The Forever War – Joe Haldeman

This is an eternally popular novel. Written in 1974, it tells the story of William Mandella a soldier drafted into an interstellar war against the Taurans (actually Aldebranians, but that’s too hard to pronounce). What sets this story apart is that time dilation is a prominent part of the telling of the story. Although the soldiers are only fighting for a matter of a few months at a time, the distances involved mean that each time they arrive home many years have passed. By the end of the novel, the main character is almost one thousand years old, is physically aged in his thirties and has been in only a handful of battles.

The year the novel begins is deliberate so that it’s plausible for a Vietnam veteran to be training and fighting recruits. Soldiers are recruited for their intellectual prowess as well as an affinity for telepathy or other psychic skills. This deals with themes like the inhumanity of the war machine to those working within it. The soldiers have to accept that each time they return home, the planet will have moved on to a point where the planet will seem almost alien. The only option is to reenlist. Additionally, as the soldiers return home and get reoutfitted with the latest technology, by the time they next see action, the enemy will have already seen the weaponry and be able to defend against it.

As well as delivering an important message about warfare – it is basically a book about Haldeman’s time in Vietnam but in a sci-fi setting – it is also a very very well told story with strong characters and believable situations. It has won a Hugo and a Nebula award. And is well written and well worth reading.

Related Links

• Author’s website
• Obtain on Amazon