Starship Troopers

"I always get the shakes before a drop."

Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein is a seminal novel of military Science Fiction. It won the Hugo for best novel in 1960 and has been sited or at least suggested as an influence on such award winning novels as The Forever War by Joe Haldeman, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, and Old Man's War by John Scalzi.

It novel is the first person narrative of Johnnie Rico, a young man from the not to distant future, and details his experience in the Mobile Infantry. It follows him from recruitment, to boot camp, to action. From raw recruit to non-com to officer. Interspersed in the scenes of training, and a few sparse battle scenes are a number of philosophical arguments on subjects such as the nature of war, the rights and duties of citizenship, and the merits of various forms of government.

Its these philosophical arguments that have made this book so controversial over the years. Heinlein was widely criticized for his belief in a meritocracy and what many see to be his anti communist views.


This is a great book. Its strength lies in the storyline and the development of Rico as a soldier. The world building is rather limited, but the Heinlein does do a pretty good job in portraying both a future Earth society , as well as developing the alien society of the Bugs.

I greatly enjoyed this book. Many of course criticize Starship Troopers as a propaganda vehicle for for Heinlein's personal views on society, and while that certainly is a relevant argument. I don't think it needs to detract from the reader's enjoyment of the book. I found it to be a quick read, and while its not a light read, and is filled with philosophical questions, one doesn't get bogged down in them as you can with other books. The influence of this book can't be denied. In fact the themes have been repeated so much in other works I almost felt like I'd read this book before.

9 out of 10

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