Old Man's War cover art

Old Man's War

Old Man's War, Book 1

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Old Man's War

By: John Scalzi
Narrated by: William Dufris
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About this listen

At 75 years old, John Perry is after a fresh start - so, naturally, he joins the army. Earth's military machine can transform elderly recruits, restoring their lost youth. But in return, its Colonial Defence Force demands two years of hazardous service in space. This is how Perry finds himself in a new body crafted from his original DNA. A genetically enhanced and upgraded new body, ready for battle. But upgrades alone won't keep Perry safe. He'll be fighting for his life on the front line as he defends humanity's colonies from hostile aliens. He'll pay the price for his choices, and he'll discover the universe is even more dangerous than he imagined.

©2007 Audio Renaissance (P)2017 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd
Fantasy Fiction Humorous Military Science Fiction Space Opera Space Comedy

Critic Reviews

"Clever dialogue, fast-paced story and strong characters." ( The Times)
"Though a lot of SF writers are more or less efficiently continuing the tradition of Robert A. Heinlein, Scalzi's astonishingly proficient first novel reads like an original work by the late grand master.... This virtuoso debut pays tribute to SF's past while showing that well-worn tropes still can have real zip when they're approached with ingenuity." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Solid...[Scalzi] sidesteps most of the cliches of military science fiction, delivers fast-paced scenes of combat and pays attention to the science underpinning his premise." ( San Francisco Chronicle)
"Thought-provoking!" ( Entertainment Weekly)
"Smartly conceived and thoroughly entertaining, Old Man's War is a splendid novel." ( Cleveland Plain Dealer)
"Gripping and surpassingly original. It's Starship Troopers without the lectures. It's The Forever War with better sex. It's funny, it's sad, and it's true." (Cory Doctorow)

What listeners say about Old Man's War

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Excellent

Devoured the whole series (except Zoe’s Tale which retells the previous book from the perspective of a teenager - skip it).

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not your usual Space Sci-fi book!

This book is full of humour right from the start and does not rush into the story. The battle sequences and training are especially fun & when the new recruits find out about all the new tech they've been given, it's is quite interesting. It makes for a good lighthearted read, don't expect too much in the lines of story or character development. The narrator, William Dufris, is excellent at changing tones and portraying different characters.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining as usual. :)

John Scalzoi always delivers an original and thought provoking story. Another one that's worth a read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Really good!

I’ve had this on my shelf as a ‘to read’ for years, and finally now that I’ve got the option to listen to it as an audiobook I’ve smashed it out in three days. If you’re a fan of sci-fi, honestly you can’t go wrong. This book is fabulous. It has some gory details which isn’t my usual vibe but I managed - overall I’ve just got the audiobook for book 2 in the series and will be starting that next!

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Recommended by Graig Alanson - I can see why!

Recommended by Craig Alanson, gave it a go and Loved it, I’m hooked… straight into the next one!

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Great story and universe

A great universe he has created and feels full of great stories. The narration is really good too.

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Fun, funny action oriented sci-fi

Shorter book. Recommend it. More focussed on the characters than the sci-fi, but the science is still interesting

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Great sci fi with humour and heart.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, witty with characters that you really invest in. The audio performance was excellent.

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2 people found this helpful

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A classic, revisited

I read this classic sci-fi book in paperback a decade ago and really enjoyed it. Listening to it again as an Audible book confirms my enjoyment. The voice performance was also very good and not distracting at all.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The Narration annoys me

I’m only on chapter one, and fervently hoping that the narrator does not persist with his choice to play the main character as a folksy old fart, some awful combination of Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. It’s driving me nuts!
I sincerely hope that, when the main character goes through his physical transformation, his voice will be ‘youngified’. If not, I don’t think I can keep listening to this.

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