Reddit Reddit reviews The Forever War

We found 40 Reddit comments about The Forever War. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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The Forever War
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40 Reddit comments about The Forever War:

u/Forlarren · 70 pointsr/movies

I wouldn't call being verbose awesome. As for the message in the text you should either read The Forever War, or watch the film again to learn why it's flowery but wrong.

> War is not violence and killing, pure and simple; war is controlled violence, for a purpose.

The problem is that political purpose is often dictated by evil, power hungry, short sighted politicians (many of whom have had military experience and are often the worst when it comes to starting more pointless wars), and is counter productive to the continuation of the species (we came damn close to destroying the world many times during the cold war, like seconds away close). For a more contemporary example it was the chicken hawks elevated by military rhetoric that leveled Iraq just to hand out rebuilding contracts for their buddies, laying economic waste to both nations.

Plus I preferred Michael Ironside's delivery, juxtaposed with his missing hand. You don't need a bunch of prose to show violence as authority, "because fuck you" is it's own proof.

Other points that can be easily picked apart (and I'm not the first to do so).

> Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure" --Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was talking about rebellions and the rebellious as the patriots. The removal of tyrants, makes Heinlein's statement disingenuous at best. It's a reversal and celebration of authority, that is ironically only possible due to Jefferson's original rebellion.

> It's never a soldier's business to decide when or where or how—or why—he fights; that belongs to the statesmen and the generals.

This is the Nuremberg Defense, nobody should have to explain why it's wrong.

Too many people read Starship Troopers then praise it without reading it's critiques or counter examples. Heinlein's theories haven't held up well in the years following his book. It's a good story, and a great window into the mind set of a WWII soldier, but as a model for society it's woefully inadequate.

If you really want to understand war and it's wide ranging ramifications in an easily approachable format I would suggest starting with John Keegan's: A History of Warfare. Then read Joe Haldeman's: The Forever War as a Vietnam era perspective counter example to Starship Troopers. Then try watching Verhoeven's Starship Troopers again as it was intended to be viewed, as an intelligent satire.

u/jef_snow · 60 pointsr/scifi

Ender's Game, Revelation Space, Altered Carbon and a few other great series out of there have dedicated a lot to overcoming time dilation.

Joe Haldeman tackled it head on in The Forever War Amazon link, a fantastic book that as a fan of similar stuff, you might like it!

u/Interceptor · 14 pointsr/AskScienceFiction

If you haven't already, you should check out the SF classic novel 'The Forever War' ( https://www.amazon.com/Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0312536631 )

It deals with exactly this, with soldiers fighting on the other side of the galaxy struggling to remember what they are fighting for, because Earth changes so much in their decades-long tours.

u/cquick72 · 12 pointsr/TheExpanse

The Forever War by Haldeman https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312536631/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zTFiDbR3EQFT2

Amazon Product Description: The Earth's leaders have drawn a line in the interstellar sand--despite the fact that the fierce alien enemy they would oppose is inscrutable, unconquerable, and very far away. A reluctant conscript drafted into an elite Military unit, Private William Mandella has been propelled through space and time to fight in the distant thousand-year conflict; to perform his duties and do whatever it takes to survive the ordeal and return home. But "home" may be even more terrifying than battle, because, thanks to the time dilation caused by space travel, Mandella is aging months while the Earth he left behind is aging centuries...

u/roontish12 · 11 pointsr/space

The Forever War. Many people compare it to Starship Troopers, which was also badass, but I liked this one better.

u/KenshiroTheKid · 8 pointsr/bookclapreviewclap

I made a list based on where you can purchase them if you want to edit it onto your post:

This Month's Book


u/Majromax · 7 pointsr/pics

Science Fiction / Classic War Sci-Fi Novel sounds like Forever War.

u/SD99FRC · 7 pointsr/news

SEALs, no, but Special Forces are, by design, supposed to interact with and train local forces.

The problem with Barnett's suggestions of a split force is that in neither Iraq nor Afghanistan has there been a climate where a "SysAdmin" force could exist and operate. The SysAdmins would have to be doorkickers with more specialized training.

Removing the hitters from the theater would just invite resistance forces to increase their attacks. Barnett pretends like civil affairs forces don't already exist. The problem is, unprotected, they are just potential casualties. Barnett's solutions don't really show how to fix much of anything because they're strategies for a battlefield that will never exist. The difficulty of counterinsurgency operations can be seen dating back to antiquity. It's not like Barnett suddenly "solved it" with his idea of a split force.

The reality is that there will always be boots on the ground who don't understand the greater strategy and importance of their actions, no matter how much or how often they are told or taught about the implications. You'd have to go full The Forever War and start conscripting the best and brightest from top universities if you'd expect to create an army of scholar-soldiers who have both the talent to combine warfighting/peacekeeping and nation-building activities, and then still have them maintain the level of big-picture awareness necessary for ultimate discretion. The kinds of soldiers Barnett needs don't exist in great numbers. Wars will always be fought with a cross section of the nation's populace, and, well, half the population is below average.

u/BrownNote · 5 pointsr/books

I'll echo the other redditor that said The Forever War.

I read it for a comparitive literature class I took and it was the only book besides R.U.R. that I really enjoyed.

And speaking of that, R.U.R.. This is the book that made the word "Robot" into a science fiction staple. And it's a short read too.

u/edheler · 4 pointsr/preppers

The list was too long to fit into a self-post, here is the continuation.

Prolific Authors: (5+ Books)

u/Bizkitgto · 3 pointsr/conspiracyundone

> Fiction is just a mirror of reality for the most part. Many things that happen in fiction don’t even happen here. But as far as pain and sadness. Joy and love, life and death, it’s all real here. Here it’s real. - Lucian Bane

Fiction that mirrors reality and challenges the reader is more of what we need, the books i listed below have shaped my view of the world in a very thought-provoking way.

Other stuff out there, the pop-fiction, the garbage or crack cocaine for the brain is as bad as TV. Hollywood panders to the masses. Did you know Hollywood usually has two different versions for films released in America and Europe? Yep, that's right - Hollywood dumbs down movies for American audiences. Everything in media these days is centered around comic books and video games - the modern day opiates of the masses.

Some notable fiction that should be required reading:

u/Jibaku · 3 pointsr/ifyoulikeblank

Try:

  • The Forever War by John Haldeman

  • Armor by John Steakley

  • Old Man's War by John Scalzi

    Hmm, apparently anything written by a John something or the other will work...
u/doctechnical · 3 pointsr/scifi

The Forever War books by Joe Haldeman.

u/Robot_Spider · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Armor by John Steakley. It's what I wanted Starship Troopers to be.

Also The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Ship to ship space combat at relativistic speeds!

u/Lurfadur · 2 pointsr/NetflixBestOf

If you're interested in reading a book with a somewhat similar theme as the movie (who even started the fight? war is not pretty, etc...), I highly recommend The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. It's sort of an anti-Starship Troopers story where the main character is drafted to war rather than volunteering. Still scifi with bizarre alien creatures but, IMHO with a more memorable story.

u/bitter_cynical_angry · 2 pointsr/technology

There was a scene in the new uncut version of The Forever War where, when William Mandella gets to go home on leave, already very sick of the war, he gives an interview to the media about how bad the situation is, how the war sucks, etc., and later hears it on TV, chopped, reedited, and with new words of his added in (not coincidentally, always when the camera is showing the reporter nodding sagely or something) saying how great the war is, how high the soldiers morale is, how much he believes in it, etc. It's only a matter of time.

u/alchemeron · 2 pointsr/scifi

Armor by John Steakley.

Well, it's not actually my favorite book, but it has really stuck with me and taught me a few cool writing devices. I see some Forever War and Starship Troopers fans in this thread, and Armor kind of rounds out a military sci-fi trilogy for me. Thought it worth mentioning.

u/SquireCD · 2 pointsr/scifi_bookclub

The Forever War might be to your liking.

u/Fuckedyomom · 2 pointsr/todayilearned

You sure are getting defensive now, but I'm okay with everyone having their own opinion on matters. I would suggest reading Stranger in a Strange land if you are looking for some more philosophy from Heinlein (it's not boogey man fascist communist killing material I swear).

Also check out Forever War, which is probably the harshest criticism of SST from one of Heinleins peers, which ironically became Heinleins favorite book of all time.

u/wicud · 2 pointsr/scifi

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Even non sci-fi readers that I've recommended it to have enjoyed it and been intrigued by the future warfare that the book describes.

u/docbrain · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

Have you read The Forever War?

u/AerialAmphibian · 2 pointsr/Military

I'm about to start reading "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman. Seems to be pretty well regarded because it avoids a lot of silly sci-fi/war stereotypes. Also the story's military are based on the author's own experiences serving in Vietnam.

EDIT: Just checked Amazon and the book's not available for Kindle yet. The page had a link to request it from the publisher. I clicked it so there's one more vote. :)

u/grome45 · 2 pointsr/booksuggestions

I've fallen on a deep sci-fi binge, so I'm going to recommend what I've read so far (lately) and loved:

Ender Series: The sequels to "Ender's Game" are not on par with the first, but they're compelling nonetheless (except maybe Childrens of the Mind), and the Bean series (Ender's Shadow and the sequels) is GREAT. I would recommend reading the sequels, and if not, to stay with the same Ender's Game vibe, then at least read Ender's Shadow, as it opens up the story a lot more.

Foundation (Isaac Asimov): One of the groundbreaking sci-fi series. I've currently read only the first one (Foundation) and absolutely loved it. It takes up several character's point of view over the course of a lot of years. But don't worry, each character get their spot lights and they shine in it. And the universe he creates is one I'm anxious to get back once I finish with...

Leviathan Wakes (James S.A. Corey): This one I'm still reading, so I won't jump up and say: READ IT, IT'S AMAZING! But I will say this, it's long and full of twists, but it's two central characters are fun and interesting. Someone said it's like reading the best sci-fi movie there is. And it kind of is. It's full of action, suspense, some horror and fun writing. I would check it out if I were you.

Spin: I enjoyed this one. Not fanatical about it, but still enjoyable. It's a little bit too long, but the mystery around the event that occurs in the book is interesting and compelling enough to continue. The characters feel real, and the drama around it is fun.

A while ago I also read: The Forever War which I liked a lot. I like seeing humanity evolve, so this book was awesome. I hear it's a lot like Old Man's War, but I've heard better things from Forever War than Old Man's. Might be worth checking out.

Hope I was helpful!

u/ASnugglyBear · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

There is a lot of stuff in interstellar :D

Marooned in Realtime Deals with long time spans

Spin deals with dying earth and people dealing with it scientifically and not, ways to surpass it.

The Forever War deals with the human effects of time dilation



u/acetv · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

Theory of Continuous Groups by Loewner. This book is based on lecture notes which Loewner was planning to turn into a larger book. Unfortunately he passed away before getting much done so some of his colleagues edited and compiled the notes into this book. I'm only quarter of the way in but so far it's given me a really unique perspective into group actions. I'm loving it but it doesn't hold my attention for long spans of time.

Geometry of Polynomials by Marden. Marden is my idol, and I plan to devote my life to studying the zeros of functions. That said, this book is the hardest goddamn book I have ever read. Hell, some of the exercises he gives were actual topics of published research 60 years ago. That seems a little mean to me. Anyway I still love this shit.

Mr. Tompkins in Paperback by Gamow. Alternates between stories about a character transplanted into hypothetical worlds where particular laws of physics are exaggerated and semi-rigorous lectures about the physics itself. The section on gravity as curvature of space was especially enlightening. The author uses the idea of a merry-go-round spinning at relativistic speed, so that straight lines on the surface (i.e. geodesics) are in fact curved to outside observers. You can then imagine that the merry-go-round is walled off from the outside, so that on the inside the centrifugal force can be thought of as gravity toward the edge. This is the concept of acceleration of reference frame being equivalent to gravity. For a non-physicist this kind of explanation is AWESOME.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein. My first Heinlein, just started it but I'm enjoying it so far. I honestly confused him with Haldeman... I loved The Forever War and I wanted to get another book by the author. Oh well.

Yeah so what I'm a nerd.

u/funkymonk11 · 2 pointsr/scifi
  • Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game"
  • Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash"
  • Joe Haldeman's "Forever War"
  • Arthur C. Clarke's "Rendezvous with Rama"
  • Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon The Deep"
  • Kurt Vonnegut's "The Sirens of Titan"
  • Philip K. Dick's "Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep" (inspiration for the Blade Runner movie)
  • Dan Simmons' "Hyperion"

    Every single one of these books has something different to offer you from the genre of scifi. Those three at the top are great entries into the genre. As what I perceive to be "deeper cuts", allow me to suggest my four favorite scifi novels:

  • Isaac Asimov's "Foundation"
  • William Gibson's "Neuromancer"
  • Paolo Bacigalupi's "The Windup Girl"
  • Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination"

    Cheers!
u/TembaAtRest · 2 pointsr/army
u/feetextreme · 1 pointr/scifi
  • Armor - More ground base fighting in powersuits than in space - Second half of the book isn't very exciting - Audiobook is awesome
  • The Forever War - War fought against aliens over a long period of time. Space and ground battles
  • Old Man's War - Lots of advanced tech in these books with space battles and ground combat - This would probably be my first recommendation
  • Currently reading Leviathan Wakes which is turning out to be pretty good
u/esotericish · 1 pointr/books

I'm not a huge sci-fi book fan (Dune was cool), but read The Forever War (http://www.amazon.com/Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0312536631/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293510846&sr=8-1). It's great.

u/I_LOVE_POTATO · 1 pointr/AskMen
u/prajnadhyana · 1 pointr/atheism

[The Forever War] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0312536631) by Joe Haldeman.

It has nothing at all to do with atheism, it's just an excellent book.

u/trying_to_remember · 1 pointr/tipofmytongue

Maybe The Forever War.

If that isn't it, you should still read it because it is a great book.

u/HashPram · 1 pointr/SF_Book_Club

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

>Private William Mandella is a reluctant hero in an interstellar war against an unknowable and unconquerable alien enemy. But his greatest test will be when he returns home. Relativity means that for every few months' tour of duty centuries have passed on Earth, isolating the combatants ever more from the world for whose future they are fighting.

u/snoots · 1 pointr/videos

You might enjoy Joe Haldeman's "The Forever War". He delves into this aspect of high speed space travel with some unique thought experiments. It's worth checking out if you're curious about that sort of thing, and it's not a bad book, either.

u/HorseFD · 1 pointr/writing

It's in the foreword John Scalzi wrote for the latest edition of Forever War, which you can read here: http://www.amazon.com/Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0312536631/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323872336&sr=8-1

(Click on "Click to look inside!").

u/Any_Sure_Irk · 1 pointr/videos

If you find this concept interesting, I highly recommend reading The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. A spoiler free summary of the book would be: Humanity finds stable wormholes in space after inventing near light speed travel. We discover an alien race and go to war with them. The story follows one soldier as he is sent off to fight light years away and has to deal with time dilation (He is hardly aging, but many years on Earth are passing). Here is a [link] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman/dp/0312536631) to amazon. Won the Hugo and Nebula award and is praised as one of the best all time sci-fi books.