Obviously, since this is the second book in a series, there is some continuity. But Scalzi doesn't limit himself to the cast of characters he introduced us to in Old Man's War. Instead, we get a close-up look at the Special Forces known to outsiders as the Ghost Brigades. Just as we followed the training of the Colonial Defence Forces, we do the same with Special Forces.
We also eventually get better information on the mysterious Obin, the aliens who are completely ruthless and who cannot be negotiated with. The main character, Jared, is a clone of a treacherous scientist, Charles Boutin, who has defected to the Obin. Jared eventually learns that he owes his whole existence to someone for whom he has almost no respect. Boutin loves his daughter, Zoe, probably the only thing that Jared understands.
This book is a study in the best and the worst of humanity. We love our families and can display phenomenal loyalty. And we can be xenophobic and violent. If we believe something strongly enough, we can talk ourselves into perpetrating horrific things in pursuit of those goals.
I don't know if I have read any other military science fiction that uses as much humour as Scalzi does. He deals with serious subjects, about which he has very definite opinions, but maintains a light touch. I could also see the influence that Robert A. Heinlein had on him, but he is very much his own man at the same time. I must say that although I appreciate RAH as one of the original sci fi writers, I far prefer Scalzi's spin on the military branch of this genre.
Book 480 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
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