War Stories

by Joe Haldeman

Hugo and Nebula Award winner Joe Haldeman is one of the most compelling writers to emerge from the Vietnam War.

War Stories collects together two novels, several short stories, and two long poems that deal explicitly with Haldeman’s Vietnam and post-Vietnam experiences. The novel War Year was one of the first books written by Haldeman upon his return from Vietnam, and the novel 1968 (which chronicles time in country, as well as a soldiers return “home”) was not published until 1994. These two novels form compelling bookends to a career’s worth of writing that has been passionately engaged with the questions raised by the Vietnam War.

War Stories includes the Forever War novella, “A Separate War,” as well as three new author introductions which give some historical, personal, and bibliographic background to the fiction herein.

The novels and stories in this book have never been as potent, nor as terribly relevant as they are today.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Stories

450 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 2005

About the author

Brother of Jack C. Haldeman II

Haldeman is the author of 20 novels and five collections. The Forever War won the Nebula, Hugo and Ditmar Awards for best science fiction novel in 1975. Other notable titles include Camouflage, The Accidental Time Machine and Marsbound as well as the short works "Graves," "Tricentennial" and "The Hemingway Hoax." Starbound is scheduled for a January release. SFWA president Russell Davis called Haldeman "an extraordinarily talented writer, a respected teacher and mentor in our community, and a good friend."

Haldeman officially received the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master for 2010 by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America at the Nebula Awards Weekend in May, 2010 in Hollywood, Fla.

Reviews

[Zvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two interested and vivid novels make up this book, "War Year" and "1968", along with a few short stories and poems (I'd read all of those before, I think). The two novels deal directly with the author's experiences in Vietnam -- as opposed to "The Forever War" and other novels where those experiences are translated or used within an SF context.

I liked this book although neither novel has a satisfying ending -- 1968 just dwindles out at the end of the year that makes up its title; War Year has a fairly unsatisfying trope of an ending. However, they're otherwise gripping: their prose is Hemmingwayesque, economical and passionate, though not macho; the images are visceral and vivid with an immediacy of experience I've seen in few other novels. These books are difficult to read and quite disturbing at times, front line in Vietnam.

[Mike Glaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories, that includes some science fiction but mostly covers fiction related to the author's service in Vietnam. The two main novellas, "War Year" and "1968" are quite good at times but at other points are formulaic. In fact, my main complaint with Mr. Haldeman would be that a great deal of his writing seems to keep going over the same ground. So while I would recommend reading this collection of stories, I really do not see myself coming back to read it again.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I may have figured out why Joe Haldeman's writing appeals to me. Besides being a Vet and that experience coming out in his stories he is a sarcastic smart-ass in his outlook on things. I can appreciate that. Reading this collection of combat based stories, both SiFi and regular fiction, I can see much of my outlook on life in his writings. Very recommended

[Jacques Reynart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The straightforward battlefield writing I found as engrossing as Philip Caputo (A Rumor of War), though both works are in my mind overshadowed by Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn). I respect Haldeman's sci-fi credentials but found it hard to marry with the Vietnam material.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid Joe Haldeman collection with more science fiction than the cover and title implies. Also, totally mind blowing and deceptively simple opening short novel that isn't science fiction at all.

[Loren · Rating 5 out of 5]

i didn't actually read the whole thing, but the two longer novellas in the book were awesome. i forgot how much i love to read vietnam war fiction written by veterans.