A Separate War and Other Stories (Hardcover)

by Joe Haldeman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Old pro Haldeman (Camouflage) has a gift for seeing issues in a sympathetic but dispassionate perspective, as shown by the 15 tales in this collection. How can we live as human beings in an uncaring universe? he asks. The title story returns to the conclusion of the Hugo- and Nebula-winning novel The Forever War as seen by another character, discovering uncomfortable but ultimately encouraging things about our capacity to adapt and endure. Other selections, such as "Finding My Shadow" and "Civil Disobedience," are much bleaker, as they angrily extrapolate trends in American politics and our abuse of the environment. Set on a far future Earth, "For White Hill" is one of the most memorable tragic love stories ever written as SF. While the book includes a few minor pieces, notably two early stories that contain the basis for Camouflage, Haldeman's work is never less than clever and sometimes much more. (Aug.)
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From Bookmarks Magazine
A Separate War serves both as an introduction to and partial "best-of" collection of the talented Joe Haldeman, winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards. Thought provoking, entertaining, witty, and subversive, these stories—while outlandish in plot and premise—never fail to focus on humanity's hopes, dreams, and foibles as they play out during wartime. Critics agree that the best stories in the collection include "Out of Phase," "A Separate War," "For White Hill," and "Finding My Shadow," about racism and germ warfare in Boston. A few, including "Diminished Chord" and "Memento Mori," about nanotechnology, felt lightweight in comparison. If by no means complete, Haldeman's latest collection, notes the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, makes "an ample case for his being considered one of science fiction and fantasies' stalwarts for years to come."

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Ace Hardcover; First Printing edition (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441014070
• ISBN-13: 978-0441014071
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #695,554 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A young writer who became an award winner in his genre., November 6, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Joe Haldeman's A SEPARATE WAR AND OTHER STORIES gathers, for the first time, some fifteen tales of Haldeman's best works, from his first short story to later favorites, and will delight and surprise fans who know him best through his full-length award-winning novels THE FOREVER WAR and others. These retrospective stories come with in-depth author notes and provide a strong chronological assessment of the changing skills of a young writer who became an award winner in his genre.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Set of Short Stories!!, February 1, 2007

By	A. Stagg (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Joe Haldeman is one of my favorite writers. This is a great book of short stories that give you a glimpse into the breadth of his writing talent and also a look at his thinking and writing over time. Very interesting compilation. Worth your time to read!!

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joe Haldeman, for the most part, at his best, August 2, 2006

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This fifteen story collection showcases award winning Joe Haldeman, for the most part, at his best. Especially of note for fans of THE FOREVER WAR is the title tale, A Separate War; this time he tells the climax from the viewpoint of Marygay instead of from William as he did in the original novel. This reviewer reread the novel except substituting instead Marygay's finish for the William ending and found it still as strong. Most of the other fourteen tales can be found in recent (since 2000) publications while two entries, "Out of Phase" and "Power Complex", are over thirty years old, displaying a relative newcomer getting his legs underneath him (the plots were better used later in CAMOUFLAGE). Many of the other excellent tales portray a bleak future. A SEPARATE WAR AND OTHER STORIES is a strong compilation of one of the best science fiction writers of the past few decades.

Harriet Klausner