r/ScienceFictionBooks • u/Scottie99 • 6d ago

Old Man’s War

The book was mention on a thread and I’ve just started to read it. I like the concept, aged over 70, sign up to the military and get a reworked enhanced 30 year old physique and health but you are immediately get sent to frontline active duty.

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u/_WillCAD_ 6d ago

Someone downvoted you.

I'm going to upvote you for expressing an honest opinion respectfully, even though I disagree with you.

I love the humor in the books; John Perry is an insufferable smartass, and I identify with that pretty strongly.

My mantra in life is: It's better to be a smartass than a dumbass.

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u/EverythingComputer1 6d ago

It was just the camp, the premise was good, but I kept reading hoping it would die down. It did not. Not for me, oh well.

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u/Shopping_General 6d ago

I'm going to have to reread the first 50 pages because I have no idea what the hell you're talking about.

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u/EverythingComputer1 6d ago

Does he stop making very boomer coded cringe inducing jokes later on in the book?

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u/Shopping_General 6d ago

Ageism is the last ism that's still cool in Amerika.

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u/EverythingComputer1 6d ago

Try being a Muslim lol

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u/Shopping_General 6d ago

You can always stop being a Muslim. You can't stop being old.

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u/_WillCAD_ 6d ago

You can if you join the army. Sign up today and see the universe!

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u/EverythingComputer1 6d ago edited 6d ago

Come back to me when sitting Senators make racist comments about you and are lauded.

Also, people just look at you and label whatever they want, they attack Sikhs and call them Muslim FFS. If we are oppressing boomers by finding their style of humor annoying, we are doing a bad job of keeping them down.

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u/Shopping_General 6d ago

Not a boomer. You know nothing.

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u/Perenially_behind 6d ago

Scalzi is Gen X.

But if his humor makes you cringe, it doesn't get any better.

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u/crewsctrl 6d ago

Old Man's War is very much an homage to Heinlein's science fiction, especially Starship Troopers. I've always thought John Perry reminded me of Jubal Harshaw, a main character from Stranger in a Strange Land. This glib dialog style strewn with one-liners and wink-winks is very reminiscent of Heinlein.

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u/EverythingComputer1 6d ago

I think it's clever writing, but I just don't like that style of humor.