The Human Division (Old Man's War)
Sort of a mixed bag here from the author of Redshirts (2012) and other fine sf novels. Scalzi’s writing is as readable as ever, but the story—set in the universe of his Old Man’s War (2004)—is a bit unfocused. But that’s probably unavoidable, given that the novel began life as a 13-part online serial. Here’s the premise: the Colonial Union is on the outs from planet Earth, the union’s big secret—that it has used humanity as a sort of factory for its soldiers—having recently been revealed. An allied group of alien races, the Conclave, is courting humanity, offering safety in their vast numbers, but this could spell disaster for the CU. Each of the book’s 13 interconnected stories adds a piece to the picture, using multiple points of view to move the narrative forward. Readers expecting a straightforward sequel to Old Man’s War and its follow-ups may be disappointed, but any new novel from the extremely talented Scalzi is always good news, and this one, despite its experimental feel and shifting narrative, is one more proof that he’s an unqualified A-lister in the genre. --David Pitt