The Forever War by Joe Haldeman is one of my favourite novels and a masterpiece of science fiction. Written in 1974, it draws heavily for inspiration from the author’s experiences in Vietnam. In his own words, it’s “mainly about war, about soldiers and about the reasons we think we need them.”
The story beings in the far-flung year of 1997, when the narrator, William Mandella, is conscripted into a space military force to battle against an alien species humanity has not yet seen, let alone communicated with. It might sound like Starship Troopers, but it really isn’t. The consequences and costs of interstellar travel and time dilation shape both the war with the “Taurans” – the name given to our mysterious enemies – and Mandella himself.
Ridley Scott purchased the rights to make a film way back in 2008, and it’s been stuck in development hell ever since. On one hand, this is a terrible fate for such a fantastic story; on the other,considering Scott’s most recent forays into cinematic sci-fi, perhaps this is for the best. It would really be better suited to a television show anyway.
Have a wonderful day, Avocado!