Customer Reviews

The Ghost Brigades (A Sci Fi Essential Book)

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is billed as a sequel to Old Man's War, but it really isn't. While set in the same universe, it has only marginal ties to the earlier book, in the person of Jane Sagan, John Perry's love interest in that book. Instead, this book is a much closer look at the Special Forces, soldiers created from the genetic material of several people, including some now dead (hence the `Ghost' appellation). These people are force grown, then decanted into the world with their Brain Pal as their immediate mentor, giving them the capabilities and knowledge of adults when only hours old. The same Brain Pal technology allows them to integrate with their squad mates: a form of aided telepathy that allows not only for quick training but gives these individuals a sense of community and family they would otherwise not have.

The story revolves around the search for a traitorous scientist, Charles Boutin, who helped developed the Brain Pal technology and the ability to store and relocate a person's consciousness (or, depending on your point of view, their soul). Jared Dirac is a newly created clone (with enhancements) of this person, and an attempt is made to load Dirac's brain with a copy Boutin's consciousness in an effort to find out why Boutin became a traitor and where he might have gone. This attempt apparently doesn't work, and Dirac is placed with a Special Forces squad led by Jane. Dirac's development as a person is the main focus of the work from this point on.

The book starts well, with an action-oriented opening chapter that grabs, but then the next fifty pages drag somewhat, as Scalzi sets up the scenario for the rest of the book and explains the technology and military situation. This section is too long, and I felt that much of this material should have been better integrated with the prime story. When Dirac joins his squad, things pick up again; his 'training' and the first couple of military actions he is part of are probably the best part of this book. The last quarter of the book falls off a little again, as the thematic focus of the book comes to the fore - that of what makes an individual 'free' - free to make his own choices, free to decide for himself what is correct and moral, free to live his own life without being subject to the imperatives of not only others, but his genetic heritage. Only a little of this theme is directly explicated, but it dominates the action of the final portion of this book.

The political/military situation is nicely envisaged, with three alien races allied against humanity, and each of these races are well defined in their differences from humanity. The human's military strategy to break up this alliance is well thought out, and plays upon each race's unique characteristics. It also brings up a secondary thematic point of this book, about what actions are 'moral' and justified in war, when the very survival of the species is at stake, and just what the basis is for deciding whether humanity should survive.

Not as strong as Old Man's War, with too much poorly integrated 'background' material, but still a good read, with lots of food for thought nestled in its pages.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

Other than names, no specifics (i.e., spoilers) are given in this review. Incidentally, I do not consider 3 stars to be a "bad" review--the book is okay. It is fine as a bridge between Old Man's War (O.M.W.) and the Last Colony [anyone else find that title to be a bit of a spoiler?].

Make sure you read OMW first. It comes first sequentially, but is also a much better book. While Ghost Brigades uses the same recipe as the first book, it uses inferior ingredients in cooking up a similar piece of fiction.

The protagonist from OMW (John Perry) is missing from this book. The other characters from OMW that DO appear in the sequel are flat. Jane Sagan, who should have a great deal more depth and empathy than anyone else in the Special Forces, is completely superfluous to the story [anyone could have replaced her as the SF commander]. She is not developed one iota from the first book, and appears to have actually flattened in the interim.
Harry Wilson returns in what could have been a great supporting role, but is made completely unnecessary by a scientist called Cainen.

The "mystery" inherent to the story suffers from at least one major plot-hole: no one ever reads the suspect's personnel file. The characters involved ALL have the highest level of clearances, including two generals, one colonel, and a military intelligence officer (Sagan), among others. They live in a world in which the internet more-or-less exists inside everyone's head. Files can be downloaded and read almost instantaneously. While trying to deduce the villain's motivations, it simply never occurs to them to access his file.
The mystery also suffers from other common problems: part I of the big reveal is obvious to everyone but the characters in the book, and part II is based on facts not given to the reader at any point in the story.

But all is not lost: the protagonist's (Jared Dirac's) development is fairly engaging. The concept for the story which drives the action is excellent (but only mediocre execution). The action sequences, though sparse, are generally well-written and exciting. If you are a reader anxious to revisit OMW's universe [but not its characters], you will get your wish. This book gives quite a lot of secondary information to understanding past and current events of the Colonial Union, as well as some technological explanations for the science-minded. [I'm not saying they are good explanations--I'm no scientist--but they are there.]

The Ghost Brigades (2006) is the second novel in the Old Man's War series, following Old Man's War. In the previous volume, John Perry became an official CDF hero and made barnstorming tours around the colonies. Jane Sagan went back to work in the Special Forces, AKA the Ghost Brigades.

In this novel, Jane leads a raid on an Obin colony world. The Special Forces take one Rraey prisoner from the Eneshan facility. After a slight biological adjustment of his body, Jane convinces the Rraey to cooperate.

The prisoner Cainen tells of a concerted effort by the Rraey, Eneshan and Obin to conquer the Terran colonies. This alliance has resulted from the defection of one human -- Charles Boutin -- who had been a senior scientist in Military Research. The Colonial Defense Forces were greatly surprised at this news, since Boutin was already dead and buried.

When Harry Wilson finds a recording of Boutin's consciousness among his effects, the CDF decides to create another version of the man. The standard Special Forces processing is used to produce a modified body from Boutin's DNA. Then the recorded consciousness is downloaded into it. Everything goes according to plan, except that the resulting mind seems to be a tabula rasa.

In this story, the new body is named Jared Dirac and integrated into a Special Forces training squad. After his training, Jared is assigned to a Special Forces ship under Lieutenant Jane Sagan. He serves in the Special Forces for almost a year before something brings back one of Boutin's memories.

Jared is reassigned to Military Research to try to stimulate more memories. Cainen and Harry Wilson work with him on the project. He is gradually gaining more memories and his mind displays are looking more like Boutin's every day. Then they send him to Boutin's former home station in hopes that the familiar surroundings will bring further progress. Since the station is now in Obin hands, Jared has to sneak into the habitat and the aliens detect his presence.

This story provides more information on the CDF, the Colonial Union, and their relationships with the nearby aliens. It also mentions weapons of mass destruction: nuclear weapons and biological warfare. The nukes are used as shipkillers and one passage implies that they have been used against alien colonies. The Obin have also used a virus to destroy an army of alien clones.

This tale also introduces a new type of WMD: cybernetic weapons. Computer viruses and other hostile softwares have appeared prominently in many SF stories. Now, however, the author has created a possibility of mass destruction through such a virus.

This sequel builds upon, but differs greatly from, the first novel. Some continuity is provided by characters and institutions, but the plot is nothing like the first story. A difficult effect, but well done. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Scalzi fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of military operations, transferred consciousness, and dutiful persons.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Like Old Man's War, this new novel is somewhere between a fanboy's homage and a real work of art- but it's a lot closer to the latter than the former. The alliance of three hostile species alluded to in the blurbs adds more than enough tension to keep the atmosphere sizzling, and the habits of some of the species encountered bring horror to the table as well. The surprises keep coming as we learn more about the CDF's Special Forces, and Jane Sagan (from OMW) plays a large part in the story.

It's been a long time since I sat down with a new book and read it from beginning to end, probably since Rosenberg's 'Paladins.' Thanks very much, Mr. Scalzi.

The Ghost Brigades, by John Scalzi, is the follow-up novel to Old Man's War. It's not a direct sequel, though subsequent events will show that it actually is, in a sense. Instead, it features the love of John Perry's life, Jane Sagan, Special Forces ("Ghost Brigades") officer. This book is a lot grittier than the Old Man's War, and the point of view choices are much different. It's just as effective, though, with fewer of the faults of the previous book.

In the future, humans have gone to the stars, but they aren't allowed to go back. Humans have colonized planets, but they have run up against a number of alien races that don't want them there, and war inevitably develops. Jane Sagan, a lieutenant in the Ghost Brigades (the Colonial Defense Forces "Special Forces"), captures an alien scientist with information about a triple alliance of races who don't seem very likely to ally. They also discover that the instigator of this plot to start a war with the CDF is a human traitor, a genius named Charles Boutin. Before he left, he downloaded his consciousness into a computer, so the CDF decide to clone his body and try to install his consciousness into it, to see if they can figure out Boutin's plan and motivations. It doesn't seem to work, so they give the resulting "person", Jared Dirac, to the Ghost Brigades for their training and use. But as time goes on, the other consciousness begins to emerge, and Jane will ultimately have to determine whether Jared is with them, or that he must be killed.

The Ghost Brigades is an awesome continuation of Scalzi's series, taken in a whole new direction so that it doesn't go stale. He doesn't continue the adventures of John Perry, as that could get boring. He's just a soldier in a never-ending war, and Scalzi would have to come up with something really creative to make that interesting. Instead, he shows us the Ghost Brigades, something that he gave us a part of in the previous book, only hinting at the potential.

Also, this book has much more of a point than before. While Sagan plays a vital role in the book, it's not really about her, and thus it's not just "tales of the Special Forces." Everything is geared to Boutin and his ultimate plan, and the story centers on Jared because of this. We see his integration into the Ghost Brigades, we see his training. But it's not the seemingly aimless training that Perry went through, a means to an end to illustrate the galaxy Scalzi has created while introducing us to the concepts. It shapes Jared, highlighting just how integrated all Ghost units are (by using their brain-implanted computers, called Brainpals).

While the story is much more focused, the points of view aren't. We get Sagan's and Jared's, but we also see some of the officers (both Ghosts and regular CDF), illustrating what life is like in the officer's corps. It also gives us a big-picture view of what is really going on, and the stakes that are at risk if Boutin's plan comes to fruition. This provides Ghost Brigades a broad scope even as the story itself narrows in on one problem. We see some of the truth behind the CDF, both Boutin's warped view of it (which sounds somewhat convincing if he wasn't such a maniac) and the reality of it.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Scalzi's brilliant characterization. These people jump off the page, from the more minor characters to Sagan and Jared. I loved General Szilard, head of the Ghost Brigades. The Ghosts aren't supposed to have a sense of humour, but he has obviously been around long enough to develop one. His interactions with the CDF liaison, Colonel Robbins, were wonderful, especially in the Officers' Mess, where underlings can attend but can't eat. The scene with Szilard and the cookie are worth the price of admission alone.

However, it's Sagan and Jared that make this book sing. Sagan is reluctant to be Jared's guardian, but she takes on the task and develops a respect for him even as she's not sure she can trust him. She's an intelligent leader, compassionate, and thorough. My first thoughts on Jared when I began this review was to criticize the emotional distance we seem to have with him at times. He develops a love for one of his squadmates, but it never actually seems "real." However, on thinking about it, that just illustrates Jared's emotional isolation even more. He is a man (boy, really, as he's only a year or so old at the end of the book) who was grown for a purpose. He has even less control of his life than do most of the Ghosts, who while bred only for combat, at least know what the meaning of their life is. Jared doesn't even have that certainty. He'll always have that disadvantage, and Scalzi brings that out perfectly.

Finally, the action is relentless, but again it's not your typical military SF. Scalzi doesn't dwell on the technology or the broad military tactics. There are some pretty horrific deaths in the book, but nothing too disgusting (except in concept, of course, such as falling from low orbit). He just gives the reader enough to understand what's going on and then gets to the action itself. This time, he puts a little philosophy in there as well. He did that with Old Man's War too, but it doesn't feel as forced this time around.

The Ghost Brigades seems to wrap up the personal storyline of the series' main protagonists, but it sets up some huge events for the galaxy at large for the next book. There are certainly no major flaws to hinder the enjoyment of this wonderful book. Unless you have a huge aversion to any kind of military SF, pick this one up.

David Roy

I enjoyed reading The Ghost Brigades - but I have a hard time describing why. The story is pretty convoluted, and felt like three different stories in a season-of-a-choppy-television-series way. While Old Man's War was very Heinleinian to me, this book felt more like an Asimov Robot mystery - lots of classic goodness, fun ways of using some new ideas and repackaging many older ones.
I was entertained, but did find myself wondering when he would get to the meat of the story a number of times. The comings and goings of key characters is very `serial drama' feeling, somehow different enough from other fiction to be a little confusing at times.
Mr. Scalzi is a wiz at repackaging the ideas of others - and doing them justice (admittedly and with flair). Having fun with other people's special effects may be wearing a little on me though because I didn't enjoy this installment as much as OMW.
I think I'd rather see it on screen - on television (as it doesn't strike me as a strong or long enough story for a feature length film). It feels like a Sci-Fi channel screenplay to me.
Too little detail is given about the aliens though they are a main feature in the book - we aren't entirely made aware of how they look or behave.
During the course of this book I was annoyed with the author referring to `taking a dump' 4 times. I don't think `taking a dump' rates a mention every 65 pages or so, at least not using the same niche characterization language each time (from different characters).
Glad to have a lot of Jane Sagen in this book.
All in all - it was a book I was happy to have read, but not one I will probably return to in the future like I will with OMW. Looking forward to reading the progression of the characters of this world in the books that follow.

In the brutal universe Scalzi envisions, the various sentient species are always at war with one another. Humans fit right in, of course, and have created the Colonial Defense Forces (introduced in Scalzi's first novel, "Old Man's War") to protect their colonies.

Most of the CDF fighters are old humans in young, gene-enhanced bodies, but some, the Ghost Brigades, are cloned from the dead and born as adults. These are Special Forces troops, dedicated and ruthless.

Educated on instant demand by their "BrainPal," which also allows them to link to one another telepathically, they are ready to fight within months of being "decanted," though their emotional maturity often reflects chronological age, an amusing quirk.

The book opens with the capture of an alien scientist who admits that humanity's three major enemies have stopped killing one another and created an alliance to annihilate humans. The architect of this plot is a brilliant, traitorous human, Charles Boutin.

Created from Boutin's DNA to try and discover Boutin's motivation and intent, Jared Dirac becomes a Ghost Brigades soldier when a computer copy of Boutin's consciousness fails to take. His commanders are naturally wary of him, however, and with good reason, since Boutin's memories begin to surface piecemeal.

Is he genetically disposed to become a traitor? Will Boutin's memories turn him? How much of individual consciousness is experience, how much is biology? Scalzi plays with these questions while delivering a rousing good action tale, complete with devious twists and tricks and lots of high-tech firepower.

He also has a lot of fun with character and motivation, and his military milieu is a credible mix of training, indoctrination and personality. Entertaining and thought provoking, for readers who want more from military SF than death rays.

--Portsmouth Herald

I just finished The Ghost Brigades, I am one of those that for my favorite authors I sit down and read the book as soon as I get my hands on it. It fulfilled the promise of his first, Old Man's War, and more. At first I found the secondary issue of Boutin's consciousness as an irritant to the general story line, but I believed that he would eventually become important and of course it did.

The climax of the story when the villain explained his reasons for his villainy was pretty poignant. I think that it is an excellent example of how people who only have part of the reasons why government does things can be so sure that they have a better way and then go to extremes that they would heartily denounce in others to try and implement their own world view.

Yes, I am tip toeing around the facts to give my impressions without giving away the story, but it comes down to this an excellent novel.

THE GHOST BRIGADES takes place in the same literary framework as OLD MAN'S WAR but it is not just carrying on with the same characters. The protagonist from the first book is just barely mentioned while an auxiliary character from the first one comes to the fore. The real protagonist is a brand new character, created specifically just for this story.

An Earth scientist holds key defense secrets but is either abducted or defects to another side (there are lots of sides). A Special Forces soldier is cloned from the scientist for the express purpose of trying to find out why he defected and retrieve some of his memories and stave off disaster. The problem is that the procedure is experimental and does not seem to work as hoped. This leads the brass to put the newly born fighter into the regular Special Forces training but nobody really quite trusts him. As time goes on, some of the missing memories are retrieved and difficult choices have to be made. Key to all the problems is the question of who the soldier truly is. Is he a new person or is he the traitorous scientist? What will he choose to do.

This is not as exciting or interesting as the first book but it is still a very good read.

It has been a long time since I have read two sci fi books by the same author in quick succession. The fun of Scalzi's "Old Man's War" prompted the quick purchase of and immediate reading of "The Ghost Brigades". And, again, Scalzi delivers a very enjoyable read.

With "The Ghost Brigades" the characters get a bit more character. Since so much of the book turns on Jared Dirac's character this is a good and necessary accomplishment by Scalzi.

Is the obvious only obvious to the reader? Colonial Defense ships are going missing at an extraordinary rate. The traitor is known and was working for Colonial Defense in brain software research. 1+1=2? Is there a link between the software and the disappearances? Fortunately, the plot does not turn on these lapses.

Finally, are there really people out there who do not like the black jellybeans? I never thought of this as a cultural identifier, perhaps because I am a great fan of the black beans.