn't need to read anything about Karen, Shoen, Eyes, etc.).

In fairness, I think Steakley wrote the book this way to drive home his message that the world is confusing, screwed up, and chaotic--that absolutists who are vocal about their ideals are almost always people with self-destructive agendas that involve other people dying/suffering. Rare are those like Felix, Dr. Ware, and even Jack Crow who ask no one to carry their burdens. Then there's also the "Armor" message, which I won't ruin.

Which are great messages...it's just unfortunate that the book goes on so, so, soooo long unnecessarily. Steakley's world in Armor is so bleak and fatalistic that its doubtful these moral lessons would even make a difference. People come and go so fast in this book that its hard to even care about anyone at all. That alone makes the whole process of discovering these moral lessons feel kind of pointness.

I'll put it bluntly...Armor is the best book I have EVER read. Mr Steakly is a master of descriptive writing. He takes you into every battle and makes you feel every word. His characters are fantastic...you laugh, cry and fear with these people...especially the main character, Felix.
I bought this book when it was first published and read late into the night over a period of days...spellbound...until I was done. WHAT A RIDE!
If you love action, adventure and Sci-Fi, then this is a book for you.
The emotion that is conveyed through Mr. Steakly's writing has no equal in my experience, and I have read ALOT of Sci-Fi and Fantasy from both unknown authors and the acclaimed "master writers". None can hold a candle to Mr. Steakly.
Felix is the main character in Armor. He is a man fleeing his past by enlisting in the Fleet. He gets sent to a planet known as "Banshee" to wage war on giant seven foot tall "ants". The key to the human offensive is in the super-suits that the men and women of the fleet wear...their Armor. The book is divided up into three parts...one concerning Felix and his alter-ego the "Engine", one with a secondary character Jack Crow, and a final chapter tying the other two parts together. The battles and action is so crisply detailed, so written in a train of thought manner, that you actually feel like you are there.
Buy it...read it...live it.
~Max~

Like another reviewer appears to have said - I thought half the book was good. Namely, the half about Felix. The Jack Crow bits were weak (blah blah I was bored so I killed 10 guys in 3 seconds blah blah). The ending of the Jack Crow story was actually getting interesting, until the very end where I thought it pretty much flopped.

John Steakley has to be a pseudonym. It simply is illogical to me that the author has only written two novels (Armor and Vampire$) both absolutely excellent and yet - nothing more.
Armor is great the way watching an IMAX movie is great - you feel like you are there. The battles echo images of 'Forever War' and 'Starship Troopers' and yet are ten times more intense.
I want a sequel! Actually I'll just be happy if this guy would publish more - not everyone has a flair to write great action sequences for pages on end.

I first read this book in high school has been my favorites ever since. I'm not any sort of educated super critic. I'm sure people could tear the plot apart and point out all the inconsistent plot threads. But in my mind this story and writing is just plain super fun. Conceptually refreshing even if done by other authors. They definitely didn't do it like Steakley, and it's too bad he's not around to continue entertaining us.

I'm with the couple of other long-time SF readers who rate both Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Joe Haldeman's The Forever War as significantly better.
I read Armor back in the '80s when it originally came out. It had a great start but petered out toward the end.
Hell, does anyone here remember "Catch-22"?

If you liked Starship Troopers this book is BETTER!
This book will wrap you up and keep you up all night!
It's an outerspace war story following two characters the soldier is Felix and the infantry wears combat suits called ARMOR and they are fighting giant ants.
This book is an absolute must for your collection.

Yes, the giant ants are scary and the description of hand-to-hand...err...hand-to-pincer combat is excellent, but there are definitely some problems with this book. Namely, the author tells two separate stories (Felix vs. Jack) which are poorly woven together throughout. Then, when the big surprise ending comes and unites both stories, well it's just not very convincing. Also, there are frequent typos, which can get a bit annoying if you mind that sort of thing. Overall, Armor is an entertaining read, but it definitely has a few chinks in it.

I respect Robert Heinlein as an author. He is one of the best there ever will be. Yet, everyone craps on Armor for being a "ripoff". Gimme a break, Starship Troopers was pure, undiluted crap, and the movie sucked even more, if that's possible. I'm sorry, but get over yourselves. Armor is one of the best books of its kind, period.

This book is truly one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read. The story-telling is engaging, the action is vivid and heart-pumping, and the themes are universal. I've read this twice in my life - once early in my teens and again in my thirties, and the book is still as great the second time, and I will say I noticed more the second time around :)

I first read this book in 1986 or 87 I think,anyway I loved it and must have read it 3 or 4 times now. I saw ST movie and enjoyed it but confess I never read the book.I like the fact that the plot changes for the middle of the book and then wraps itself up at the end. If you don't like this book you probably voted for Bill Clinton.

Armour or Starship Troopers? To start I must say that ST is probably my favorite book of all time. I first read it when I was 14 or 15 and it has stayed with me for 12 years. I read Armour a little bit later and enjoyed it too, but for different reasons. The basic technology of the fighting is the same, Steakley swiped it, but Steakely explores the humanity of Felix and is as much an anti-war book as ST is pro. While ST gets the blood pumping and makes me want to sing the Star Spangled Banner, Armour is almost melancholy. This book reminds me more of The Forever War than ST in the fom its emotions take. BTW, to the person who states that Armour was released before ST; ST was published back in the 50's as opposed to Armour's mid-80's. Heinlein was first.

Steakley's Armor is a relentless portrait of a man with nothing to live for who is nevertheless unable to stop fighting to stay alive. The sum of all the parts of the book don't tell the story, something in the way Steakley constructs this world swallows the reader whole. If you boil it down, it's a matter of style

I have read this book over and over. Though I'm a big Robert Heinlein fan, this book ranks higher in my opinion than most if not all of his books. The main charcter, Felix, is believeable and the situations intense. This is a 'Can't put it down' read even after 20 years. My only complaint, there are only two books available by John Steakley. Where's the next?

Ive read this book about 3 times and keep picking it up. I would suggest it to well...anyone really. Military, Scifi, and just people who admire good work. The plot is intriging and personaly id like to see a prequal and a sequal. There is so much we dont know about Felix like what his first name is, G? He made around 20 drops and we only see a tenth of those. Who is Jack Crow? How did he get to the Lyndril prison in the first place? And the Ants attack on central america is never really explained. And what about the armored olympics how does the war end? Theres so much information in the book and so much you just want to know. Thats what makes a greak novel, when you want more because the rest was fantastic!

I started reading this book thinking it would be somewhat like Ender's game, and Forever war. (I loved both) It was. Yet it wasn't. It was different. It was filled with hopelessness. It was filled with how bad war is. Similar to the way Lya, Holly and Jack were drawn to the story, so was I. Waiting for any chance to read, and even though the story pained me, by the terrible sense of despair - I could not stop. Until the end. It is a beautiful tale. Strange. Compelling. It is a must for lovers of the genre. I only hope there will be a sequel. Or a prequel. Anything. Maybe even a short story - as long as the story could continue.

I read many of the other reviews, and I agree with them to a large degree, but one thing I noticed that wasn't mentioned very much is the excellent way Steakley represents the military mindset. I know that it is always a given that the brass are idiots, and they don't ever have a clue about what is really going on, but in ARMOR you get a feel for the gut-wrenching sickness being a pawn of idiots brings. The book compares very well to THE FOREVER WAR, and I felt as much for Steakley's hero as I did for Haldeman's. There are many other aspects that are excellent, but I feel they have been covered well by others. I do, however, want to see a crow prequel.

Armor gets six for coolness, but rips off Starship Troopers in the basic storyline.
The basic premise of soldiers in powered armor fighting insect-like aliens is old hat in the SF world.
There is great action, and a neat plot, but the plagarism detracts massively from this book.

I would rate this book among the top SF books that I have
ever read. It kinda just draws you in.
Space: Above and Beyond fans will find striking similarities
between the Chigs and the aliens in this book.

Anyway, give it a read, and you won't be disappointed.

I was drawn into the story from the begining and felt imediate sympathy for Felix. Steakley gave me a thrilling ride by putting me in that suit and tossing me to the ants. In fact, the only problem I have is with the new cover. Battle armor is all one piece. That aside, read the book.

Like many of you I read this book in the 80's, while with the 82nd Airborne Div. I found it to be one of the best S.F. books Ive read. And I do not thank it fair that some people try and compair StarShip Trooper to Armor. They are both great books and should be judged on their own.

I'VE READ 1000'S OF NOVELS.MY INTERESTS VARY FROM SCI-FI TO FANTASY TO HORROR.I HAVE FAVORITES IN EACH GENRE.STEAKLEY HAS WRITTEN TWO NOVELS IN TWO GENRE'S.BOTH OF THEM HAVE IMPRESSED ME, WITH HIS ECONOMY OF WORDS AND HIS ABILITY TO COMPEL YOU TO CARE ABOUT HIS CHARACTERS.ARMOR IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE.FELIX IS AN EXTREMELY RICH GUY FIGHTING TO DIE,YET GIVING OVER HIS FEAR TO THE ENGINE INORDER TO SURVIVE:PARADOX.THEN ENTERS JACK CROW AND ANOTHER SET OF CHARACTERS,WHO WITNESS FIRST HAND FELIX'S EXPLOITS.I AGREE WITH EVERYONE ELSE,ACCEPT THE GUY WHO LIKES DUNE;SIGH,THIS IS A WONDERFUL STORY OF MAN'S ABILITY TO KEEP GOING AGAINST IMPOSSIBLE ODDS.READ IT FELLOW FRIENDS!YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT...

This could almost be a sequal to Starship Troopers. Steakley takes a little less political stance than Heinlein. This book is action packed and really shows you the violence of war. The dialogue of the soldiers is realistic. This book captures the soul of the common soldier.

This book is really good and has a lot of action, gore, sci-fi, and sex but no plot! I kept waiting for a plot to emmerge but none did. And they never really did explain what the Engine was and where it came from! Save yourself the time, people and read STarship Troopers. It's much better.

Better then Starship Troopers; Armor is the best science fiction book I've ever read. It is full of violent battlefield situation with brain-twisting plots. The main character Felix doesn't seem to care whether he lives or dies as he is transformed into a killing machine fighting against billions of giant alien insects. Felix struggles with duality... his human side, and the side he calls the "engine" which like the "Terminator" will not stop... Halfway through the book the story changes and leaves you wondering what author John Steakley is doing. Don't fear... it all comes together in the end. It's so good; it will leave you begging for more...

Armor is not to be compared to Starship Troopers, but should be thought of a contiuation of the story thought of by Robert Heinlien. John Steakley got into more depth with the aspects of every character than anything Heinlien ever wrote. He also made the the characters more interesting and desirable to the reader. There is nobody that read this book that didn't root for Felix at any point in the plot. This is a grade A book for anyone who loves SCI-FI.

Armor doesn't seem to recieve the credit it is due. It is involving and deeply psychological, and many readers seem unable to get past the fighting and into the deeper context of the novel. Armor is an excellent read and well worth the six bucks that the store is asking for.

First, let me say that this book should not be compared to Starship Trooper. If you want the classic 'Farm Boy turned Soldier conquers the Universe' look at almost any Heinlein book, or Hammer's Slammers. For a realistic and intriguing look into the heart of a soldier, Armor is the book to read. It is both compelling and absorbing. Being a veteran and a SF afficionado may give one a unique perspective. Regardless, this book is one I feel all whoe enjoy fiction should read. To end, I would like to say to all those who thought this book was either slow or a ripoff... there is a reason you don't understand the book, and it is not the book........

Finishing the book ought to be a requirement to writing a review! Would anyone here put stock in a movie review if the critic left in the middle of it? Would you listen to a sports announcer analyze a game when he left the game at halftime?

Slow at times but decently paced, Armor will satisfy if you are a sci-fi lover, military junkie, or just looking for a good read. It's thick, but worth the payoff in the end. I keep extra copies to GIVE to friends, not just loan out (no kidding).

I'm with the couple of other long-time SF readers who rate both Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Joe Haldeman's The Forever War as significantly better.
I read Armor back in the '80s when it originally came out. It had a great start but petered out toward the end

I generally read fantasy exclusively but I picked up Armor
and didn't put it down until I finished. It is a great story
of the man behind the war and people's emotional reactions
to war. This is definitely a must read and I am waiting for
a sequel.

THIS IS THE KIND OF BOOK THAT I WANT TO READ AGAIN AND AGAIN! IT SUCKS YOU INTO THE CHARACTER'S MIND. YOU CAN ALMOST SEE AND FEEL THE HORROR OF KILLING AND THE EXHILARATION OF AVOIDING BEING KILLED. THE BOOK BEGS FOR A SEQUEL. MR STEAKLEY - YOU OWE ME ONE!

WOW! Man, I loved this book. It really did appeal to my sense of action and my only slightly older and more mature side. The characters are great! It is a lot like Starship Troopers. (I'm in the middle of that right now) As a matter of fact, I was about to explode with excitement when I saw the first trailer for ST. I was calmed when I saw the people, no Armor. Bummer, but maybe Vampire$ could be made into a movie? And if you haven't read his other book, Vampire$, do so. The characters are basically the same, just different situations, but good none the less. Steakley is amazing! I WANT ANOTHER BOOK, JOHN!!!!!

Although this book was written 25 years ago, I had never heard of it until about 5 years ago when my manager at work mentioned it. I bought a copy and have read it at least a half-dozen times since then. It is on my night-stand along with "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy...a set of books that I read over and over when I don't have anything else to read.

I am by no means a literary critic, but I know what I like. I have been a prolific reader of fiction since I was a kid, and I am now in my mid-fifties. This book is one of my favs...just behind the "Lord of the Rings", which I have read at least twenty times since the first time when I was 18.

Jim Smith

Some have compared Armor to Starship Troopers.
That depends on if youre talking about the book or the movie.

Starship Troopers the Movie... is an untouchable classic - period.
The film fixed everything that was wrong with the book.

ST the book ... SUCKED.
NOTHING HAPPENS.
Just some guy using sci-fi to vent his political views - whatever.

Armor is more like ST the movie.
The story gives you a glimpse into combat & what countless deployments could feel like and...
the type of person someone would have to be to make it through so many battles.
Similar to ST (the movie) the odds seem insurmountable,which gives the action a sense of desperation.

Armor is not life-loving sci-fi about exploration & communication.
Armor is about fighting...surviving & having to do it all again.

I would like to see a series of books like Armor. Steakley really knows how to put the reader into the mist of battle. I have read Armor five times, and still can't get enough. I thank you for the opportunity to review this fantastic bit of classic Si-Fi

I did notice comparisons between Starship Troopers and Armor but whereas Starship Troopers is a regular soldier's rise in the ranks story, Armor is a viewpoint of someone else fighting somewhere else in the battles. ST is a broad recruitment book and Armor is giving a detailed description about one soldier battles. Both are excellent reading material and I have read both of them more than 5 times in less than 2 years. When I need a good read I pick one of these two up. Yes, Armor may have gotten ideas from ST but they were expanded on and shows us what else is happening when Rico is not around.

After reading the bulk of my fellow readers' comments, I must say there are more for Armour than for any other book I've seen. I've read the book several times and know I'll read it several more times. Its appeal to me lies in my own history in the Navy. There were times when I wondered how I'd prevail after days without sleep. There needn't have been any combat for me to immediately empathize with the complex, but simply drawn out Felix. Commands of no logic and comrades thrown out like chum, it's an existence where you suspend all expectations for any benevolence. BRAVO!!!!

I first discovered Steakly from reading his other book Vampire$, and was so impressed by it, I went out and bought Armor. It is an amazing book. Hands down one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read. "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein, is often regarded as the definitive science fiction book about war; Armor is better. Although Steakly gets a little wordy in his discriptions (often to the point of being confusing), it does not detract from the sheer wonder and awe one experiences from reading this book. My only problem with John Steakly is that he only has two books available.

...It's about the people you share the trench with and the invisible wounds that you'll always carry with you.

Steakley's classic could not unseat my 2 ~similar genre faves: "Ender's Game", and "The Forever War", but it's a great story -- both well told, and memorable.

"The thing about armor is that it can't protect you from what's inside"

In the spotlight review section one of the reviewers mentioned that the middle third of the book dragged a little. Biggest understatement in history. Let me put it this way...I read the first third in two hours, couldn't put it down. The second third took me two weeks to read, I always finish a book and I found myself dreading having to continue through this achingly dull section. The last third, again, I went through in two hours. Section this book into two novelettes. Devour the first and last thirds and burn the middle.

Armor is the best book I've ever read. I usually don't read Sci-Fi books but my brother made me read this. Felix is the best character I've ever read about. To the author, don't do a sequel to this book because you can't beat the first book.

Armor is the tale of two extraordinary men, and how they converge in an epic tale. The combat sequences of Felix the scout, combined with the rogue Jack Crow's exploits in converging tales makes for a diverse and spellbinding book.

While the end becomes predictable just before the climax, it still leaves you breathless as it culminates. I suspect it was planned that way. You can see it coming, but it grabs you anyway when it does.

Read the whole book to get the full impact. Skipping over a section or two will certainly leave you missing the point.

This novel, while some would call it a one off, opens up the dialog of war, again, and again. .. Again. . Again. . , The, fear of friendship, our need for love, and mans inability to release ourselves from our own confused past.

I have read this novel at least 20 times since I first plucked it at random from the shelf at the local mall bookstore. The narritive that influenced the sixteen year old me still compells me to this day. Comparisons to Starship Troopers ( both the film and the novel ) are imcomplete in their comprhension of this complex and overlapping emotional narritive that this work encompasses. Felix is the "best of the best" and is not just another solider. He is the soul of humanity attempting to bridge the gap that we, as a race, create between destruction and love.

I read this book for the first time about ten years ago and the best compliment I can give Mr. Steakley is that I regularly re-read it. A great many books have great characters or great action; a few books have both. Armor, though, conveys what it is to BE those characters IN those incredible circumstances better than any other book I can remember. The parallel story lines add suspense and help maintain the pace of the story, but the true gems are the characters, their psyches, and the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which they interact. Read this book, you'll enjoy it!

I enjoyed the book. It was alot like ST but the author seemed to focus more on the individual. Would like to see a second book. But who knows if Felix is still out there.... I guess the only with that answer is John Steakley.

I re-read this novel about once a year. Incredible. It touches me and never leaves me. No where else have I read about a character like Felix. Everything about him can be destroyed or taken away, except his will. John, I salute you.

I've read this book at LEAST 5 times since it first came out. It has adventure, humor and tragedy. Written with an eye toward human nature and how people can react under stress. A must read for all 'real' sci fi fans.

First I figured to recommend it. Then I decided to condemn it.

And some time later I decided to hold on to my judgment. :)

The Good: Once action starts it's spectacular, no doubt about that. Once it grabbed your attention, you're reliving the story.

The Bad: Action descriptions get repetitive fast. The storyline is not predictable - it's too long word for it, it's not even linear - too scientific to qualify either, but rather blunt.

The Ugly: Can you cay 'almost direct quotes of Heinlein' and 'I knew that and they did too'? The pompous way of delivering 'twists' which didn't worked since those were obvious as a police car's lights in your rear mirror are.

All in all - borrow it from you library, read, enjoy it and be disgusted of your hoi polloi taste.

It's a story of a reluctant hero who, once again, is forced by circumstances beyond his control to be what he has run away from. It's a story that was told very well in Clint Eastwood's movie: UNFORGIVEN I've read and re-read this book a number of times over the past 15 years and will continue to read it periodically. Battle scene descriptions are some of the best ever, but you'll have to slog through the 2nd half of the book to get to the (by then) only somewhat surprising ending.

This book was disorganized and poorly written. The plotline jumped all over the place with very little explanation. There was barely a complete sentence or thought in the book. I was sorely disappointed in this book and with the great the store reviews which it received. I had expected a novel along the lines of Starship Troopers, but instead was given a horribly unoriginal, predictable story. This book was an utter disappointment. From a military standpoint the novel was a joke. I have nothing good to say about this book. Do not let the other online reviews fool you, this book is not worth your time.

THE GOOD: The story itself is wonderful. The perspective switches between Felix and Crow effortlessly and both plotlines are interesting and worth the read. I did not find any dry spots and there weren't any pages I read because I felt I had to. Steakly is a pretty good writer. He is gritty and pulls no punches. Fans of sci-fi will enjoy this book thoroughly.

THE BAD: Nothing comes to mind.

THE UGLY: Couldn't find any ugly.

Ubermonkey suggests buying this book and reading it on a weekend when there is nothing else to do. You will thank me.

Armor is the tale of two extraordinary men, and how they converge in an epic tale. The combat sequences of Felix the scout, combined with the rogue Jack Crow's exploits in converging tales makes for a diverse and spellbinding book.

While the end becomes predictable just before the climax, it still leaves you breathless as it culminates. I suspect it was planned that way. You can see it coming, but it grabs you anyway when it does.

Read the whole book to get the full impact. Skipping over a section or two will certainly leave you missing the point.

This novel, while some would call it a one off, opens up the dialog of war, again, and again. .. Again. . Again. . , The, fear of friendship, our need for love, and mans inability to release ourselves from our own confused past.

I have read this novel at least 20 times since I first plucked it at random from the shelf at the local mall bookstore. The narritive that influenced the sixteen year old me still compells me to this day. Comparisons to Starship Troopers ( both the film and the novel ) are imcomplete in their comprhension of this complex and overlapping emotional narritive that this work encompasses. Felix is the "best of the best" and is not just another solider. He is the soul of humanity attempting to bridge the gap that we, as a race, create between destruction and love.

I read this book for the first time about ten years ago and the best compliment I can give Mr. Steakley is that I regularly re-read it. A great many books have great characters or great action; a few books have both. Armor, though, conveys what it is to BE those characters IN those incredible circumstances better than any other book I can remember. The parallel story lines add suspense and help maintain the pace of the story, but the true gems are the characters, their psyches, and the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which they interact. Read this book, you'll enjoy it!

I enjoyed the book. It was alot like ST but the author seemed to focus more on the individual. Would like to see a second book. But who knows if Felix is still out there.... I guess the only with that answer is John Steakley.

I re-read this novel about once a year. Incredible. It touches me and never leaves me. No where else have I read about a character like Felix. Everything about him can be destroyed or taken away, except his will. John, I salute you.

I've read this book at LEAST 5 times since it first came out. It has adventure, humor and tragedy. Written with an eye toward human nature and how people can react under stress. A must read for all 'real' sci fi fans.

First I figured to recommend it. Then I decided to condemn it.

And some time later I decided to hold on to my judgment. :)

The Good: Once action starts it's spectacular, no doubt about that. Once it grabbed your attention, you're reliving the story.

The Bad: Action descriptions get repetitive fast. The storyline is not predictable - it's too long word for it, it's not even linear - too scientific to qualify either, but rather blunt.

The Ugly: Can you cay 'almost direct quotes of Heinlein' and 'I knew that and they did too'? The pompous way of delivering 'twists' which didn't worked since those were obvious as a police car's lights in your rear mirror are.

All in all - borrow it from you library, read, enjoy it and be disgusted of your hoi polloi taste.

It's a story of a reluctant hero who, once again, is forced by circumstances beyond his control to be what he has run away from. It's a story that was told very well in Clint Eastwood's movie: UNFORGIVEN I've read and re-read this book a number of times over the past 15 years and will continue to read it periodically. Battle scene descriptions are some of the best ever, but you'll have to slog through the 2nd half of the book to get to the (by then) only somewhat surprising ending.

This book was disorganized and poorly written. The plotline jumped all over the place with very little explanation. There was barely a complete sentence or thought in the book. I was sorely disappointed in this book and with the great the store reviews which it received. I had expected a novel along the lines of Starship Troopers, but instead was given a horribly unoriginal, predictable story. This book was an utter disappointment. From a military standpoint the novel was a joke. I have nothing good to say about this book. Do not let the other online reviews fool you, this book is not worth your time.

THE GOOD: The story itself is wonderful. The perspective switches between Felix and Crow effortlessly and both plotlines are interesting and worth the read. I did not find any dry spots and there weren't any pages I read because I felt I had to. Steakly is a pretty good writer. He is gritty and pulls no punches. Fans of sci-fi will enjoy this book thoroughly.

THE BAD: Nothing comes to mind.

THE UGLY: Couldn't find any ugly.

Ubermonkey suggests buying this book and reading it on a weekend when there is nothing else to do. You will thank me.

To be perfectly honest I havn't even finished the book. Never the less here I am buy my very own copy. Yes it is that good. Why, you ask, did I entitle this ouch? Well simple because this book dosn't just pull your heart strings it racks them. I would sujest this book to anyone that doesn't mind being emotionally spent after only an hour of reading. Perhaps it seems that I make this recomendation premature but I beg to differ. Any book that has rocked this much can have any type of ending it likes and still be worthy of note.

This was, by far, one of the most addicting books I've read since Battlefield Earth. I can't help but wish there was a sequal or a side story or something. You can't help but to want to learn more and more about Felix, and the Jack Crow stories making up part two were just as good. I couldn't STOP reading it. I can safely say i lost MANY hours of sleep to this book, often reading till 1 or 2 AM before realizing what time it was. I plan on reading it again and again. a MUST READ

This book reminded me of a high school writing assignment. Great beginning, bad middle, worse ending. I haven't yet decided if its an homage to Starship Troopers, or a blatant rip-off. The beginning of the book, which details the intial combat drop and Felix's (the main character) attempt to survive, are the best parts of the entire read. The action sequences are fast paced and believeable, and the psychological changes in Felix are frightenly real.
The middle/end has parts in it that are so boring, its an act of self-discipline to finish them. Several times I had to force myself to continue reading, hoping in vain that something would happen. Unfortunately, nothing ever did. If this book is a "classic", its a classic in disappointment only.

I'm a big Sci-Fi fan. This is an easy read. It changes pace in the middle, but if you stick with it, the story comes back around. The character development is good, but you want more by the end. Too bad Steakely only wrote 1, could be a short series.

This book lacked the realty of "Starship Troopers" and "The Forever War". It was recommended to me because it was "supposed" to be like ST and FW, but it was very dissapointing. I mean, how could Felix and his comrades kill so much ants in so little time with just the butts of thier blazers, and the whole Jack Crow story was completely unnecessary, but, I must admit, it did have a very good ending and a very good set-up for a sequel.

I read this book when I was in high school in the 80's. I loved it then, I keep remembering the book years after I read it. It's up there in my favorites, though I have not read it in years, up there with _Hellspark_ by Nancy Kress and the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. It's not so much the technical skill that I remember about, but the story, Felix and his loss and pain. A psychological profile before they were big. I haven't seen it ages, I think I'll buy a new copy today.

400+ pages of pure sci-fi thrills. Armor and Steakley leave Forever War and Starship Troopers in the dust.
One of the complaints people have had about this book is the Jack Crow sections. How they were too slow, or didnt develop enough. This couldnt be farther from the truth. Jack Crow is a wonderul character. He's developed more than Felix, and comes across as simply a more likeable character.
Do yourself a favor and pick this up. You'll read it again and again.

Few books balance really good military SF with REALLY good characters, but this one does it. I don't care if you're a genre fan or not, Armor is a must-read for anyone who just wants an awesome good story.

Don't know if it's just time and style (the more I think about it, the less I think this might be the over-riding issue)... but it seemed really, really hollow. Some of the first reviewers saw the problems... but I think were too generous. Seemed a big, clumsy plot device into which a couple ideas were shoved, merely as a writing exercise. Simply I didn't know or care why the characters did what they did, and the end-of-story revelations were not terribly inspiring or rewarding. Just to repeat... (forgive me that I quote... my bitching is in brackets!)

"As a theme, it is distinct from the earlier cited works, and could have made this work into something excellent [ummm... less than dull...]. But it is marred [ruined] by several additional factors:

1. The shown high level military strategy/personnel are absurd. Any military consistently run in this fashion would quickly lose all respect by the lower level soldiers. The 'grunts' are famous for always bitching about just how screwed up the 'brass' are, but if they truly believed that, you would see Russia in 1917 all over again.

2. The Ants are equally impossible, seeming to have only one strategy, overwhelm through sheer mindless force of numbers, though they are supposedly a technologically advanced, star travelling culture. This attribute could have been worked into a strong sub-theme, but it wasn't.

3. The human society outside of the military is never really shown, nor is there really any reason given for the Ant War itself.

Thus the hero theme is forced to exist in an almost total vacuum from the normal societal factors that help define just what a hero is."

This is a somewhat interesting book, but I would rank it as "Below Average" in the "military/science fiction" category. I was very surprised and disappointed, as the book has hundreds of 5-star reviews. I may have missed the mark, but here are my observations:

There are just too many distractions or undeveloped ideas. In particular, author Steakley has an under-developed and [in my opinion] naive concept of military/armored combat [where the individual soldiers are "armored" in the manner of Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" (the book, not the movie)].

Their weapons and accessories ["blazers"?!] have preposterous names and capabilities/limitations [really, the alien "ants" have more realistic heat-"blasters"]. During the combat scenes, I was constantly imagining our modern-day armored tanks engaging in "bumper car" battles, rather than using their main gun or other capabilities. Or mixed-martial-arts bouts between untrained and unprepared amateurs.

During combat as envisioned by Steakley, soldiers have to bludgeon each other after their weapons quickly and invariably overheat. And, by "bludgeon" I mean just that--impromptu or desperate kicks and punches or hurled rocks; it seems there was no hand-to-hand or bayonet/"pugil-stick" training for this military. Only very late in the book are edged-weapons like swords introduced, and they are not used to fight the aliens.

There are only a few well-trained or very capable soldiers: Felix [one of the main characters] and Forest, and later Kent.

Scouts [of which the main character "Felix" is one; he is also another "character"] are deployed by foot, and they more-or-less wander around without charts/maps, and then report back in person. There seem to be no military vehicles, though there are resupply caches. Later, a bunker/fortress is introduced.

There are no weapons of mass-destruction (WMDs), or starship-based powerful weapons. There is no starship-based artillery or beam weapons to assist or support the foot soldiers. Later, we learn of a armored-suit capability which is only used twice.

The armored soldiers and scouts "jump" down to the planet via some StarTrek "transporter" technology [which is completely unexplained]; however, this same technology apparently cannot be used to deliver a WMD into the ant hives?!

There are no "tactics" [or even an overarching military strategy] beyond a "circle-the-wagons" technique used to deploy probes [which everyone agrees don't function as intended]. This military has no aircraft/drones or satellite imagery support; generally, the technical aspects [which is of interest in the sci-fi genre] of this future military are not developed.

In sum, this seems to be a futuristic bloody and mind-numbing war of attrition.

The ants are an interesting alien adversary, but they are completely undeveloped as to origin or motivation. The ants did originally attach Earth, but why/what happened then?

There is TOO MUCH about the characters that the author deliberately keeps from us For example, what is Felix's background? [(later, we do learn he was devastated by the loss of a loved one)] What was Felix's his role on his home planet?]. What is "The Engine" that seems to grip and motivate Felix; what does it have to do, if anything, with his Guardianship? What is the ant war trying to accomplish? Is the military objective to take and hold ant territory and/or key ant facilities or resources? This is something the author never touches upon, and it should be a key part of the story line.

I wouldn't mind too much, but this is a normal length novel, and the author wastes much too much effort on nonsensical angst issues, and repeating those angst issues WITHOUT clarifying them. This accomplishes nothing, and does do not move the story forward.

With a bit of thoughtful editing, and a few paragraphs of clarification, Steakley's "Armor" would have [could have] been a neat story. However, I found it a disappointing effort, and do not recommend it.

I read armor, then I read starship troopers, then I read armor again. They are such different books it absolutely stuns me that people even compare the two. They both deal with power armor, and they both have an insectoid menace, but those are THE only two things the books have in common, and even then the elements are used radically different. Read this book for what it is, an extremely good time.

Jaw dropping. Not just the amateurish sentence structure, cumbersome vocabulary, paper thin characters who act and talk like something out of a Mickey Spillane novel, nonsensical actions taken by those characters, and ridiculous structure to the book. No, the really stunning thing is how many people think this is good. What were those people thinking who gave this 5 out of 5? Have they ever read anything before? Or is it just people who normally don't read, and somehow they picked this up?

I've read hundreds of science fiction books. I couldn't finish this one - making this the only sci-fi book I can say that about. This is absolutely horrible.

I read this book long ago and I thought it was great. Although Mr. Steaky

is not the first author to think of powered armor (Heilein's excellent Starship

Troopers was in 1959, I think?... which deals more with society

like all of his massive output), this book is a riveting war story.

I would love to find out more about Felix, so if he ever chooses to write

more books I will probably buy them.

I think I still have a copy of this book, but I will buy another one just

to make sure...

Let me preface this by saying, if I could give this book zero stars I would. This is the first book that I have read that I have considered burning.

There is very little in this book worth reading. I had had Armor on my list of books to read for quite some time as many consider this to be a "classic" of science fiction. I don't see anything that makes this book a classic.

Firstly, Steakleys writing style is horrible. Not only is it horrible, everything in the book feels so amatuerish. The characters are one dimensional, the plot is both unbelievable, boring and uninspired, the narrative is extremely disjointed for simply no good reason, he falls back on crutches far too often and the only scenes that develop any of the minor bit characters are appalling (the dog torture scene in particular made me want to kill the stupid character relating it).

Steakley also seems to conveniently cop out of any situation that requires real story telling ability. Anytime a scene is going to develop a main character, require some thought and analysis to write and have the chance for real dialogue, Steakley glosses over it with what amounts to a "so they told me" or a "so I convinced them." It's sloppy, amatuerish and unsatisfying.

This book really has nothing to offer. Don't waste your time or money on it. Instead pick up The Forever War, Starship Troopers and Old Man's War. You will have get much greater insight into what it is like to fight in a meaningless war, be prompted to think and have more fun. The books also read far better than Armor.

The most appealing facet was the intimate attention applied to detail. The emotion and reality of the horrors of war were vividly dipicted as well as how these wicked facets are managed by those immersed within it. Both of the main characters involved were well developed and beyond two dimensional. Reading the book was easy. Every chapter lured me on to read the next. A skill not easily applied when dealing with a novel of this size. It was an awesome read!

I read this book a while ago, and it's one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. If you're into sci-fi books that deal with war and the aftermath of war on the individual warrior, I would highly recommend this book.

I have read this book at least five times, and every time I read it, I love it more and more. It is the best science fiction novel I have ever read, and I doubt that any others, while they could come close, will ever surpass this book. The characters are amazing, and the way Steakley reveals things is uncannily arranged to happen at the perfect time. All in all, even if you don't like this book as much as I, you owe it to yourself to read it at least once.

Simple, this is the one book I have bought and given as a gift that I have read. And no one I have ever given it to has reported less than total satisfaction. This really is not a Starship Troopers type novel, but about why people make the life or death decisions that they do. There is also some similarities between the Felix in this book and Felix in Steakley's other book: Vampires. I would also recommend that book, but less strongly than Armor. As an avid military SCI-FI and fantasy reader, this is in my top three.

I absolutely loved this book. The whole Felix story, as it comes out bit by bit, is very interesting. The Jack Crow part, which I did not expect, was a little confusing, but entertaining nonetheless, and much clearer on the second read-through. Almost every sudden detail was surprising, and the end was unexpected and satisfying, if a little mysterious. I would have to say, though, that it is a better book if you do not read the reviews first.

A truly amazing book. I picked it at random from the shelves of my local bookstore, and was simply blown away. I found the change in pace and scenery in the middle of the book to be a shock, but a good one. And the ending? Simply marvelous, even if it is just a bit transparent. Felix is a great character, despite the (mostly) lack of background. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes the sci-fi genre, and many people that don't.

Two Storylines, Two Protagonists, One Suit of Armor. John Steakly, amazingly, takes two utterly different plotlines and manages to weave them together seamlessly into a story that rivals some of the best Science Fiction I have ever read.
Armor's glimpse into the human spirit, and into the very mind itself is both exciting and insightful. I highly recommend this novel to any fans of Science Fiction - or even those new to the genre.

A friend lent me this book and it sat on my shelf for a while because I was expecting just another generic military sci-fi story. I decided to start reading it before going to bed one night though and ended up staying up until 4 am to finish it.

First Sci-Fi I ever read and I loved it. The characters are strong and the story, though basic, comes around and makes you go, "Hmmm...." The writing is interesting in a sci-fi noir sort of way. I thought Steakly did an amazing job with this book. It's a fast read and worth it if you dig sci-fi and haven't anything else to do on a Sunday afternoon.

Most people have said most of what I wanted to say - it's not Starship Troopers, it's Armor. They're both excellent books, each in their own way.
The Felix sequences have my heart pounding and my pulse racing. After I read the book the first time, I went outside and stomped on ants. :)
I'm glad it has been re-released. Buy it. You won't be disappointed. :)

One of the reviews of this book says to stop reading after page 89. Me, I threw it in the trash before I got that far. Shallow characters, dim-witted dialog. Nothing to draw me in. The only thing I can think that caused my reaction to be so different than the rest of you is that I had just finished reading the first four volumes of Peter Hamilton's Reality Disfunction series. Those books drew me in like nothing has for a long time. By comparison, Armor wasn't even in the same league.

To poorly quote Fight Club, given a long enough timeline...

This is a fantastic book about a soldier's much-elongated timeline. I wanted to scream to the hero to GET OUT! This author just nailed it for me.

Armor is an excellent book to read. Just sit back and enjoy. Don't try to read into it, just read it and enjoy it. Lots of action, suspence, gore and other fun things. fast paced, slow paced and just the right pace. Don't take it so serious and have fun. Excellent book to read.

This is one of the WORST books that I have ever read. Everyone compares it to Starship Troopers because it's a pathetic rip-off of that classic novel. Armor ought to be in a comic book somewhere, it's a sad mickey-mouse action book with absolutely no value whatsoever. I DO NOT RECOMMEND Armor in the least. Don't waste your time with this.

I absolutely love this book. I bought it several years ago as paperback and lost it. So I picked up the Kindle edition and wasn't disappointed. Pay no attention to the relatively insignificant number of poor reviews (by insignificant reviewers); Steakley told a story like few other great writers. His near-seamless transitions between Felix/Lewis and the pirate Jack Crow (the substance of who was shamelessly stolen by Pirates of the Caribbean's depiction of Captain "Jack Sparrow".)... was amazing and built a truly masterful story. Lack of appreciation of fine literature no doubt drove the majority of these reviews; often by people too lazy or time-constrained to pick up a book and just read it (vs listening on Audible).

This is average science fiction. Pure and simple. It is worth reading. If anyone who gave this book a 5 and read Dune, The Hobbit, etc., they need their head examined.
The Jack Crow chapters stunk. The fighting on Banshee made the book. Very good word craft. Brings the whole book up to average.

This is by far one of the greatest books of SF I have ever. The action is great and holds your attention. But just as satisfying is the complexity of the man charcter Felix. Felix is truely one of the most loved charecters that I have read. If you like SF this is a must read.

A classic.
One you start, very hard to put down.
The bad reviews must be from those who do not get into the books as everyone else does.
Read it with an open mind and active imagination.
I would like to see more stories with Jack Crow in them..Vampires is on my list as I just found it...
Trust the masses.....a VERY good read!!!

I feel that Mr.Steakley epic novel Armor is just outstanding though I wish i knew more about what became of Felix. If it were possible i would like to be put in contact with Mr.Steakley if anyone has info.Please email me at [email protected] thank you

Of course, you realize it was MOST LIKELY a Woman that did it to him.
The hints are very very light.
But you'll have to read it to find out. Won't you?

-The best cover for this story is the one the that the customer view from Catskinner has up on the book/profile. It's a picture that continues around the spine to the back cover of the book. A picture from the 80's. It's a Classic sci-fi tableau.

This story is about a very unique Warrior, the main character Felix. For some reason, he just seems to be -UNABLE- to die in battle. Not that he's TRYING to die, ...exactly. But he sure doesn't seem to CARE if he's alive, either. Entitled "Armor", the story is loosely reminiscent of Heinleins Starship Troopers. But StarShip troopers is a happy-happy waltz through the park, licking ice-cream, compared to the view you obtain through Felix's bleak inner-scape over-laying reality. You catch on EARLY that Felix is, "in a different place". Problem is, HIS view of reality suits the situation PERFECTLY. All through the novel you are trying to figure Felix out, and John Steakley feeds you the smallest tid-bits, barely hints. What you IMMEDIATELY discern is this. While not exactly suicidal, he also does not CARE if he lives. He's running away, -From Himself -from a previous Life. So, as he dresses up in this ultra-modern, ultra-tough, atomic-powered, super-armored version of himself to go out and fight an impossible war against an INNUMERABLE and IMPLACCABLE foe who just... never... quits...

It turns out to be a good thing that death does not scare him. It works for him.

The ARMOR is a metaphor. He's just as alone, in a crowd of humans, naked and Armorless. He's billions of miles away from his fellow man. He hears and SEE's No One, even when he is OUT of the Armor. Everyone else means NOTHING to him. To HIM they are all "dead".

He's psyschologically PERFECT for fighting hoardes of aliens, out in the field. No Humans Around, not really afraid to die. Not really caring if he lives. Only the ARMOR between Him, and Them. He does like to fight. Oh, and that thing inside HIM that never quits, the thing he calls...

...His "Engine"
For some reason, his ENGINE will not LET him die. Even Felix is amazed, because it seems EVERYONE around him dies. But never HIM. While fighting, the "Engine" rises and takes action.

Felix always lives. Always. Even tho' he places himself in the THICK of the worst. At the end of one battle, with the fight over. He just stands there... literally alone, and you FEEL for him as he surveys the remains of people who he knew if only briefly. And he cries. ...as his smoothly running Engine, begins to falter.

Later in the story, "chinks" in his emotional armor appear, as you see his heart attempting to resurface. As you see the great Warrior weaken, you can see that his "Engine" stops running quite so smoothly.

The planet is called Banshee. The air is unbreathable, the water is poisonous. It is home to the most implacable enemy that humanity, in all its interstellar expansion, has EVER encountered.

From the back cover-
"Body Armor has been devised for the commando forces that are to be dropped on Banshee- the culmination of thousands of years of the armorers' craft. A trooper in this armor is a one-man, atomic-powered battle fortress. But that trooper will have to fight a nearly endless horde of berserk, hard-shelled monsters, the fighting-arm of a species which uses biological technology to design perfect, mindless, war minions that can tear apart that armor in their claws.

Felix is a scout in A-team Two. Highly competent, he is the sole survivor of mission after mission."

Later in the book,
"Where the standard warriors suits bore different colors for rank and group, all scouts were black. Flat black. Dull, non-shiny, space black.

'Death black', thought Felix fatalistically, as he watched the five other scouts collect and attach their rifles. ...Then to briefing. ...it was then, for Felix, it began. The hatred first, for the briefing officer. Then his superiors. Then the captain of this ship, and the commanders of Fleet itself, and finally the thick headed idiot humans who had undertaken something as asinine as interplanetary war in the first place. The hatred blazed brightly, ... then vanished. And from somewhere inside came a shock of all-consuming rage, the nova-like intensity of which startled even him. But then the rage was gone, too. It seemed to shoot away like a comet. What replaced the loathing and fury was something -cold -and distant and... only impersonally attentive.

it was an odd being which rose from Felix and through him. It was in fact, a remarkable creature. It was a wartime creature and a surviving creature. A killing creature.

'The Engine', Felix thought. 'It's not me. It's my Engine. It will work when I cannot. It will examine and determine and choose and, at last, act.
... And it will do all this-

-While I cower inside."

"There was more to the briefing. More figures of time and distance, more numbers of men and probabilities of enemy. The Engine heard and made note. Felix, watching himself, felt disgust at all that was about to happen and all who had caused it. And once more felt the distance between himself and those about him. Again, as he briefly scanned their armored forms filling the chamber, he thought: "They are all going to die."

With furious concentration, that which kept him Felix...

-Gave itself as fuel to that which would keep him alive."

(Armor pg.18)

But please note. Without strength of Spirit. The Armor does nothing.
And all the other people had the benefit of the same Armor.

It was Felix's spirit.

The action and story are excellent, and halfway through you are so immersed with the protagonists that you cannot lay the book down. The war portrayed in the book is never explained much, the reasoning being that the protagonists are mostly low-ranking soldiers with little decision making ability. The war itself is clearly inspired by WW1, with seemingly meaningless missions resulting in horrendous casualties, and after a while you start to question the ability of the top brass. Which is probably by design by the author, but you'd think that a society capable of traversing the stars would be better at strategic warfare. A small problem with the story is that it is never explained why there is a need for infantry to assault an extremely hostile planet, again and again, when you have access to huge starships, other than some "magnetic anomalies" that confuses missiles. Or why nuclear weapons, even infantry delivered, are not considered, they clearly have access to the technology.

Since reading 'Armor' a good many years ago, it pleases me to see it has been reissued as to capture the imagination of another generation. The descriptions of the battles make you long for a trusty suit of Power Armor, while realizing the pain, brutality and hopelessness that constant fighting will bring.
The book is extremely hard to put down, leaving you hanging chapter to chapter on what will happen next.There are some lulls, but the book is filled with action. Come the finish, you are rewarded with a very tasty twist. It isn't a clean ending though, there is room for speculation.
Fans of Robotech, Mechwarrior, Starship Troopers and/or technothrillers should add this to your wish list.
Also, try to find a copy of 'Ranks of Bronze'. I believe it has a similar feel.

As an avid reader of books i find myself still going back to this one. Few books match this story with it's gripping realism, in depth plot, and imaginative writing. This is; in my opinion, the best science fiction book i have ever read, and may just be the best period. Trust me, read it.

pure art, i can tell alot of love was put into this book. i am 15 and those cause to tell you this book is for all age's. it was simply perfect the storyline was amazing. the suspense was so great its not even funny. each part had such a great turn and you would just be amazed to read. i couldn't drop this book once i started.

this is a great book! I agree that the Jack Crow part is not great, but Felix is the best. All you nag heads that compare this to Troopers, did you ever read when this book was written? it was long befrore troopers came around. maybe troppers was based on this book?

To poorly quote Fight Club, given a long enough timeline...

This is a fantastic book about a soldier's much-elongated timeline. I wanted to scream to the hero to GET OUT! This author just nailed it for me.

Armor is an excellent book to read. Just sit back and enjoy. Don't try to read into it, just read it and enjoy it. Lots of action, suspence, gore and other fun things. fast paced, slow paced and just the right pace. Don't take it so serious and have fun. Excellent book to read.

This is one of the WORST books that I have ever read. Everyone compares it to Starship Troopers because it's a pathetic rip-off of that classic novel. Armor ought to be in a comic book somewhere, it's a sad mickey-mouse action book with absolutely no value whatsoever. I DO NOT RECOMMEND Armor in the least. Don't waste your time with this.

I first read this book in my senior year in high school. Since than I have re-read it many times. What makes this book different from the other Science fiction is its focus on the human rather than the technology aspects of the future. The pain, suffering, and a will to survive "The Engine" got my attention.
I love to hear from other new reader.

This is average science fiction. Pure and simple. It is worth reading. If anyone who gave this book a 5 and read Dune, The Hobbit, etc., they need their head examined.
The Jack Crow chapters stunk. The fighting on Banshee made the book. Very good word craft. Brings the whole book up to average.

This is by far one of the greatest books of SF I have ever. The action is great and holds your attention. But just as satisfying is the complexity of the man charcter Felix. Felix is truely one of the most loved charecters that I have read. If you like SF this is a must read.

A classic.
One you start, very hard to put down.
The bad reviews must be from those who do not get into the books as everyone else does.
Read it with an open mind and active imagination.
I would like to see more stories with Jack Crow in them..Vampires is on my list as I just found it...
Trust the masses.....a VERY good read!!!

I feel that Mr.Steakley epic novel Armor is just outstanding though I wish i knew more about what became of Felix. If it were possible i would like to be put in contact with Mr.Steakley if anyone has info.Please email me at [email protected] thank you

Of course, you realize it was MOST LIKELY a Woman that did it to him.
The hints are very very light.
But you'll have to read it to find out. Won't you?

-The best cover for this story is the one the that the customer view from Catskinner has up on the book/profile. It's a picture that continues around the spine to the back cover of the book. A picture from the 80's. It's a Classic sci-fi tableau.

This story is about a very unique Warrior, the main character Felix. For some reason, he just seems to be -UNABLE- to die in battle. Not that he's TRYING to die, ...exactly. But he sure doesn't seem to CARE if he's alive, either. Entitled "Armor", the story is loosely reminiscent of Heinleins Starship Troopers. But StarShip troopers is a happy-happy waltz through the park, licking ice-cream, compared to the view you obtain through Felix's bleak inner-scape over-laying reality. You catch on EARLY that Felix is, "in a different place". Problem is, HIS view of reality suits the situation PERFECTLY. All through the novel you are trying to figure Felix out, and John Steakley feeds you the smallest tid-bits, barely hints. What you IMMEDIATELY discern is this. While not exactly suicidal, he also does not CARE if he lives. He's running away, -From Himself -from a previous Life. So, as he dresses up in this ultra-modern, ultra-tough, atomic-powered, super-armored version of himself to go out and fight an impossible war against an INNUMERABLE and IMPLACCABLE foe who just... never... quits...

It turns out to be a good thing that death does not scare him. It works for him.

The ARMOR is a metaphor. He's just as alone, in a crowd of humans, naked and Armorless. He's billions of miles away from his fellow man. He hears and SEE's No One, even when he is OUT of the Armor. Everyone else means NOTHING to him. To HIM they are all "dead".

He's psyschologically PERFECT for fighting hoardes of aliens, out in the field. No Humans Around, not really afraid to die. Not really caring if he lives. Only the ARMOR between Him, and Them. He does like to fight. Oh, and that thing inside HIM that never quits, the thing he calls...

...His "Engine"
For some reason, his ENGINE will not LET him die. Even Felix is amazed, because it seems EVERYONE around him dies. But never HIM. While fighting, the "Engine" rises and takes action.

Felix always lives. Always. Even tho' he places himself in the THICK of the worst. At the end of one battle, with the fight over. He just stands there... literally alone, and you FEEL for him as he surveys the remains of people who he knew if only briefly. And he cries. ...as his smoothly running Engine, begins to falter.

Later in the story, "chinks" in his emotional armor appear, as you see his heart attempting to resurface. As you see the great Warrior weaken, you can see that his "Engine" stops running quite so smoothly.

The planet is called Banshee. The air is unbreathable, the water is poisonous. It is home to the most implacable enemy that humanity, in all its interstellar expansion, has EVER encountered.

From the back cover-
"Body Armor has been devised for the commando forces that are to be dropped on Banshee- the culmination of thousands of years of the armorers' craft. A trooper in this armor is a one-man, atomic-powered battle fortress. But that trooper will have to fight a nearly endless horde of berserk, hard-shelled monsters, the fighting-arm of a species which uses biological technology to design perfect, mindless, war minions that can tear apart that armor in their claws.

Felix is a scout in A-team Two. Highly competent, he is the sole survivor of mission after mission."

Later in the book,
"Where the standard warriors suits bore different colors for rank and group, all scouts were black. Flat black. Dull, non-shiny, space black.

'Death black', thought Felix fatalistically, as he watched the five other scouts collect and attach their rifles. ...Then to briefing. ...it was then, for Felix, it began. The hatred first, for the briefing officer. Then his superiors. Then the captain of this ship, and the commanders of Fleet itself, and finally the thick headed idiot humans who had undertaken something as asinine as interplanetary war in the first place. The hatred blazed brightly, ... then vanished. And from somewhere inside came a shock of all-consuming rage, the nova-like intensity of which startled even him. But then the rage was gone, too. It seemed to shoot away like a comet. What replaced the loathing and fury was something -cold -and distant and... only impersonally attentive.

it was an odd being which rose from Felix and through him. It was in fact, a remarkable creature. It was a wartime creature and a surviving creature. A killing creature.

'The Engine', Felix thought. 'It's not me. It's my Engine. It will work when I cannot. It will examine and determine and choose and, at last, act.
... And it will do all this-

-While I cower inside."

"There was more to the briefing. More figures of time and distance, more numbers of men and probabilities of enemy. The Engine heard and made note. Felix, watching himself, felt disgust at all that was about to happen and all who had caused it. And once more felt the distance between himself and those about him. Again, as he briefly scanned their armored forms filling the chamber, he thought: "They are all going to die."

With furious concentration, that which kept him Felix...

-Gave itself as fuel to that which would keep him alive."

(Armor pg.18)

But please note. Without strength of Spirit. The Armor does nothing.
And all the other people had the benefit of the same Armor.

It was Felix's spirit.

I love this book. This and Ender's game (Orson Scott Card) really started got me into reading books. It has the techno savvy of Starship Troopers (the book not the movie) and the intense writting style of Ender's Game. The story is good, but it's the writting style that really hooks you. A MUST READ for all sci-fi fans.

As an avid reader of books i find myself still going back to this one. Few books match this story with it's gripping realism, in depth plot, and imaginative writing. This is; in my opinion, the best science fiction book i have ever read, and may just be the best period. Trust me, read it.

pure art, i can tell alot of love was put into this book. i am 15 and those cause to tell you this book is for all age's. it was simply perfect the storyline was amazing. the suspense was so great its not even funny. each part had such a great turn and you would just be amazed to read. i couldn't drop this book once i started.

this is a great book! I agree that the Jack Crow part is not great, but Felix is the best. All you nag heads that compare this to Troopers, did you ever read when this book was written? it was long befrore troopers came around. maybe troppers was based on this book?

Armor is a somewhat disappointing attemp at a new Starship Troopers. All the basic elements are there, as well as a mysterious hero, but the author is just too cryptic, slow, and disjointed in the way he goes about the plot.

This is the kind of book you can't put down. You put it down and pick it right back up to read again. I haven't read Vampire$ yet but plan to. In my opinion if you are thinking about getting this book stop thinking and get it. I doubt you'll be dissapointed.

Armor is one of the best books I have ever read. It's only rival being Ender's Game. Steakley's gruesome portrayal of war is captivating. He really gets you into the mindset of his characters, especially Felix. I highly reccommend this book. It's a must read.

Well I like this novel a lot. Well I liked all the parts that told about Felix and the ant war. They were really cool, and I couldn't stop reading. It was full of action, and emotional, and so on. But then they hard the part with Jack Crow bored me to tears. The only reason I kept reading was because there was more of Felix. The endings pretty cool. Don't get me wrong I did like the book, just not the parts with Jack Crow.

I first read this book in my senior year in high school. Since than I have re-read it many times. What makes this book different from the other Science fiction is its focus on the human rather than the technology aspects of the future. The pain, suffering, and a will to survive "The Engine" got my attention.
I love to hear from other new reader.

Armor is one of the best books I have ever read. It's only rival being Ender's Game. Steakley's gruesome portrayal of war is captivating. He really gets you into the mindset of his characters, especially Felix. I highly reccommend this book. It's a must read.

I'm sorry, but I simply cannot share in the praise that others are heaping on this book. The story started out fairly well, but it dropped off the deep end after the first quarter of the book. I just couldn't follow it; I forced myself to read another 50 pages before I gave up & put it away. Sorry, but I was hoping for more.

Having read a lot of good reviews about this book, it came as quite a surprise that Armor was quite...boring. After reading the first bit about Felix, I could've sworn I had picked up "Starship Troopers" by mistake. Nope, a re-check of the cover assured me that this was not the case. There is nothing new here that Henlein didn't do better decades earlier. I mean, Power Armour AND giant bugs again? Bouncing around dropping blast bombs? I've read this all before. But just when I'd accepted this as a Troopers rip, we go into an unbelievably long middle section about Jack Crow. This part seemed like it was from a different book and I completely lost interest at this point. It was quite slow, all over the place and had no real point. I finshed this book two days ago and in retrospect I can't really say much about it other than it was ALMOST a complete waste of time. I say almost because I found the Felix character to be somewhat interesting in the way his "Engine" works and protects him both emotinally and physically. Other than that, I really can't reccommend this one, I'm afraid.

I love this book. This and Ender's game (Orson Scott Card) really started got me into reading books. It has the techno savvy of Starship Troopers (the book not the movie) and the intense writting style of Ender's Game. The story is good, but it's the writting style that really hooks you. A MUST READ for all sci-fi fans.

The first section about Felix was interesting, although kind of boring. The Jack Crow storyline made me trash the book. Maybe it got better after page 200, I wouldn't know and wouldn't care.

DON'T BUY OR BORROW THIS BOOK.

I guess I'm missing something, because not many reviewers seem to comment about how the author doesn't have any ideas of his own. The first 100 pages of this book are almost a direct copy of the second 1/3 of Starship Troopers by Heinlein. Maybe it's an homage of sorts. But I doubt it. The author copies almost the whole plot -- everything from the powerful armor suits, the hazardous planet, the bug like aliens, the ship that has an accident and leaves them stranded, the female soldier love interest, and he even makes reference to an "incident in South America" where the ants (the aliens) did something horrible (Buenos Aires in Starship Troopers). I can't believe there wasn't a lawsuit. Maybe everyone's forgot ST by now?

Then there's the female love interests. He drags us through 20-30 pages with one, then she suddenly dies. Okay, fine. But literally in the next paragraph another tough-girl "best of the best" soldier just like the first pops up and we're with her for another 20-30.

In the parallel story, Steakley introduces a notorious space pirate. What's his name? Jack Crow. Who's the most famous pirate in pre 1984 pop literature? Here's a hint: Certainly someone here has read Pirates of the Caribbean? And of course Jack Sparrow (I mean Jack Crow) has his tough-girl love interests that are so cookie-cutter it's boring too.

I couldn't make it to the end of the book. I got tired of "hey this is a ripoff of ...insert real author's work here...". It's like reading a sci-fi version of "Scary Movie."

Amateurish at best. I wrote better stories when I was in grade school. Amd they were original.

How the hell does this book have so many stars? I'm an avid reader of sci-fi, including military, and this book is GARBAGE. I don't even have words for this. If you liked Heinlein's Starship Troopers, READ SOMETHING ELSE.

Having read a lot of good reviews about this book, it came as quite a surprise that Armor was quite...boring. After reading the first bit about Felix, I could've sworn I had picked up "Starship Troopers" by mistake. Nope, a re-check of the cover assured me that this was not the case. There is nothing new here that Henlein didn't do better decades earlier. I mean, Power Armour AND giant bugs again? Bouncing around dropping blast bombs? I've read this all before. But just when I'd accepted this as a Troopers rip, we go into an unbelievably long middle section about Jack Crow. This part seemed like it was from a different book and I completely lost interest at this point. It was quite slow, all over the place and had no real point. I finshed this book two days ago and in retrospect I can't really say much about it other than it was ALMOST a complete waste of time. I say almost because I found the Felix character to be somewhat interesting in the way his "Engine" works and protects him both emotinally and physically. Other than that, I really can't reccommend this one, I'm afraid.

The first section about Felix was interesting, although kind of boring. The Jack Crow storyline made me trash the book. Maybe it got better after page 200, I wouldn't know and wouldn't care.

DON'T BUY OR BORROW THIS BOOK.

I guess I'm missing something, because not many reviewers seem to comment about how the author doesn't have any ideas of his own. The first 100 pages of this book are almost a direct copy of the second 1/3 of Starship Troopers by Heinlein. Maybe it's an homage of sorts. But I doubt it. The author copies almost the whole plot -- everything from the powerful armor suits, the hazardous planet, the bug like aliens, the ship that has an accident and leaves them stranded, the female soldier love interest, and he even makes reference to an "incident in South America" where the ants (the aliens) did something horrible (Buenos Aires in Starship Troopers). I can't believe there wasn't a lawsuit. Maybe everyone's forgot ST by now?

Then there's the female love interests. He drags us through 20-30 pages with one, then she suddenly dies. Okay, fine. But literally in the next paragraph another tough-girl "best of the best" soldier just like the first pops up and we're with her for another 20-30.

In the parallel story, Steakley introduces a notorious space pirate. What's his name? Jack Crow. Who's the most famous pirate in pre 1984 pop literature? Here's a hint: Certainly someone here has read Pirates of the Caribbean? And of course Jack Sparrow (I mean Jack Crow) has his tough-girl love interests that are so cookie-cutter it's boring too.

I couldn't make it to the end of the book. I got tired of "hey this is a ripoff of ...insert real author's work here...". It's like reading a sci-fi version of "Scary Movie."

Amateurish at best. I wrote better stories when I was in grade school. Amd they were original.

How the hell does this book have so many stars? I'm an avid reader of sci-fi, including military, and this book is GARBAGE. I don't even have words for this. If you liked Heinlein's Starship Troopers, READ SOMETHING ELSE.

I borrowed this book from a friend who highly recommended it. I couldn't finish it. Between the horrible writing, cardboard characters, thin plot, and typos (did this book have an editor?) I found it impossible to get into.

I was tempted to give it up during Part 1, where at times it felt like I was reading a high school kid's fan-fiction. As I progressed through Part 2, I decided to save myself some sanity and stop reading this mess.

Apparently, it's a "classic" for people who don't know what a well-written, well-structured book is. And because there's sci-fi killing, that somehow makes it great. Not so.

Avoid this book.

Pretty bad book.
The first part where they are fighting off the aliens was OK, (maybe 2.5 out of 5 stars), but then things took a sharp turn for the worst with the introduction of the second major character.... making the remainder of the book pretty much intolerable.

The truly amazing thing about this book is the huge number of positive reviews it has received. I tried to read "Vampire$" years ago and immediately categorized John Steakley as one of the worst authors I'd ever read. That being said, I was very reluctant to try another of his books. Based solely on it's rave reviews, I decided to give him another chance and now believe I have actually lost IQ points by reading it.

As bad as I think his writing is I do believe the editor should receive some of the credit for this atrocity. When an author constantly writes run-on sentences that use the word "and" upwards of six times, chopping up the narrative into moronic little bits, shouldn't the editor pick up on this? I'm all about poetic license but damn, that's Writing 101. The author uses this "and then, and then, and then" method of descriptive writing throughout the book and in ALL of the action sequences. It's like watching somebody give a speech who keeps saying "um" or "uh" throughout their delivery. At some point you just stop listening to what they're saying and start counting all the "uh's" and "um's". The only reason I gave this book 1 star is because the store doesn't provide a way to give it the -3 stars I believe it truly deserved.