The Ghost Brigades (Old Man's War)

You've gotta read Old Man's War before this one. Both books are great, as is the sequel to this one (The Last Colony). Recommended for anyone who enjoys science fiction, specially for fans of Joe Handelman and John Patrick Lowrie (I find Scalzi's style similar to theirs).

This was my second foray into the future world of John Scalzi. I was not disappointed in the least. A quick story development, with just enough back story to bring you up to date without being boring. I think I am becoming a fan.

This is an impressive book. It is a rare book that combines action, suspense, humour and yet is intellectually stimulating. Scalzi has a way of rasing complex philosophical issues in a format that is both thought provocating and most importantly entertaining. I would highly recommend this book.

If you liked the Old Man's War you should like this book as well. I didn't like it quit as much as the first book in the trillogy but definetly enough to want to read the third book. If you like good old science fiction you should like these books.

Scalzi is bringing back to SF what has been lost for many years. There is wit galore and completely inovative takes on the universe as a whole. He is, in my humble opion, the heir to the gret Russian. He mixes great SF action and tech with meaningful characters that I began to care about. I really hope he continues this new, exciting work. Peace to you

A formidable author pens a fantastic story! Well worth your time, one taste will leave you addicted! A fresh new take on a classic scfi stand-by! If you liked Old Man's War, you won't be able to put this down!

Other than names, no specifics (i.e., spoilers) are given in this review. Incidentally, I do not consider 3 stars to be a "bad" review--the book is okay. It is fine as a bridge between Old Man's War (O.M.W.) and the Last Colony [anyone else find that title to be a bit of a spoiler?].

Make sure you read OMW first. It comes first sequentially, but is also a much better book. While Ghost Brigades uses the same recipe as the first book, it uses inferior ingredients in cooking up a similar piece of fiction.

The protagonist from OMW (John Perry) is missing from this book. The other characters from OMW that DO appear in the sequel are flat. Jane Sagan, who should have a great deal more depth and empathy than anyone else in the Special Forces, is completely superfluous to the story [anyone could have replaced her as the SF commander]. She is not developed one iota from the first book, and appears to have actually flattened in the interim.
Harry Wilson returns in what could have been a great supporting role, but is made completely unnecessary by a scientist called Cainen.

The "mystery" inherent to the story suffers from at least one major plot-hole: no one ever reads the suspect's personnel file. The characters involved ALL have the highest level of clearances, including two generals, one colonel, and a military intelligence officer (Sagan), among others. They live in a world in which the internet more-or-less exists inside everyone's head. Files can be downloaded and read almost instantaneously. While trying to deduce the villain's motivations, it simply never occurs to them to access his file.
The mystery also suffers from other common problems: part I of the big reveal is obvious to everyone but the characters in the book, and part II is based on facts not given to the reader at any point in the story.

But all is not lost: the protagonist's (Jared Dirac's) development is fairly engaging. The concept for the story which drives the action is excellent (but only mediocre execution). The action sequences, though sparse, are generally well-written and exciting. If you are a reader anxious to revisit OMW's universe [but not its characters], you will get your wish. This book gives quite a lot of secondary information to understanding past and current events of the Colonial Union, as well as some technological explanations for the science-minded. [I'm not saying they are good explanations--I'm no scientist--but they are there.]

This was my first look at Scalzi's work and I loved it. My roots go back to Heinlein, Assimov, Bradbury, Niven, and Zelazny, I think Scalzi has a place there. It's a Big War novel like Webber's work and quite entertaining.

An excellent follow-on to Old Man's War, although one wouldn't need to read the first book to enjoy this one. I enjoyed Ghost Brigades immensely and am currently waiting for The Last Colony to arrive in the post. John Scalzi is an exceelnt author in my view and I can't wait for future works.

Scalzi has renewed my faith that some people can write sequels. Frankly, I'm a little concerned about the loose ends and worried the third book won't live up to the first two. I actually read this one first -- it stands alone. But it was a pleasure reading it again after "Old Man's War."

Explore the ghost brigades and the human condition.
I enjoyed a lot this book as the author goes in deep detail to what is means to be human?
The action is ok, not so strong as in Old Man's War but fun nonetheless..

Scalzi spreads his focus amongst more characters in this great sequel.

It's a bit grimmer than OMW but manages to keep the high standard he displayed in 'Old Man's War'.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

This book is billed as a sequel to Old Man's War, but it really isn't. While set in the same universe, it has only marginal ties to the earlier book, in the person of Jane Sagan, John Perry's love interest in that book. Instead, this book is a much closer look at the Special Forces, soldiers created from the genetic material of several people, including some now dead (hence the `Ghost' appellation). These people are force grown, then decanted into the world with their Brain Pal as their immediate mentor, giving them the capabilities and knowledge of adults when only hours old. The same Brain Pal technology allows them to integrate with their squad mates: a form of aided telepathy that allows not only for quick training but gives these individuals a sense of community and family they would otherwise not have.

The story revolves around the search for a traitorous scientist, Charles Boutin, who helped developed the Brain Pal technology and the ability to store and relocate a person's consciousness (or, depending on your point of view, their soul). Jared Dirac is a newly created clone (with enhancements) of this person, and an attempt is made to load Dirac's brain with a copy Boutin's consciousness in an effort to find out why Boutin became a traitor and where he might have gone. This attempt apparently doesn't work, and Dirac is placed with a Special Forces squad led by Jane. Dirac's development as a person is the main focus of the work from this point on.

The book starts well, with an action-oriented opening chapter that grabs, but then the next fifty pages drag somewhat, as Scalzi sets up the scenario for the rest of the book and explains the technology and military situation. This section is too long, and I felt that much of this material should have been better integrated with the prime story. When Dirac joins his squad, things pick up again; his 'training' and the first couple of military actions he is part of are probably the best part of this book. The last quarter of the book falls off a little again, as the thematic focus of the book comes to the fore - that of what makes an individual 'free' - free to make his own choices, free to decide for himself what is correct and moral, free to live his own life without being subject to the imperatives of not only others, but his genetic heritage. Only a little of this theme is directly explicated, but it dominates the action of the final portion of this book.

The political/military situation is nicely envisaged, with three alien races allied against humanity, and each of these races are well defined in their differences from humanity. The human's military strategy to break up this alliance is well thought out, and plays upon each race's unique characteristics. It also brings up a secondary thematic point of this book, about what actions are 'moral' and justified in war, when the very survival of the species is at stake, and just what the basis is for deciding whether humanity should survive.

Not as strong as Old Man's War, with too much poorly integrated 'background' material, but still a good read, with lots of food for thought nestled in its pages.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Very slow read- it took almost 1/4 of the book to develop the main character and the next 150 pages had minimal action.

The first book "Old Man's War" kept your interest much more fully than this sequel.

I am not at all certain that I will purchase any more of his books at this point.

It's a quick rehash of Old Man's War. I enjoyed OMW, and bought several of Scalzi's books in the series, hoping one would come close to the creativity of OMW. Instead he apparently chose to just turn the crank. Silly me, I wasted my cash and time.

Very slow read- it took almost 1/4 of the book to develop the main character and the next 150 pages had minimal action.

The first book "Old Man's War" kept your interest much more fully than this sequel.

I am not at all certain that I will purchase any more of his books at this point.

It's a quick rehash of Old Man's War. I enjoyed OMW, and bought several of Scalzi's books in the series, hoping one would come close to the creativity of OMW. Instead he apparently chose to just turn the crank. Silly me, I wasted my cash and time.

It was disappointing to read this after the excellent Old Man's War.
Character development is sketchy.
Plot is slow to develop, and lacks the highlights and reveals of his first book.
Much potential here which the right editor can develop.

This is probably the last of 3 books I will ever read from this author. Enough is enough, this killed my interest in "military SF" for a while. Slow paced, and a feeling that you have read it before (but much better). An abysmal ending, and to be honest: total lack of suspense. OK, some characters unexpectedly die, yes, but where is the thrill, where is the torment, empathy, angst and character depth?

This book is sequel through and through. With none of the flow and logic of Old Man's War, this book limps along. Like a long boring drive, at least the ending is nice. The book felt strongly like it was quickly written with little editing or rewriting.

Skip drive.