The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Ghost Brigades
Book Review: Fun, but a little sequel fatigue.
Summary: 3 Stars
I enjoyed reading The Ghost Brigades - but I have a hard time describing why. The story is pretty convoluted, and felt like three different stories in a season-of-a-choppy-television-series way. While Old Man's War was very Heinleinian to me, this book felt more like an Asimov Robot mystery - lots of classic goodness, fun ways of using some new ideas and repackaging many older ones.
I was entertained, but did find myself wondering when he would get to the meat of the story a number of times. The comings and goings of key characters is very `serial drama' feeling, somehow different enough from other fiction to be a little confusing at times.
Mr. Scalzi is a wiz at repackaging the ideas of others - and doing them justice (admittedly and with flair). Having fun with other people's special effects may be wearing a little on me though because I didn't enjoy this installment as much as OMW.
I think I'd rather see it on screen - on television (as it doesn't strike me as a strong or long enough story for a feature length film). It feels like a Sci-Fi channel screenplay to me.
Too little detail is given about the aliens though they are a main feature in the book - we aren't entirely made aware of how they look or behave.
During the course of this book I was annoyed with the author referring to `taking a dump' 4 times. I don't think `taking a dump' rates a mention every 65 pages or so, at least not using the same niche characterization language each time (from different characters).
Glad to have a lot of Jane Sagen in this book.
All in all - it was a book I was happy to have read, but not one I will probably return to in the future like I will with OMW. Looking forward to reading the progression of the characters of this world in the books that follow.
Book Review: Ghost Brigades
Summary: 4 Stars
Not quite as good as the first in the series (Old Man's War) or the follow-up (Last Colony), but still a good read from this author. If you like this series, don't waste your time with Zoe's Tale. It is really poor and a shame Scalzi tried to do it in the style of another viewpoint (Zoe's viewpoint).Book Review: Good 2nd book in the Old Man's War series
Summary: 4 Stars
The sequel to Old Man's War is more along the lines of within the same universe, but it is a very entertaining novel that kept me turning page after page. I like that John Scalzi has expanded the world he has created, and created additional depth and background. Jane Sagan is back from the first novel, though there are not really any new revelations about her character.
Overall, a very entertaining read. Not as good or fresh as Old Man's War, but I'm eager to read the next book in the series.
Book Review: Good but not great
Summary: 3 Stars
I feel like this book could have been so much more. Scalzi has some interesting ideas, but he just doesn't push them far enough. Degenerates into peeew peeeew shoot 'em up. He's no Charles Stross.Book Review: Good sequal
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a real good sequel to OlD MANS WAR and just as interesting a read. SCALZI sort of tells you what it is about in OLD MANS WAR the first book, when a minor character dies at the beginning of the book before he can be given a new body and the techs say "Here is one for the ghost brigade." I remember that very well, becuz I wondered why Scalzi had them say that.
Any way, it is just as good as the first one but very different except that it is detailed and imaginative. This series is about the earth 200 years from now when we are colonizing, or trying to anyway, the universe and running up against other sentient beings who also want to colonize the same planets and/or eat us.
it is good so get it, but read the first one OLD MANS WAR first.