The Best Of Joe Haldeman by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
When a collection begins with the three words "The Best Of" it's a certainty that you're dealing with a well-established
writer. Such a collection generally serves two purposes. One is for those who already know the author's work, here's easy
access to favorites old and new. The other is for readers less familiar with or new to the author, here's easy access to
the best work of a writer with a long-standing body of work. This book fulfills both functions
splendidly.
Marsbound by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Michael M Jones
At first, Carmen Dula is thrilled to have the opportunity to travel to Mars with her family, where they'll be part of
opening up mankind's next great frontier. Once reality sets in -- that space travel is long, dull, cramped and
uncomfortable -- she's not quite as excited, even with the new friends she's making along the way, and not even the
attentions of the handsome pilot of the John Carter of Mars -- their home for the next six months -- can entirely cure
the feeling that she's giving up everything she knew for an experience bordering between boring and deadly.
The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Michael M Jones
What would you do if you had a time machine? Admittedly, it's somewhat limited: it only goes forward, and every time it's used, it
leaps forward at an exponential rate. At first it leaps forward by seconds. Then minutes. Use it too many times, and you'll leap
forward by centuries, even millennia. What would you do?
Old Twentieth by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Rich Horton
Here, the ideas the author juggles are immortality, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence,
and a variant on the generation starship. He is also, as the title tells us, concerned with the 20th Century,
the bloodiest century (though the 21st will turn out to be bloodier, says this novel), and the last century
in which death was inevitable.
Guardian by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
This novel tells the story of a
nineteenth-century woman who is granted an encounter with a vision of the universe that is far beyond the imagining of most of her
contemporaries. It is a quiet, almost pastoral novel that makes its points not through dramatic action or violence, but instead
from the inner thoughts of a woman trying to find a place in the world for her and her son.
Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Donna McMahon
Julian Class is a "mechanic", a virtual soldier in America's war of 2043.
20 days a month Julian is a professor of mathematics in Houston. The other 10, thanks to his draft board,
he's part of a Remote Infantry Combat Unit in Central America. Except that Julian doesn't fight with his own
body. He and the other 9 members of his platoon are plugged in via remote neural connection to fighting
machines. The mechanics themselves never leave base.
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The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Lisa DuMond
Private William Mandella is a man about to embark on a journey that will traverse space and time, war and uneasy
peace. By the close of the book, the reluctant soldier will have travelled over twelve centuries. That can be traumatic
enough, but it is the changes in society, mores, and norms that will be the most difficult barriers facing him. No work
before or since this novel has so successfully portrayed the emotional toll of what is, essentially, time-travel.
The Coming by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Rich Horton
The novel opens with an astronomer at the University of Florida, Aurora Bell, recognizing an anomalous signal
from a gamma ray telescope. It turns out to be a short message saying, in English, "We're Coming." And she is able to
confirm that it comes from a source about a 10th of a light year from Earth.
Soon the message's authenticity is independently confirmed, and Doctor Bell and her
colleagues prepare for the media and political onslaught.
Forever Free by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Steven H Silver
Just as The Forever War and Forever Peace dealt with the role warriors and veterans play in their society
and the manner in which society responds to them, so does this novel. The author focuses on the point of view of
a small group of veterans who may or may not be malcontents, depending on a person's point of view,
led by William and Marygay Mandella.
Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Robert Francis
For the longest time, Robert tried to figure out how to tell people that this
was a very good book. Then it hit him... Forever Peace has already won the
Hugo Award and the John W. Campbell Award. As much as he hates to admit it,
his standing on the rooftops proclaiming the merits of this book would be
a bit anticlimactic and unnecessary.
Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Steven H Silver
A new SF novel by the author of The Forever War is an excuse to celebrate, and Steven never
misses a good party.
Saul's Death & other poems by Joe Haldeman
reviewed by Todd Ruthman
For fans of speculative poetry, Todd considers this latest offering from
Anamnesis Press to be a must-have. It's a collection of 32 of Joe Haldeman's
poems -- many speculative, all excellent -- including two Rhysling Award
winners.
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