Books

Octavo, boards. First edition. Signed inscription by Haldeman dated 1976 to SF fan publisher Bill Bowers for "many good times" on the title page. "Tough, slick narrative of an interstellar war which lasts [over] 1000 years. To the soldier hero, it seems to last about ten years, thanks to the time-dilation effect of faster-than-light travel. Good, realistic, military SF which actually subverts many of the clich�s of that category . (he was a Vietnam veteran, which helped). Initially rejected by 18 publishers, it has since sold over a million copies." - Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition (1995), pp. 141-2. Haldeman's first SF novel. Winner of the 1975 Hugo award for best novel. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-479. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, p. 360. Survey of Science Fiction Literature II, pp. 813-8. A fine copy in very good dust jacket (priced $7.95) with rubbing at spine ends and corner tips and several faint scratches to rear panel. A nice copy overall and a pleasant association. (#146487).

The Forever War is a military science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story of soldiers fighting an interstellar war between humanity and the enigmatic Tauran species. The narrative follows Private William Mandella, who is drafted into the elite corps of soldiers sent to distant corners of the universe. As he continues his service, the time dilation associated with space travel causes him to age months while the Earth progresses centuries, representing the sense of dislocation and the inhuman scale of war.