The Forever War

I went back and forth on my opinions of this book. At first, I wasn't into it at all. Military sci-fi has never been a particularly interesting genre for me, and the futuristic conception of earth 2010 was ... well it was written in the 70s. I know at the time, Haldeman was feeling the pressure of the Vietnam War's effects on society. I can see where his fears came from and how he would have felt a real fear of a government-sanctioned zombie society where you couldn't walk outside without a bodyguard. I could see someone else today writing much the same vision for fifty years in our future. However, I had a hard trouble getting past the dated feel.

As soon as Earth was taken out of the equation, however, I found the story gripping. The time skips and relativity made my head spin quite a bit, but I felt I started to get to know Mandella better. I like that there aren't any real character shortcuts taken with him. He is a product of his society with his society's prejudices, and when he's thrust into an unwanted leadership position, he realizes there is no good way to be in that position and he's just as terrible a Major as every superior he's ever hated. His own subjective time is so short compared to the span of the book that the reader is able to feel just upside down in the universe as he is. I loved this.

However, I was most impressed by the social commentaries Haldeman presents, starting right off the bat with women in the military. I imagine his point was to say to his contemporary audience, “What if this was your daughters?” Then throw in some government compulsory promiscuity to complete the horror picture. Viewed from the modern time period, it's impressive that he's able to create a cast of female soldiers, and more impressive that half the time people are shouting orders/fighting, no distinction at all is made.

Then we zip into the future with compulsory homosexuality. Another issue from 40 years ago that is so topical today. Throwing a homophobic soldier into a world where suddenly he's an outsider, everyone thinks he's disgusting and doing their best to just be cool about his disability. It's brilliant, thought-provoking, and I only wish he hadn't taken some of the barbs out in the end by having Charlie decide to change his mind. As someone who lives her life as far removed from war and military as can be done on this planet, this commentary struck me a lot more poignantly than Haldeman's main thesis.

Which isn't to say the main thesis is not lost or in anyway lacking in relevancy. At this point, the never-ending war fought for no reason has become a sci-fi cliche as much as short people on a journey is for fantasy. Haldeman pioneered the idea, and the perspective he took of a simple, uprooted kid literally lost in time keeps it fresh. The book is not one I would have elected to read were it not on my booklist, and it's not one I'm too likely to return to (see earlier comment on my removal from all things military), but I'm glad I did read it.

As a side note, very weird to read this so soon after reading “Old Man's War.” I got the edition with Scalzi's forward apologizing for taking so long to read the book everyone kept blaming he stole for his own novels. I don't think that's a fair criticism, really, but I did keep picturing all of the characters with green skin accidentally.