The Forever War

By: Joe Haldeman

Narrated by: George Wilson

When it was first published over 20 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.

©1974 Joe W. Haldeman (P)1999 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1976
• Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1975

"A vastly entertaining trip." ( The New York Times)

An Old Favorite

I first read this book in 9th grade, checked out from the public library. It was my first step into a brauder Sci Fi pallet. This was also the book that taught me to greatly dislike checed out books. (they have to be returned) Over the years I have searched for it to re-read and been unable to find it. What a joy it was to enjoy it in audiobook format. It may be just a little bit dated, but as a person who came into her own in the 1990's it was fun to read this alternate "future"

A good read

What did you love best about The Forever War?

Time travel has always been a fascination of mine.

Who was your favorite character and why?

William Mandella of course

What about George Wilson’s performance did you like?

He did a very good job not being mono toned, kept it interesting

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It could have been, you really didn't need a break.

Any additional comments?

Very good SiFi.

Ahead of its time...

A very enjoyable book... Very different than other space infantry books I've read. Futuristic topics were detailed, and handles superbly.

Fantastic through and through

Great story. Interesting take on relativistic travel and war. First rate narration. If you enjoy sci-fi by audiobook then I couldn't recommend this any more.

That Relativity'll Get Ya' Every Time...

For Sci-Fi fans, this is a good one to have in your collection. It examines an interesting problem in interstellar warfare that no other book (or movie or TV show) has attempted to tackle: relativity.

It's been a few months since I listened to this one, and I don't recall anything especially memorable about the characters, but this isn't about who the people are as much as it's about the cultural impact upon the characters of "moving through time". There's a lot of orginal and thought-provoking ideas here, and overall it's worth the time and credit.

Incredible

Incredible and so original, one of the best books I've ever read. A must read

A classic sci-fi

This is a classic Sci-fi but it feels very dated to the 70's. The performance was great , but I found myself at times hard pressed to finish the story.

Excellent

Just when you thought it would crush you with loss, it makes the prospect of fighting interstellar war not so bad.

"Why is the sky blue? Because God loves the infantry!" - U.S. Army saying.

The Forever War Review

An original classic, this story took me from the late 20th century, and traveled over a Millennium to a time when the alien war came to a practical peace tre

I was on the edge of my seat

Interesting story with exciting combat/scientific insight. Troubling treatment of homosexuality as strange and reversable. Bizarre cultural shifts over time were both weird and enjoyable. The cultural spins are somewhat understandable due to the age of this narrative. Author did a good job keeping the reader engaged. Narrator did an excellent job of distinguishing characters in his performance and making the reader feel at home.

If homosexuality had not be chosen as the point of inflection for uncomfortable cultural shifts, it would be a 5/5.