Starship Troopers

While it is not as intellectually subtle or mature as Heinlein's later work, it has served as my blueprint for a life of self-reliance, discipline, and hard work. It is a stoicism-how-to book disguised as an entertaining yarn about killing bugs in space.

This book took the soft young man I was when I read it and made him hard. Then, Heinlein's later work made me balance that hardness with softness.

Reading Heinlein's entire body of work now allows me to observe the Tao revealing itself in the arc of a great man's life.

I read Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers as a kid. This novel was my first taste of true military science fiction.

I enjoyed following Johnnie Rico as he journeys from student to recruit in the Mobile Infantry. Then, as a soldier and later an officer, where he tastes the price of freedom. One aspect of this story I found interesting is the use of specialists with ESP powers to locate enemy tunnels.

If you’ve seen the movie, then you’re familiar with about four chapters from what is a pretty short, concise book. The book does have the bugs and the war, but it also has so much more. This was one of the books I read when young that opened my eyes about the constant struggle of the Individual vs. Society, and how neither is correct. This exploded my concept of reality on a socio-political level, and has left me questioning everything since then.

If there’s any one book that makes planetary invasion seem sexy, this would be it. Heinlein’s depiction of power-suited soldiers was definitely ahead of its time. I know this is intended as an anti-war novel. However, it gave me a better understanding of just how complicated armed conflict – interplanetary or otherwise – can be.

Heinlein’s book is a classic. It won the Hugo for Best Novel in 1960. Bring up the movies and you deserve a punch in the mouth — terrible. Planetary puke. But the book? Oh my, what a gem. Heinlein’s trooper tale is as much about mechsuited combat as it is about a father and son making peace. Reunification. Repentance. Reconciliation. Second chances. It’s got all the explosions and all the feels, too. All that in a science fiction novel makes for a wonderfully boredom-free weekend. May a hot cup of caf, grab a weighted blanket, and get ready to drop.… show more.

This book has a bad reputation. And maybe I am reading it wrong, or maybe others are. I’m not sure. The movie is unlike the book, a satire of fascism. I love the movie for that. But the book is different. It doesn’t show jarheads, but a society that has evolved. Whether it’s for the better or worse is open to interpretation, and in a time of war (it’s not called Starship Repairmen) it deals with the staple of all sci-fi, alien invaders. To me it’s a thoughtful book, despite the power armor and tactical nuclear grenades.

 This is a classic that was really far ahead of its time. So much of modern Military SF traces its origins to this story, and it still holds up today. From an interesting angle on politics, society, the military, and ethics, to gritty scenes of space combat (against the bugs!), the book is, of course, so much better than the film.

Don't even get me started on the film...*shakes head*...Heinlein was a genius, and that's never been more apparent when you read one of the first Space Marine books ever written. What I love the most about this book is… show more.

Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, is a classic, and the book that caused me to fall in love with the military science fiction sub-genre as a kid. As far as I am concerned, Starship Troopers was the first true military science fiction novel, and paved the way for all the authors who followed including me.

Starship Troopers is easily one of the most distinguished and recognisable books of the twentieth century, going on to influence an entire generation of authors and readers alike. Set against the backdrop of an interstellar war between the Terran Federation and alien arachnids referred to as Bugs, Heinlein uses the novel to explore his own philosophical ideas on a militarised society where only citizens can vote. Although the book has had many detractors over the years, it pioneered the use of ‘powered armour’ and is considered by many to be the grandfather of modern military science fiction.

A definite must… show more.