The Forever War
Conversely, Joe Haldeman's 1974 anti-war, Hugo- and Nebula-winning science fiction novel "The Forever War" is popularly thought to be a direct reply to "Starship Troopers", and though Haldeman has stated that it is actually a result of his personal experiences in the Vietnam War, he has admitted to being influenced by "Starship Troopers". Haldeman said that he disagreed with "Starship Troopers" because it "glorifies war", but added that "it's a very well-crafted novel, and I believe Heinlein was honest with it". "The Forever War" contains several parallels to "Starship Troopers", including its setting. Commentators have described it as a reaction to Heinlein's novel, a suggestion Haldeman denies; the two novels are very different in terms of their attitude towards the military. "The Forever War" does not depict war as a noble pursuit, with the sides clearly defined as good and evil; instead, the novel explores the dehumanizing effect of war, influenced by the real world context of the Vietnam War. Haldeman received a letter from Heinlein, congratulating him on his Nebula Award, which "meant more than the award itself". According to author Spider Robinson, Heinlein approached Haldeman at the awards banquet and said the book "may be the best future war story I've ever read!"