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The Forever War

Joe Haldeman
Nebula 1975, Hugo & Locus 1976, Internet Top 100

Born into a hippie commune in 1974, William Mandella (named after the sacred wheel, mandala principle because his parents didn't want to use either of their last names) dips in and out of future history and finally settles down in the 32nd century.

Along the way we see glimpses of 2024, 2389, 2458, 2878, 3143 and many points in between. Most authors find it difficult enough to imagine just one future. Haldeman though seems to have no difficulty conjuring up many believable variations.

As future population density increases, homosexuality becomes more and more acceptable until at one point people consider heterosexuality antisocial, an emotional dysfunction and almost completely wipe it out. Life on earth changes in numerous ways and on one of Mandella's returns he muses that he's "Sitting here in a bar with an asexual cyborg who is probably the only other normal person on the whole god-damned planet."

The super space suited humans fighting aliens theme closely resembles Starship Troopers but the attitude toward war comes from the opposite point of view. And far from any messiah-type hero like Stranger in a Strange Land or A Time of Changes, we have slightly dull characters that seem more like next-door neighbors than fantastic evolutions.

And like a good neighbor, these characters and this book quickly become good friends.

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