The Last Colony (Old Man's War #3)

#868
Title: The Last Colony (Old Man's War #3) 
Author: John Scalzi
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2007
320 pages

This third (or third.5, depending on how you count The Sagan Diary) installment of the Old Man's War series is in some ways less emotional and more action-packed. John Perry, wife Jane Sagan, adopted daughter Zoe, a dog who has no particular plot function and Zoe's two Obin escorts move to a new colony. Interstellar intrigue erupts for a variety of reasons and with a cascade of consequences. Some make more sense at the tie; some are elucidated later; a few still leave me puzzled; for example, (view spoiler) Ah, well. It moves right along and makes more sense than a lot of brain candy.

Scalzi can over-rely a little on the device of having his characters know something the reader doesn't, a la the sitcom technique of Lucy leaning in to Ethel and saying, mad gleam in her eye, "So what we'll do is... [whisper, whisper, whisper].

I appreciate that Scalzi and his characters wrestle with questions about governments' intentions. John's conversation with General Gau were useful in this regard.

It's a little rushed at the end; another 25 pages would have been welcome.

Zoe's Tale approaches these events from Zoe's perspective. Since the last retelling I read was probably Midnight Sun's plodding recounting of Twilight from a dull and listless perspective, I'm looking forward to having Scalzi save the subgenre.