> As much as I love TFW, I personally think The Forever Peace is a stronger novel.
Honestly, a number of his novels are better, as he freely acknowledges (though not in this interview). It'd be pretty odd for a writer with a long career to perform his best work right out of the gate. (he's written several books in the last decade which are put together a lot more masterfully than The Forever War... I felt Camouflage was pretty close to being a perfect SF novel when I read it the first time)
It's certainly his most influential book, which is about being in the right place at the right time.
I should probably re-read The Forever Peace. I, on the other hand, have The Forever War on my favorite SF list but nothing else of his that I've read--and I have at least a half-dozen on my shelf--have ever grabbed me enough the remember them.
I think that you should be able to find something you like among Camouflage, Old Twentieth, The Accidental Time Machine, and Work Done For Hire. Together they're actually a pretty good spectrum of what he does.
I honestly haven't cracked the Marsbound books yet, although I have them. There's something just a bit off-putting about series books to me...
Thanks. Although, the one I've read amongst those, The Accidental Time Machine, I remember as being a quick enough read but otherwise shallow and unmemorable.
I'm generally with you on series books. I understand why publishers and authors like them but there are so many out there that take an original concept and even get a good novel or two out of them but then continue on endlessly until all life has been squeezed out of the writing.
There are exceptions but they're a small minority--at least to my tastes.
I agree on The Accidental Time Machine (nice, but fluffy). Camouflage was good, though, and a number of people really recommend Marsbound, though I haven't read it yet.
Honestly, a number of his novels are better, as he freely acknowledges (though not in this interview). It'd be pretty odd for a writer with a long career to perform his best work right out of the gate. (he's written several books in the last decade which are put together a lot more masterfully than The Forever War... I felt Camouflage was pretty close to being a perfect SF novel when I read it the first time)
It's certainly his most influential book, which is about being in the right place at the right time.