Starship Troopers

What a great read this was. A great political commentary. I'm definately not pro-war or right wing; but this book brings up some good points about corporal and capital punishment and what, if anything, it means to be an individual in contrast to being a citizen. It suggests a way of life that is highly effective; but at what cost? The 'suits' are awesome but the suggestion that women are...more

What a great read this was. A great political commentary. I'm definately not pro-war or right wing; but this book brings up some good points about corporal and capital punishment and what, if anything, it means to be an individual in contrast to being a citizen. It suggests a way of life that is highly effective; but at what cost? The 'suits' are awesome but the suggestion that women are better pilots than men is a little far-fetched. "Violence, naked force, has solved more issues in history than any other factor, and the contrary thinking is wishful thinking at its worse. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and freedoms."   hide

Interesting political ideas, I hadn't though of before.

Found this 1959 peek into the future of warfare extremely thought-provoking especially in light of the "War on Terror" where the "bugs" of this novel are not unlike the "jihadists" of today. Great study in peer bonding as well as an insightful analysis of the team-building process. Haven't read much of the "classic" science fiction so when a colleague at work said...more

Found this 1959 peek into the future of warfare extremely thought-provoking especially in light of the "War on Terror" where the "bugs" of this novel are not unlike the "jihadists" of today. Great study in peer bonding as well as an insightful analysis of the team-building process. Haven't read much of the "classic" science fiction so when a colleague at work said this was the best novel describing today's special forces, I was intrigued...Tell you soon whether it was worth it! Great book to outline our current challenges with "alien" cultures that operate without concern for our own. Descriptions of military life spot on!   hide

"For the everlasting glory of the infantry..." Though I started reading this book because of an article about the top 10 sci-fi books that would make into awesome videogames, what sustained my interest was the early introduction of the mobile armor, its portable nuclear arsenal, and the audio capabilities of Microsoft Reader. Without these, particularly the last, I would not have had the...more

"For the everlasting glory of the infantry..." Though I started reading this book because of an article about the top 10 sci-fi books that would make into awesome videogames, what sustained my interest was the early introduction of the mobile armor, its portable nuclear arsenal, and the audio capabilities of Microsoft Reader. Without these, particularly the last, I would not have had the time/patience to sit through a book that is ultimately a spill on the "noble" ideas of humanity, duty, and self-reliance. Indeed, if there was to be a book that dealt so much with warfare and still touch every part of human life while discussing the philosophical implications behind them, this would be that book.Rodgers Young was posthumously award the Congressional Medal of Honor.   hide

This one really deserves 6 stars. Please DO NOT WATCH the lousy movie, well unless you really like B-Grade movies. In just one novel, Heinlan extrapolates the mudfoot , pretty much invents the power exoskeleton (complete with control mechanism) and the idea of cap troopers, specifies realistic minor tactics adapted to a space army. It's also an eulogy for a hero of a World War....more

This one really deserves 6 stars. Please DO NOT WATCH the lousy movie, well unless you really like B-Grade movies. In just one novel, Heinlan extrapolates the mudfoot , pretty much invents the power exoskeleton (complete with control mechanism) and the idea of cap troopers, specifies realistic minor tactics adapted to a space army. It's also an eulogy for a hero of a World War. (see Ballad of Rodger Young) It's a story about a father and a son, a cadet and his sergeant; about growing up and taking responsibility, and a philosophical discussion about what it means to hold citizenship. And yes, in the book the officer always dies first .... This book is on Westpoint's reading for good reading, I highly recommend it to all officers and specialists of any conventional army. Heinlan's writing style is not for everybody, he can suddenly plunge his characters into very preachy monologues ^_^   hide

Haven't seen any of the movie versions, but I found the philosophy in this book to be extremely thought-provoking and just as relevant today (or even more so) than when it was written. Very few books do I own in which there are so many highlighted thoughts such as this one.

I'm not a big reader, but this is definitely one of my favorite books. As for the movie.. great acting, great effects, great shower scenes! I just don't know why some people hate art. While the book is definitely 'pure gold' I don't think I would of read it except for an experience I had opening night of the movie. While standing in line to see it at the Keith Albee theater in Huntington WV a...more

I'm not a big reader, but this is definitely one of my favorite books. As for the movie.. great acting, great effects, great shower scenes! I just don't know why some people hate art. While the book is definitely 'pure gold' I don't think I would of read it except for an experience I had opening night of the movie. While standing in line to see it at the Keith Albee theater in Huntington WV a man in his 80's ,smoking through his tracheotomy tube, turned to me and said 'I've been waiting my whole life for this thing to be made into a movie!' It was at that point I knew.. with fan dedication like that, this story was going to kick some serious ass!   hide

This took me a while to read. Heinlein is very hard to get through (though this novel was an easier read than most). I have to admit my major impetus in reading this book was the fact that it basically spawned the entire "real type" mecha genre, and a lot of my favorite mecha series would not exist if not for this book -- which is a pretty nerdy reason to read a novel, I...more

This took me a while to read. Heinlein is very hard to get through (though this novel was an easier read than most). I have to admit my major impetus in reading this book was the fact that it basically spawned the entire "real type" mecha genre, and a lot of my favorite mecha series would not exist if not for this book -- which is a pretty nerdy reason to read a novel, I suppose. I could really see the influence, though.   hide

Read this book instead of watching the movie. Soooo much better. Heinlein was a visionary. Just. Read. It.