Welcome to Litsy!

I thought I was going to hate this because of the extremely outdated and unrealistic views on gender and sexuality, but I ended up not disliking it. The antiwar stance is an interesting take in a military sci-fi novel, and watching Earth‘s society change drastically over the centuries because of the time dilation experienced by Mandella was fun. I haven‘t decided if the ending is a hopeful one or not — it could be either.

Well, the depiction of gay people in this book is certainly interesting, to say the least. Here‘s a picture of George trying to become a bed cat. She wants to sleep with us, but our Maine Coon already does that. He‘s so big that there‘s no more room. #audiowalk

More indoor walking because it was rainy all day. I‘m not really all that interested in battle descriptions, but now that they‘ve been through some and are headed back to Earth, the story could get more interesting. There are already some thought provoking elements; I hope there‘s more focus on those. #audiowalk

Although I got this to read for #ClassicLSFBC, I‘m just now starting it as my new #audiowalk book. I think I might like it, but so far I‘m a little appalled by the sexism. Women are “compliant and promiscuous“ by law? Talk about taking away our bodily autonomy! Join the army — get raped. Yay.

🚀 I thought I‘d post a couple questions on this month‘s book. Anyone who wants to be removed from the tag list (or added) please let me know.

🚀 Is the ending a happy one for human kind? Or is losing our individuality the price of peace?

🚀 I thought I‘d post a couple questions on this month‘s book. Anyone who wants to be removed from the tag list (or added) please let me know.

🚀 Mandella only sees action twice in his long career as a soldier. How is this an anti-war novel?

I first read this in 2000, and while I think it strikes me very differently now in respect of social attitudes, it holds up as hard sci-fi, and Haldeman's meditation on how his characters are affected by relativistic time dilation is still interesting. As a veteran of the Vietnam War, his attitudes to militarism, combat & death feel personal and true.
Pic. is an artist's impression of a Tauran 👽
#ClassicLSFBC @RamsFan1963
⬇️

"Tonight we're going to show you eight silent ways to kill a man."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl
#ClassicLSFBC

4 ⭐️s
I really enjoyed this one. The descriptions of the tech and time dilation were fun. I honestly liked Will for the most part despite his personal hang ups on a few things. I appreciate the fact that the violence/war wasn‘t glorified. The changes Earth went through over the course of the story were fascinating. There were a few things I rolled my eyes at, but they‘re mostly products of the time the book and author come from.
#ClassicLSFBC

June #ClassicLSFBC This was first published in 1974 and I don‘t think it has aged well. I believe I read books by Haldeman in the 1980s and I think I enjoyed them. I guess my tastes have changed in the last 40 years. I prefer to read stories that are more character driven. It is told in the first person but Mandella is really just a cardboard cutout. The science was interesting. The prediction that future humans will use they/them/their (cont)⬇️

William Mandella narrates the story of his life over a space war that lasts 1150 years. Imagine the changes earth goes through, many of which you couldn‘t guess. This book was way ahead of its time, winning all sorts of sci-fi awards. And when he got to the origins of this war, all you can do is shake your head. Loved the ending!
#classicLSFBC

#weekendreads

Starting all three of these today. The Halderman is for #ClassicLSFBC , the Didion is for #Roll100 , and the Davis is for #CampLitsy24. Looking forward to diving in. I think they will all be winners in their own way.

60/150 As military sci-fi goes, this is as anti-war as you can get. War isn't glorified, its usually stupid and death comes swiftly, without warning or reason. William Mandella rises from private to major, never really understanding the reasons for the war with the Taurens. I'm going to put the rest of this review under a block so not to ruin it for those still reading the book. 4⭐⭐⭐⭐
#ClassicLSFBC

Starting this today on audio. It will definitely be a different kind of military sci-fi from the last two Phule's Company books 🤣🤣
#ClassicLSFBC

repost for @RamsFan1963:

Originally, I planned to let voting go until the end of the month, but since this is the overwhelming favorite, three times the votes for Deus Irae, I will go ahead and announce that June's selection for #ClassicLSFBC is The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. A copy should be available at most libraries or used book stores. If you have premium subscriptions to Audible or Spotify, it's available on both formats for free.

Originally, I planned to let voting go until the end of the month, but since this is the overwhelming favorite, three times the votes for Deus Irae, I will go ahead and announce that June's selection for #ClassicLSFBC is The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. A copy should be available at most libraries or used book stores. If you have premium subscriptions to Audible or Spotify, it's available on both formats for free.

#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Movie: Universal Solider

There are lots of good military science fiction books put there. This series is one of my favorites in the genre.

I tried, I really did. I can even see how this is considered a science fiction classic. But it seems to me you could do “the Vietnam war in space” without all the rape and homophobia.

This graphic novel was originally done in 2002 and re-produced and colorised in 2017, but it looks like they changed nothing from the 1974 original.

Today's reading

Since my last post, lots has happened in this book. It went from a war experience based book to a story about a man who is re-discovering earth after being gone over 100 years, and then going through another experience of having to go back to war. He gets hurt in battle and we see how he deals with losing limbs and how his relationships are affected by war. If you like books that focus on one persons experiences through different situations,

The ‘Forever War‘ is about a inter-galactic war between the humans and another race called the Taurans. The Taurans attacked earth and killed lots of humans and were barely fought off, so the humans gathered the people with the highest Iq‘s and most athletic to join a small army to go to one of the Tauran‘s home planets to attack and scout them out. If you like books that are science fiction about space and aliens you would love this book.

This book is military style fiction. About a special group inside the military that train to fight against an alien force in the “forever war”. They fight in a interstellar war against aliens known as Taurans. If you like books that tell a story with good detail and try to connect our views on life with the fiction then you‘ll love this. The theme is dealing with people who are different from us. In this case the aliens are different from us.

#BeginsWith #Forever

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#BeginsWith @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Forever

I read this several years ago. A traditional military Sci-Fi story. Not as fluffy feeling as the newer space operas.

An easy read that mashes war and time dilation well.

I shouldn‘t buy the tagged book BUT it‘s only $5 BUT it‘s free on Hoopla BUT Book Club doesn‘t read this book for months what if it disappears like Netflix switches their line up, why do I have to justify spending $5, well to be fair that‘s per book & there‘s completely new books each day.

I LOVE seeing “Already Purchased”!! Audible, please only sell books I already own or don‘t want!

I listened to the sample. Bought 2 today.

#AudibleSale

This book is amazing! The world building is just incredible. So many things I have not seen done in other sci-fi books, and I've read quite a few. Written in 1974 by a Vietnam Veteran, it really tackles the insanity and futility of war. But it is also so much more. It had a very satisfying ending as well. I highly recommend this one. (Fair warning: it does have quite a bit of battle tactics described.)

Here is my book loot from the “library of baby brother “ it is great to get free books and know if I don‘t return them he STILL has to talk to me!😄

#adastra #scifiseptember @Klou

QOTD- What are your feelings on military scifi?

Forever War is easy to read and has some strong world building, but unless you already know you love hard, military scifi, this one isn't worth trying.

5/10

First published in the early 70s, this book is considered to be one of the exemplars of military science fiction & it‘s easy to see why. Written by a veteran of the Vietnam War, the depiction of war, in this case humans fighting an alien species light years away, is raw, visceral, & unrelenting. It‘s hours of boredom & travel & preparation punctuated by moments of frenetic action. A powerful story about the cost & futility of war.

With all our extra time at home, we decided to make our patio a little more comfy—a new couch, some pillows, and a couple little tables later and this is my new favorite reading spot. I especially love my new reading buddies! Finishing the tagged book this morning and then it‘s on to Harrow the Ninth.

John Scalzi describes this book as one of the two cornerstones of military science fiction (the other being Starship Troopers). I originally picked it up for my son who is a huge Scalzi fan. He read it and really enjoyed it which is recommendation enough for me.

#JamminJune @Eggs
#Forever

This is the first book that came to mind. I think because I read not long ago. 📚📚🤩

I am really on the fence on this book. While I liked the plot and the pacing was good, it lacked the character development I crave. Also there was a lot of fight scenes, which is okay, but there was not much meat elsewhere to counter balance it. I was expecting so much more. Disappointed! 3.7ish stars

#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

1️⃣ Tagged
2️⃣ Both, just depends on my mood.
3️⃣ The Heart of the Matter by Evan Currie. It is book.#2 in the Odyssey One series and I read it in April.

"Tonight we're going to show you eight silent ways to kill a man." And then the dragons arrived.

To play, add to the first line of the book thou are reading the phrase 'and then dragons arrived.'

Mine was not too interesting, but I bet some will be!

This was my first book finished in about 2 months, and while I definitely enjoyed reading again the book was only so-so. I loved the sci-fi elements, the time dialation and combat deployment being used to show how jarring it can be for soldiers to return home was intriguing. The war itself, while barely explained was also interesting. But the look on society was something that veered into cringe territory.

It's ok. Weak ending.

Day 16: TBR. #riotgrams #amreading #bookworm #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookish #booknerdigans #author #bookblogger #tsundoku #writeropolis #greatreads #readmorebooks #raconteuse #coolgirlsread

Squidapus often feels many "classics" people hail as cornerstones of literature are often products of their time and do not hold up over time. The Forever War is not one of those fallen classics. A very obvious parallel to the Vietnam War, it's story can still resonate to this day. Even without the greater themes it tackles it's just an entertaining read about a war over thousands of years that the people who started it never saw the end of.

I can understand why this won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards, as it's quite wonderfully written- Haldeman's prose is efficient and utilitarian, managing to weave sophisticated concepts into the story while neither over-explaining to the reader or leaving them at sea. It would undoubtedly be a five star read if the dated attitudes towards sexuality weren't so uncomfortable to read, and profuse.

Here's where the book really starts to date itself (it was published in 1974.)

A general is trying to convince soldiers to re-enlist instead of returning home to Earth, because homosexuality has become widespread and the men are all sissies now. 🙄

1. Fran lookin' all nonchalant while hugging her tail.
2. About to start the tagged book for my IRL book club.
3. A soy latte and a chocolate-almond croissant.
4. A handful of pecans. I has tummyache.
5. I don't know. The cake is a lie.

#HumpDayPost @MinDea

Those aliensm. Sheesh!

Some of the attitudes make me cringe they are so dated and it is worse when he is trying to be open-minded but the story-telling is thrilling and I care enough about the characters to keep turning the pages.

When I finally made the effort to get into the Vietnam-era war mentality, and set aside all of my "well, that's clearly dated" snap-judgments, Forever War turned in to one of my all-time favorite books (genre nonspecific), and ended up being 1/3 of one of the best SciFi trilogies that I've ever read... Sure, you can clearly tell that the author was drawing upon that Vietnam, GI Joe, must-kill-Charlie headspace from the time, but it was so great