Old Man's War
Encyclopedia
Old Man's War is a science fiction
novel
by John Scalzi
published in 2005
. It was nominated for the Hugo Award
for Best Novel
in 2006. It was optioned by Paramount Pictures
in 2011.
A sequel, The Ghost Brigades
, was published in 2006, followed by two other books, The Last Colony
(2007) and Zoe's Tale
(2008).
is about a soldier named John Perry and his exploits in the CDF (Colonial Defense Forces). Old Man's War is similar in overall structure to Robert A. Heinlein
's Starship Troopers
and Joe Haldeman
's The Forever War
as it follows Perry's military career from CDF recruit to the rank of captain. It is set in a universe heavily populated with life forms (much like David Brin
's Uplift Universe
); colonists from Earth must compete for the scarce planetary real estate which is suitable for sustaining life. As such, Perry must learn to battle against a wide variety of aliens. While the soldiers in Starship Troopers and The Forever War relied on powered body armor to gain advantage over their aliens, the soldiers in Old Man's War have enhanced DNA and nanotechnology, giving them advantages in strength, speed, and endurance.
After receiving basic training on Beta Pyxis III, during which the CDF's heritage in the United States armed forces
is made clear when the recruits are taught the Rifleman's Creed
, Perry is shipped out to the CDF's Modesto. Their first engagement is with the Consu, a fierce and intelligent alien species. Perry improvises a tactic which enables the CDF to win this first battle. This is soon followed by a number of battles with, among others, the Whaidians and the tiny Covandu.
Now a war-seasoned veteran, Perry then participates in the Battle for Coral. The CDF plans to rapidly transport in a small number of vessels to Coral, which is being held by the Rraey. Somehow, the Rraey are able to predict the trajectory of the vessel's skip drives, whereby they destroy the fleet. Perry and a small number of others escape in a shuttle craft and make for the planet's surface, where they are shot down by missiles. Perry is left for dead, only to be rescued by the mysterious "Ghost Brigades", the Special Forces units of the CDF. The leader of the Ghost Brigades rescue team, Jane Sagan, looks like Perry's dead wife Kathy.
After being regenerated, Perry tracks down Jane Sagan, who turns out to have been generated using Kathy Perry's DNA, as legally allowed by her letter of intent to join the CDF. Unlike John, Jane has no memories of her previous life. Jane manipulates her chain of command to promote John as an adviser for a subsequent attack on Coral. The CDF determines that the Rraey have received tachyon technology from the Consu, allowing them to predict the location of their ships. Jane and John then participate in a Ghost Brigades mission to attempt to capture or destroy this technology in advance of a major invasion. While John is instrumental in the successful outcome of the battle, he loses track of Jane as she returns to the insular Ghost Brigades.
interstellar travel called a Skip Drive. This is a misnomer because it is not a drive system at all as it has nothing to do with acceleration. The Skip Drive simply takes an object, like a space ship, and punches a hole in the universe you're in, and places the object at its destination, just in a new, essentially identical universe. The universe in general doesn't like anomalies, due to the laws of physics, so it considers such a huge anomaly as a completely new spaceship as too much change and attempts to keep everything in the new universe identical to the previous universe to keep differences as small as possible. There are limits on the skip drive due to the users in the book not knowing all there is to know about how it works. The limitations are as follows:
The Colonial Union and other governments use devices called skip drones to communicate. These skip drones are essentially computers equipped with skip drives. A ship or satellite will launch one of these devices away from local gravity wells and skip to its target locale and download its information to the local people.
More advanced races, notably the Consu, have a more complex understanding of skip drives and can even detect ships skipping into a system.
A BrainPal allows a CDF soldier to operate colonial technology by thought alone. A CDF rifle can only be used by someone with a BrainPal.
To the members of the Ghost Brigades the BrainPal does much much more, it provides a synthetic consciousness that allows the newborn soldiers to function until their own identities develop. This gives people who meet Special Forces the impression that they know everything. When presented with a situation that is unfamiliar to the newborn soldier the BrainPal loads the relevant and important information directly into the mind at an amazing rate.
The BrainPal allows special forces platoons to integrate into a single hive mind. What one sees, all see. Special Forces fight as a single unified military force with perfect discipline.
This tech is the foundation of the Colonial Defense Force, allowing them to recruit senior citizens and transfer their minds to new super-soldier bodies.
, a shout-out to Scalzi in his role as creative consultant on the show.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by John Scalzi
John Scalzi
John Michael Scalzi II is an American author and online writer, and president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He is best known for his Hugo Award-nominated science fiction novel Old Man's War, released by Tor Books in January 2005, and for his blog , at which he has written...
published in 2005
2005 in literature
The year 2005 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 25 - Canada Reads selects Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the novel to be read across the nation....
. It was nominated for the Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
for Best Novel
Hugo Award for Best Novel
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
in 2006. It was optioned by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
in 2011.
A sequel, The Ghost Brigades
The Ghost Brigades
The Ghost Brigades is the second book by John Scalzi set in the Old Man's War universe.-Plot summary:The main character in this narrative is Jared Dirac. He is instilled with the consciousness of a traitor, Charles Boutin, and has to deal with memories of a life he hasn't lived, while trying to...
, was published in 2006, followed by two other books, The Last Colony
The Last Colony
The Last Colony is the third science fiction novel by John Scalzi set in the Old Man's War universe. It was nominated for a 2008 Hugo Award in the Best Novel category.-Plot synopsis:...
(2007) and Zoe's Tale
Zoe's Tale
Zoe's Tale is the fourth full-length book by John Scalzi set in the Old Man's War universe.-Plot synopsis:Zoe's Tale is a retelling of Scalzi's third Old Man's War novel, The Last Colony, written as a first-person narrative from the viewpoint of Zoë Boutin Perry...
(2008).
Introduction
The first-person narrativeFirst-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
is about a soldier named John Perry and his exploits in the CDF (Colonial Defense Forces). Old Man's War is similar in overall structure to Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, first published as a serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published hardcover in December, 1959.The first-person narrative is about a young soldier from the Philippines named Juan "Johnnie" Rico and his...
and Joe Haldeman
Joe Haldeman
Joe William Haldeman is an American science fiction author.-Life :Haldeman was born June 9, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His family traveled and he lived in Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Anchorage, Alaska as a child. Haldeman married Mary Gay Potter, known...
's The Forever War
The Forever War
The Forever War is a science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story of soldiers fighting an interstellar war between humanity and the enigmatic Tauran species...
as it follows Perry's military career from CDF recruit to the rank of captain. It is set in a universe heavily populated with life forms (much like David Brin
David Brin
Glen David Brin, Ph.D. is an American scientist and award-winning author of science fiction. He has received the Hugo, Locus, Campbell and Nebula Awards.-Biography:...
's Uplift Universe
Uplift Universe
The Uplift Universe is a fictional universe created by science fiction writer David Brin. A central feature in this universe is the process of biological uplift.His books which take place in this universe:* Sundiver...
); colonists from Earth must compete for the scarce planetary real estate which is suitable for sustaining life. As such, Perry must learn to battle against a wide variety of aliens. While the soldiers in Starship Troopers and The Forever War relied on powered body armor to gain advantage over their aliens, the soldiers in Old Man's War have enhanced DNA and nanotechnology, giving them advantages in strength, speed, and endurance.
Synopsis
The novel tells the story of John Perry, a 75-year old retired writer, who joins the Colonial Defense Forces. Applicants are required to sign a letter of intent when they are 65—which John and his now deceased wife Kathy had signed 10 years prior. He takes a space elevator to the CDF's Henry Hudson, where his mind is transferred to a new body. This new body, based on his original DNA, has been enhanced for enormous strength, and has been supplemented with several proprietary products which increase the oxygen loading capacity of his blood, provide enhanced eyesight and other enhanced senses. It also features a BrainPal—a neural interface that allows Perry to communicate with other members of the CDF. Perry names his "Asshole", and the names of his fellow recruits' BrainPals also reflect this sentiment.After receiving basic training on Beta Pyxis III, during which the CDF's heritage in the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
is made clear when the recruits are taught the Rifleman's Creed
Rifleman's Creed
The Rifleman's Creed is a part of basic United States Marine Corps doctrine. Major General William H. Rupertus wrote it during World War II, probably in late 1941 or early 1942. All Marines learn the creed at recruit training and they are expected to live by it...
, Perry is shipped out to the CDF's Modesto. Their first engagement is with the Consu, a fierce and intelligent alien species. Perry improvises a tactic which enables the CDF to win this first battle. This is soon followed by a number of battles with, among others, the Whaidians and the tiny Covandu.
Now a war-seasoned veteran, Perry then participates in the Battle for Coral. The CDF plans to rapidly transport in a small number of vessels to Coral, which is being held by the Rraey. Somehow, the Rraey are able to predict the trajectory of the vessel's skip drives, whereby they destroy the fleet. Perry and a small number of others escape in a shuttle craft and make for the planet's surface, where they are shot down by missiles. Perry is left for dead, only to be rescued by the mysterious "Ghost Brigades", the Special Forces units of the CDF. The leader of the Ghost Brigades rescue team, Jane Sagan, looks like Perry's dead wife Kathy.
After being regenerated, Perry tracks down Jane Sagan, who turns out to have been generated using Kathy Perry's DNA, as legally allowed by her letter of intent to join the CDF. Unlike John, Jane has no memories of her previous life. Jane manipulates her chain of command to promote John as an adviser for a subsequent attack on Coral. The CDF determines that the Rraey have received tachyon technology from the Consu, allowing them to predict the location of their ships. Jane and John then participate in a Ghost Brigades mission to attempt to capture or destroy this technology in advance of a major invasion. While John is instrumental in the successful outcome of the battle, he loses track of Jane as she returns to the insular Ghost Brigades.
Skip Drive
Old Man's War introduces a new form of FTLFaster-than-light
Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
interstellar travel called a Skip Drive. This is a misnomer because it is not a drive system at all as it has nothing to do with acceleration. The Skip Drive simply takes an object, like a space ship, and punches a hole in the universe you're in, and places the object at its destination, just in a new, essentially identical universe. The universe in general doesn't like anomalies, due to the laws of physics, so it considers such a huge anomaly as a completely new spaceship as too much change and attempts to keep everything in the new universe identical to the previous universe to keep differences as small as possible. There are limits on the skip drive due to the users in the book not knowing all there is to know about how it works. The limitations are as follows:
- The object skipping must be out of a major gravity well
- The object skipping cannot skip out too far, as it will exceed its skip horizon.
The Colonial Union and other governments use devices called skip drones to communicate. These skip drones are essentially computers equipped with skip drives. A ship or satellite will launch one of these devices away from local gravity wells and skip to its target locale and download its information to the local people.
More advanced races, notably the Consu, have a more complex understanding of skip drives and can even detect ships skipping into a system.
BrainPal
The BrainPal is a neural implant that allows members of the Colonial Defense Forces (CDF) to send and receive data; including speech, battle plans and much more. The BrainPal comes pre-programmed with a treasure trove of information. CDF soldiers use their BrainPals to translate alien languages, watch classic cartoons and read old books.A BrainPal allows a CDF soldier to operate colonial technology by thought alone. A CDF rifle can only be used by someone with a BrainPal.
To the members of the Ghost Brigades the BrainPal does much much more, it provides a synthetic consciousness that allows the newborn soldiers to function until their own identities develop. This gives people who meet Special Forces the impression that they know everything. When presented with a situation that is unfamiliar to the newborn soldier the BrainPal loads the relevant and important information directly into the mind at an amazing rate.
The BrainPal allows special forces platoons to integrate into a single hive mind. What one sees, all see. Special Forces fight as a single unified military force with perfect discipline.
Modified bodies and Consciousness Transfer
In the early days of human colonization it became clear that human soldiers were not cut out to fighting the endless hordes of alien aggressors. Humanity was saved by two technologies: the ability to grow an engineered human body to maturity in a few months and the ability to transfer a consciousness from an old body to the new one (provided that the brains are identical).This tech is the foundation of the Colonial Defense Force, allowing them to recruit senior citizens and transfer their minds to new super-soldier bodies.
Nanotechnology
The Colonial Defense Forces utilize nanotechnology in almost every aspect of their military operations. Combat armor is made from interlinked nanobots, medical nanobots perform surgeries and help to regrow limbs, and the very blood of the CDF soldier has been replaced by a nanotech solution called "smartblood" that does everything that blood can do, only better, and a few things that blood can't do (like explode on command). The primary infantry weapon, the MP-35 or "empee", assembles its ammunition on demand from a block of raw materials (with six types of ammo: rifle, shot, grenade, missile, flamethrower and microwave beam), and can use its ammunition block for self-repair.Sequels
- The Ghost BrigadesThe Ghost BrigadesThe Ghost Brigades is the second book by John Scalzi set in the Old Man's War universe.-Plot summary:The main character in this narrative is Jared Dirac. He is instilled with the consciousness of a traitor, Charles Boutin, and has to deal with memories of a life he hasn't lived, while trying to...
, the sequel to Old Man's War. The story follows a unique special forces soldier from "birth" through training and into war under the command of Jane Sagan. - The Last ColonyThe Last ColonyThe Last Colony is the third science fiction novel by John Scalzi set in the Old Man's War universe. It was nominated for a 2008 Hugo Award in the Best Novel category.-Plot synopsis:...
, the third book in the series. - Zoe's TaleZoe's TaleZoe's Tale is the fourth full-length book by John Scalzi set in the Old Man's War universe.-Plot synopsis:Zoe's Tale is a retelling of Scalzi's third Old Man's War novel, The Last Colony, written as a first-person narrative from the viewpoint of Zoë Boutin Perry...
, the fourth book in the series. - The Sagan Diary, a short story taking place between The Ghost Brigades and The Last Colony
- After the Coup, another short story.
Appearances in other works
A character can be seen reading the book in an episode of the science fiction television series Stargate UniverseStargate Universe
Stargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
, a shout-out to Scalzi in his role as creative consultant on the show.