The Ghost Brigades

by John Scalzi

Paperback, 376 pages

English language

Published by Tor.

ISBN:: 978-0-7653-5406-8

(39 reviews)

The Ghost Brigades are the Special Forces of the Colonial Defense Forces, elite troops created from the DNA of the dead and turned into the perfect soldiers for the CDF's toughest operations. They're young, they're fast and strong, and they're totally without normal human qualms.

The universe is a dangerous place for humanity—and it's about to become far more dangerous. Three races that humans have clashed with before have allied to halt our expansion into space. Their linchpin: the turncoat military scientist Charles Boutin, who knows the CDF's biggest military secrets. To prevail, the CDF must find out why Boutin did what he did.

Jared Dirac is the only human who can provide answers -- a superhuman hybrid, created from Boutin's DNA, Jared's brain should be able to access Boutin's electronic memories. But when the memory transplant appears to fail, Jared is given to the Ghost Brigades.

At first, Jared …

At first, Jared is a perfect soldier, but as Boutin's memories slowly surface, Jared begins to intuit the reason's for Boutin's betrayal. As Jared desperately hunts for his "father," he must also come to grips with his own choices. Time is running out: The alliance is preparing its offensive, and some of them plan worse things than humanity's mere military defeat…

3 editions

Leaving_Marx@wyrmsign.org reviewed The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (Old Man's War, #2)

The ghost brigades book #2

4 stars

Content warning Maybe a spoiler.

Simply, I would stan the villian.

LemmiSchmoeker reviewed The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (Old Man's War, #2)

Different from the first book in many aspects

4 stars

This second book is different from the first one in many aspects: a more focused story, a different main character, a different philosophy. As before, Scalzi carefully lays out a background full of characters, histories and ideas before he starts building up the story.

There is certainly a lot of action, particularly during a central scene of strategic development, but the emphasis is firmly put on more peaceful concepts this time: family, life and purpose. While the galactic war is still the center of the action, Scalzi is more interested in exploring the moral implications of that war for all involved parties.

In the end, everybody - including the reader - is left with a feeling of fatigue, not of the story, or even just the events of the story, but of a war that it doesn't seem possible to end without unfathomable violence.

Dah DJM reviewed The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (Old Man's War, #2)

Where's John Perry?

3 stars

Found as EN "boxed set" and read the trilogy (with Old Man's War & The Last Colony) in less than a week (nights mainly). Less entertaining than #1 IMHO, but "needed" to jump into #3

Comtief reviewed The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (Old Man's War Series, #2)

Review of 'The Ghost Brigades' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Meh, I lost interest after the first half of the first book. Could not even pay attention in the second book and had to read plot summary after finishing the book to have an idea what was going on. I think because the book is so obviously unrealistic is what caused me to stop caring and there was nothing charming about it to keep listening, unlike the series Stargate which is as unrealistic but the characters are interesting to keep track of.