How Low Can You Go? (Forever Free - Joe Haldeman)

Member Name: Alindrail

Product:	Forever Free - Joe Haldeman
Date:	31/01/01 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Furhter info on what happened after the Forever War

Disadvantages: A bad book with a plot that degenerates into nothing

This book has a very good beginning, it cannot be denied. An interesting premise, and the strength of the Forever War make this book a definite turn pager initially, and in the beginning, the first half of the book is well written, and while not as fast paced as the Forever War, it has definite scope.

The veterans of the Forever War have retired to a planet, promised as an Eden by Man (the linked mind that humankind has become), but in reality it is nothing more than a low-grade planet, and the veterans breeding stock; in insurance against the failure of Man.

The veterans no longer want this, and decide they want to use relativity to go forward 40,000 years to see what will happen.

Great!

Except the author does one huge wahoonie U-Turn and throws it all away. You can't help but think that perhaps he didn't have the imagination to deal with what would happen, and goes off onto well beaten land before. The end of the book uses tired scifi cliches, and the introduction of a new species on Earth whihc is just daft and comes out of nowhere as a kind of deus ex machina to explain what has been going on.

The book leaves you horrified at what was a fantastic universe. Shame on Haldeman.

Still, it might appeal to some... But I think for most a very dissapointing conclusion.

Summary: