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01
So, I Read a Sci-Fi War Novel
2011 at 5am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
A sci-fi war novel? At The Book Lady? Yes. Really. I read The Forever War at the urging of Steve Randolph, who recommended it as the science fiction selection for my Fountain 360 in 365 project, in which I’m endeavoring to read one book from every section of the Fountain Bookstore, handsold to me by its booksellers. So, why did Steve pick this? Let’s ask him!
I was happy when Rebecca started her Fountain 360 in 365 project, because one of the great joys of bookselling is to get someone read what they “don’t normally read” (see: my Bare Necessities post). I briefly considered throwing one of Philip K Dick’s weirder novels her way just for the reaction (an unfiltered Book Lady post on, say The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch would be a hoot), but I quickly decided on something slightly more grounded: The Forever War, Joe Haldeman’s classic Vietnam allegory. Given Rebecca’s Matterhorn obsession, the bar for entry isn’t too high, and, more importantly, TFW wonderfully illustrates that, while sci-fi is often viewed as pure escapism, authors in the genre can use their stories as frames to reveal truths as “real” and profound as the most serious literary fiction.
To be honest, Steve had me at the Matterhorn comparison. But if that hadn’t been enough, John Scalzi’s introduction to the edition I read, in which he notes that The Forever War is “widely recognized as one of the two cornerstone works of military science fiction,” would have done it. I mean, if I’m going to read a science fiction war novel, I may as well read THE science fiction war novel, right? (In case you’re wondering, the other cornerstone work Scalzi refers to is Starship Troopers.) Scalzi goes on to explain:
There are two things that make a novel a “classic”—a genuine classic, as opposed to merely “old and continuing to sell.” The first is that it speaks to the time in which the novel first appeared. There is no doubt The Forever War did this; its awards and acclaim are signifiers of that fact. The second thing is tougher, and that is that it keeps speaking to readers outside its time, because what’s in the book touches on something that never goes away, or at the very least keeps coming around.”
I went The Forever War with Steve’s recommendation (he hasn’t steered me wrong yet) and Scalzi’s high praise in mind, and I was ready to be wowed. Haldeman’s war begins in the late twentieth century as Private William Mandella leaves Earth to fight an interstellar battle against an enemy no one has actually seen. Haldeman imagines a military in which drugs alter soldiers’ consciousness and enable them not only to rationalize killing their enemies but to enjoy it in the moment. Men and women bunk together and are encouraged to rotate partners (something the army refers to as “confraternizing” and which is presumably intended to mitigate some of the tension of living in the confines of a spaceship for months—or years—on end). The technology is flashier, and more of it is automated. Oh, and did I mention they’re in outer space?
But the military is the military, and war is war. So whether it’s Tim O’Brien blending memoir and fiction to illustrate that the story truth can be truer than the happening truth or Joe Haldeman using alien-fighting supersoldiers in a war that lasts thousands of years, the point—that wars are often futile, and that we fight them to the point of no longer remembering why we started fighting, if indeed we ever knew—is essentially the same. Or as Haldeman puts it in his author’s note, “It’s mainly about war, about soldiers, and about the reasons we think we need them.”
The Forever War resonated deeply, and for the most part, I really dug it, and though I will admit to skimming a few of the more tech-heavy sections, I’ll also acknowledge that they are mercifully few and far between. The science fictional lens added a dimension to my understanding of war literature in general, and as I discussed the book with friends, I heard myself saying, “Well, the sci-fi stuff is really just a frame for making a very grounded statement about war.” And then I realized, of course, that this is what MOST science fiction does, I just haven’t read enough of it for the novelty to have worn off. Yeah, I’m *that* new to this genre reading thing.
Chalk another one up for Steve and his hot recommending streak, and consider me convinced that I need to make these occasional forays into science fiction less occasional.
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a few things i’d like to add since, you know, it’s my fault you read this. first, despite all our advancements, all our technological prowess, our Great Society, or initial reaction to something alien is to kill it, and this, despite our B-52s and nuclear-powered aircraft carr- er, spaceships, is still an up-close and personal business. second, the concept of time dilation is used nicely here, but it’s really a subtle analogy to the fact that with Vietnam, there was often no time between being in-country and stateside- soldiers literally boarded a plane in Da Nang and got off in the US hours later, left alone to figure out their place in a society that either could not or would not relate to them.
I think that “military is military and war is war” summarizes this book, this is why i don’t attempt to read books about war b/c no matter how many chances i give them they still don’t measure up against some real classics. But if u’re into war books this is a great read
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“sci-fi is often viewed as pure escapism” – lovely!
Thanks for the review, it sounds like an interesting yet “different than other books” book.
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I have always been unreasonably anxious about reading science fiction, and though I have been recommended a great bevy of books in the genre, something always held me back. I am heartened by your foray into this genre, and even more glad that you liked what you read. I think it might be time to jump in and give some science fiction a try. Lord knows that there are many books out there to choose from. Thanks for the great review and for sharing your opinions with us!
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Though I was heavy into science fiction and war novels as a little kid (yeah, I was a weird kid), I haven’t been motivated to read any as an adult. Still, this struck a chord with me:
“Well, the sci-fi stuff is really just a frame for making a very grounded statement about war.”
I’m sure I’d have a similar reaction!
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zibilee, i took a quick look at your books on librarything, and it appears you’ve got a bit of sci-fi already- unless you’re telling me that The Hunger Games isn’t science fiction? Never Let Me Go? hell, if you list Geek Love as a favorite, a lot of science fiction isn’t going to be any stranger than going to the mall.
Yes you are right
.. If you are going to read a science fiction war novel, you may as well read THE science fiction war novel. ( … and that’s my own personal’s..)
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I guess the future is not so bright according to the book
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This was quite early on in my boyfriend’s attempts to teach me about science fiction and my reaction was very similar to yours. I’m interested in science but not so much techno-gadget-wizardry so some of that I skipped, but the overarching storyline is amazing.
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