Old Man's War - John Scalzi

Read this book, it is one of the most enjoyable Sci-Fi books I have read for a while. I have been reading the Scalzi's Human Division series books and they are good, but this is better.

The concept of 75 year old's enlisting (after starting the process 10 years before) to become soliders in an off-world force (Colonial Defence Force), giving up all their rights and breaking all contact with anyone left on Earth is not something you read everyday. The book is logical in terms of how a pensioner on Earth can become a superhuman soldier, the method is not really a surprise but that is an advantage.

Action is fast paced, with the effects of being a soldier consider and then moves on. John Perry is the central character, who we see going from enlistment, meeting new friends, physically becoming the superhuman solider, training, fighting a number of aliens and becoming a veteran - all in a very short period of time. Along the way we see him make and lose friends.



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American Sniper - Chris Kyle

This is an autobiography of a SEAL sniper during the second Iraq War, and like others books written by soldiers it is actually more readable strangely (for example Apache by Ed Macy) than similar biographies written by reporters (even if they were embedded).

One of the really good features in this book is the inserts from his wife giving a really good extra dimension to the book.

This is a fast paced book, that leads the reader through the narrative effectively.

The author you respect. His cowboy nature is raised every so often, and problems with Head Shed (senior officers) is well documented in the book.

It is a fast paced, good read, the level of graphic detail is low (which would be have been a problem), written from a first person perspective and too a certain extent a 'warts and all' account. It appears to have been written with an American audience in mind, though the Polish army comes out in the book in a very positive light. The inserts from his wife are an excellent addition to the book, counterbalancing the action, with the effect the war has one the soldier's family. Reference is made to another book Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell, and this author's charity work after leaving the SEALs is discussed..

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Apache Dawn

Apache Dawn by Damien Lewis is concerned with the experience of four British Army Air Corp pilots during their time in Afganistan during 2007.

This a book, written by a skilled journalist, it shows as far a possible  the thoughts an experiences of four pilots in Ugly flight. The respect that the pilots have the ground crew and the importance they play comes out in the book. The Soldiers first philosophy, that the Army Air Corp are first and foremost soldiers is clear in the book. It is very positive book, with little criticism of anything other than Health and Safety officials and possibly public reaction in 2007 to returning soldiers.

The problem for this the book, is  Apache by Ed Macy came out at the same time and that was a more personal account, first account of what is takes to be an Apache pilot.