The Last Colony by John Scalzi Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Last Colony
Book Review: Scalzi is really good
Summary: 5 Stars
My SF reading goes back to Heinlein's Rocket Ship Galileo. I really liked Larry Niven, but a couple of his books were offbeat. Mr. Scalzi writes very well and his stories have surprises--much better than tedium.Book Review: Great Conclusion to Series
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed this conclusion to the story of John Perry, Jane Sagan and Zoe Boutin. After some quiet time as colonists on Huckleberry political matters are disturbing them again. I like the interplay between John and his assistant Savitri. There were lots of humorous remarks. I like the relationship between Zoe and John too. I like learning more about Jane as she learns to be a regular, unenhanced human and how she reacts when she is enhanced again against her will.
Then John and Jane are chosen to be the leaders of a new colonial venture. Only the Colonial Union doesn't tell them that the Conclave (a group of over 400 alien races) has forbidden non-members to colonize new planets. Nor does the CU actually send them to the planet they think they are colonizing. After some adventures including discovering that they are not alone on the planet and the aliens are hostile and learning to survive without all their electronics, the CU comes back. Roanoke colonists are in danger and not only from the Conclave.
The story was exciting. My only complaint is that the story ended. I want to know more about these characters and what happens next.
Book Review: The Last Colony: Engaging
Summary: 4 Stars
Title: The Last Colony by John Scalzi
Pages: 320
Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 1 week.
Days spent reading it: 2 days.
Why I read it: It is the next book in the Old Man's War series.
Brief review: The Last Colony is the continuation of the story that began in Old Man's War. I have enjoyed the series so far. I love how John Scalzi writes. He has great plot and characters. And he's funny, which is always wonderful.
In Scalzi's stories, humans are not the only sentient beings in the universe. They are actually a small portion of the universe's population. And all of these alien races are fighting for every scrap of world out there. In order to stop the fighting a coalition has formed. No more colonizing planets, in essence a freeze on colonizing is declared. Anyone who resists is destroyed. So, being stubborn like we are, the humans decide they will not kow-tow to alien forces. The humans plan to establish a colony on a planet called Roanoke. And in a smooth move, when the colonists warp to their new home, they realize that they have been warped to an entirely different planet. The colonists find out they are a part of the galactic power struggle and have been put in hiding to embarrass the coalition. That's when the story really takes off as Roanoke colony pushes the universe to the brink of war. Always fun to read about!
I enjoyed the book a lot. It was not quite as original as Old Man's War or The Ghost Brigade, but it was enjoyable. I look forward to reading more of Scalzi's work. He has a great imagination and is definitely a Sci-Fi author to keep watching.
Favorite quote: "Neither Jane nor I were under the illusion that we could create universal harmony through dodgeball, of course. That's a little much to rest on the shoulders of a game played with a bouncy red ball."
Stars: 4 out of 5.
Final Word: Engaging.
Book Review: More Than Adequate Ending
Summary: 4 Stars
John Perry and his ex-Special Forces wife Jane Sagan are asked by the Colonial Defense Forces to lead a new Human colony on a world that has not yet been claimed by any other alien species. As usual, there is more than meets the eye to the CDF's request for Perry and Sagan to head the new colony -- Roanoke -- and what is not revealed may wind up costing not only Perry and Sagan their lives, but spell doom for Roanoke as well.
Once again Scalzi thrusts us into a universe where soldiers are adapted in creative ways to fight off any number of alien aggressors. But unlike the previous two books -- Old Man's War & The Ghost Brigades -- The Last Colony focuses much less on the martial capabilities of CDF soldiers (infantry and special forces alike...after all, the previous two books convincingly displayed their skills) and focuses more on the machinations of how the CDF is dealing with the Conclave...a conglomeration of over four hundred alien species that is threatening the Colonial Union's colonization efforts. Scalzi does a terrific job of setting the scene -- the Conclave's threat to Humanity -- but some of the details miss the mark. I would have liked more from Sagan's perspective as well as their daughter's Zoe's perspective...though I suspect the later novel(la)s Zoe's Tale and The Sagan Diary covers much from these characters' point of view. Still, I wanted more within this novel...I wanted Sagan and Zoe to really stand out in their interactions with others in these pages because their characters are so pivotal to this overall story.
Nonetheless, The Last Colony stands as a fine ending to a story and characters that won't soon be forgotten. Scalzi deserves every bit of the praise he has received for this trilogy...it is more than worth reading...it is unforgettable.
Book Review: The best of the group
Summary: 5 Stars
For my time and money, I think "The Last Colony" is his best work since "The A Dream" It had everything. Action, great great diaolgue, and wonderful political cloke and dagger. It is true that I did not like Zoe's Tale quite as much but between this and "METAtropolist" (is that right?, I don't have it in front of me)I am going to be a fan until he proves otherwise. Well done John!!