One of my favourite books of all time, Joe Haldeman’s “The Forever War“. I first read it 25 years ago
When it was first published over 25 years ago, Joe Haldeman’s novel won the Hugo and Nebula awards and was chosen Best Novel in several countries. Today, it is hailed a classic of science fiction that foreshadowed many of the futuristic themes of the 1990s: bionics, sensory manipulation, and time distortion.
William Mandella is a soldier in Earth’s elite brigade. As the war against the Taurans sends him from galaxy to galaxy, he learns to use protective body shells and sophisticated weapons. He adapts to the cultures and terrains of distant outposts. But with each month in space, years are passing on Earth. Where will he call home when (and if) the Forever War ends?
Narrator George Wilson’s performance conveys all the imaginative technology and human drama of The Forever War. Set against a backdrop of vivid battle scenes, this absorbing work asks provocative questions about the very nature of war.
http://www.wholestoryaudio.co.uk/catalogue/title/the_forever_war/5476
Now I am practising to be an old man, so I listen to the audio book version at just over 9 and a half hours.
A good contrast to this book is Robert Heinleins “Starship Troopers” and I don’t mean the funny fascist gory movie from the nineties, but the novel which is much more interesting.
Both these books are about war in space, each taking a different take on the subject. Well worth the read, especially since they are very short.