Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Zoe's Tale
Book Review: Spunky teen in a fun SF tale
Summary: 4 Stars
Not having read any previous books set in John Scalzi's "Old Man War", I found this book stood on it's own well enough. Zoe and her family set out as part of a group to colonize a new planet, something that has become a standard occurrance in the novel. "Zoe's Tale" definitely has the tone of a young adult novel, but as an adult I still found it enjoyable. It's an easy read, and while it has some serious dramatic moments, it is all from the point of view of the teen protagonist.
Zoe is a spunky teen, almost relentlessly so at times, but great fun. For those, like myself, who haven't read Scalzi's other novels, the war, the various worlds, and the alien races seem only lightly sketched. However, there are enough details to get the general idea, and the story is so focused on Zoe that I wouldn't really call this a shortcoming. Basically, the further from Zoe you consider, the less detailed the picture, but Zoe's interactions with the people in her immediate surroundings are richly drawn.
I can easily recommend this as a young adult novel, and as a lighter read for adults who can enjoy an interesting story centered on a group of teenage colonists.
Book Review: Teenagers Only
Summary: 2 Stars
If you must read this book find a library and skip the first 200 pages. Nothing like Scalzi's other books and barely science fiction, more like Nancy Drew.Book Review: Well written addition to the OMW universe
Summary: 5 Stars
John Scalzi's latest is an excellent addition to the 'Old Man's War' universe. If you haven't read any of the previous books, don't be afraid to jump right in with this one. It works just as well as a stand along novel and was written that way on purpose. Mr. Scalzi continues to impress me with each novel he releases. His writing style is quick, entertaining, and the characters really come alive for the reader.
Zoe's Tale takes place during the same events as 'The Last Colony' but from the perspective of a 16 year old girl. The bare bones of the story are that Zoe's parents are picked to lead a planetary colony. Adding to the risks of starting a colony from nothing, the colonists must also fear being attacked by other alien races that compete for any habitable planet. Not only are there lots of alien species in the universe, but they are all fighting over the same planets and are hyper xenophobic to boot. Zoe, her family, and the entire colony are pawns in a intergalactic power struggle.
I highly recommend this book.
Book Review: Worth Reading Even if You Have Read The Last Colony
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a worthy companion to The Last Colony. Very relatable. While filling in the gaps from the other novel, it is also a wonderful stand alone read.Book Review: Zoe's Tale
Summary: 3 Stars
"Zoe's Tale" is a retelling of "The Lost Colony" from a different perspective. If you enjoyed Colony, you will like Zoe, as I did. It does, however, suffer from a few faults. One is that, since we already know the Lost Colony story, there is very little suspense in it. Another is that it is a bit "Catcher In The Rye."
You have to sympathize with Scalzi a bit - he writes this killer first novel "Old Man's War" that knocks everybody out and almost wins the Hugo. His publisher is hounding him for more, and he writes two sequels that are good but not as good. They depend on residual enthusiasm for Old Man. "Zoe's Tale" is the fourth.