Book Review: Armor by John Steakley

A book of contrasting sides. On the one hand, a very engaging look at a reluctant soldier in a future war, fighting against thousands of seemingly unintelligent 'ants.' Although powered armour action abounds, this is in no way a glorification of war, quite the opposite, it's a bleak look at a seemingly pointless conflict through the eyes of a single man surviving against the odds.

On the other hand, a slow moving, not greatly polished story of a chancer getting out of his depth in a psychopath's plotting, who goes through an experience that changes how he seems the world.

Although one thread of the story is much better than the other, I'd say the first third of the book is the best. As the threads start twisting together, the slow moving part starts to improve, but I found the resolution of what happens to the soldier not completely satisfying. The whole story is an odd mix of leaving details to your imagination, then filling in too much in some areas.

So, enjoyable but not the classic I'd heard a lot of people recommend it as.

Title: Armor
Author: John Steakley
ISBN: 0-88677-368-7
Published Date: 1984
Pages: 426

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Review by Paul Silver, 2018