2008-09-16 redeemed by optimism

This was quite a mixed book for me. I found the writing to be fairly poor (actually, I find the writing of most science fiction to be poor). The style is very easy to read, but almost amateurish. The choice of names (Jane, John etc) and the informal style of writing grated on me a bit as did the vulgar names chosen by each person for their "brainpal" (a computer put into their brains).

The story is quite good fun, even if it does have strange fascist overtones. The basic ideas is that when people get to about 75, they are eligible to join the CDF (colonial defence force) who give them new bodies (with green skin and cat's eyes!) and then they go to fight lots of aliens to preserve the human colonies. I laughed out loud as the book then described how all the previously old people had non-stop sex for a fortnight after getting their new bodies! Very funny almost at the level of fantasty, but also quite cliched I think.

The interesting theme for me was the interweaving of the main character's relationship with his wife (new and old). This is definitely worth a follow up, and i'll probably check out the sequel just to follow that aspect.

The endless desctruction of alien empires worried me a bit. This is described in some detail, and reminded me a bit of starship troopers, but without the satirical elements. He does feel a bit guilty when he's crushing buildings created by aliens an inch high, so that's ok then...

An easy read with some fun ideas. Not great literature by any means, though.