The Last Colony by John Scalzi: A Space Opera with Action, Adventure, and Romance

Cavanşir Gadimov

12 May, 2019

John Perry is back, and this time he's got a new family to protect. In The Last Colony, the third book in John Scalzi's Old Man's War series, Perry is called back into action when his remote colony is attacked by a dangerous alien species. Perry must use his military training to protect his family and the other colonists, while also uncovering a dark secret about the colony's past.

Book Review: The Last Colony by John Scalzi (Old Man's War series - Book 3)

When I started reading the first book in the Old Man’s War series with the same name, I was touched by the love Perry had for his wife. But when she died, he had no other choice but to join the army of the Colonial Union (CU). The CU is the human colony in the universe, and Perry joined the army when he was 75 years old.

The first book brilliantly unravels the reasons behind his choice, primarily driven by the pursuit of a second chance at life.

Read more: Captivating Sci-Fi Adventure: Old Man's War by John Scalzi (Book Review)

John Perry joined the Colonial Defense Forces (CDF) and met Jane Sagan, a member of Special Forces who was also a clone of his wife. They bonded over their shared experiences and eventually left the army to settle down on a colony with their adopted daughter, Zoe.

For Perry, everything changed when he joined the CDF. He left Earth behind and discovered a whole new world, with different species, some friendly and some hostile. He describes how it felt leaving Earth and discovering the universe as "liberating" and "exhilarating."

“Being from Earth in this universe is like being a small-town kid who gets on the bus, goes to the big city and spends his entire afternoon gawking at all the tall buildings. Then he gets mugged for the crime of marveling at this strange new world, which has such things in it, because the things in it don’t have much time or sympathy for the new kid in town, and they’re happy to kill him for what he’s got in his suitcase. The small-town kid learns this fast, because he can’t go home again.”

The Last Colony: The True Cost of Colonization

The story of this book tells us how John Perry, Jane Sagan, and their daughter Zoe are asked to settle down in a whole new colony, named Roanoke, where no one has ever lived before. They are deceived by the Colonial Union (CU) into doing so, and they soon find themselves in a new adventure full of wars and threats.

For me, The Last Colony tells us two things. First, it shows us how colonies are built in John Scalzi's Old Man's War universe. It is not an easy task to send people to a brand-new planet and have them build houses, towns, farms, and more. There are many difficulties involved, and this book shows us how it is done in this fictional world.

Second, the author is telling us that no matter how advanced humanity is, there will always be people who engage in dirty politics. The CU is a prime example of this, as they are willing to sacrifice the lives of almost ten thousand people in order to gain power and win new wars. They control people by controlling what they know and think, and this book shows us how dangerous that can be.

Related post: The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi: A Military Sci-Fi Thriller and Brilliant Sequel to Old Man's War

John Scalzi: A Humble Writer

And finally, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the author himself. Throughout the series, Scalzi includes an "Acknowledgments" section at the end of each book, where he expresses gratitude to numerous individuals. However, there was one particular aspect in this book that caught my attention.

Typically, one might expect a writer to boast about their achievements, asserting their superiority over other authors. Yet, even though Scalzi has received accolades, he remains humble and refrains from boasting about awards or surpassing fellow writers. It is this humility and genuine demeanor that truly sets him apart, solidifying his status as a remarkable and commendable writer. This is what he said:

“During the writing of the The Last Colony I was nominated for and wen the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in science fiction. I was nominated with Sarah Monette, Chris Roberson, Brandon Sanderson, K. J. Bishop and Steph Swainston, and was fortunate enough to become friends with Sarah, Chris and Brandon. The suggestion that I’m a better writer than any of these folks is a flattering lie, and I encourage you to look up their work the next time you’re in a bookstore or book-buying online. You won’t be disappointed.”

By the way, since I started reading his books I also follow him on Twitter. He tweets quite a lot. So if you want to follow him, here is his account: @scalzi