Naked to the Stars by Gordon Dickson is a soldier story taking place in
an eternal war for Human expansion. It seems much more of an anti-war
story and certainly more bitter about war than the Dorsai books.

Reading the first few chapters I assumed from the nature of the war and
the basic attitude that this book had come out of the Vietnam conflict,
but no. It's copyrighted 1961, making it far ahead of its time and
presaging work by folks like Joe Haldeman.

When I realized this I started noticing that all of the tactics in this
war were all European WWII tactics... there was no airmobile technology
of any sort. The terrain was much like that of the European war too.

I got a copy that was discarded by the NESFA library when they got a less damaged one. Recommended.
--scott
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"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

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In article <vrgvfk$5cm$1@panix2.panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:

Naked to the Stars by Gordon Dickson is a soldier story taking place in
an eternal war for Human expansion. It seems much more of an anti-war
story and certainly more bitter about war than the Dorsai books.

Reading the first few chapters I assumed from the nature of the war and
the basic attitude that this book had come out of the Vietnam conflict,
but no. It's copyrighted 1961, making it far ahead of its time and
presaging work by folks like Joe Haldeman.

When I realized this I started noticing that all of the tactics in this
war were all European WWII tactics... there was no airmobile technology
of any sort. The terrain was much like that of the European war too.

I got a copy that was discarded by the NESFA library when they got a less >damaged one. Recommended.

As I recall, it was Dickson's reply to Starship Troopers.
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On 3/20/2025 4:51 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:

Naked to the Stars by Gordon Dickson is a soldier story taking place in
an eternal war for Human expansion. It seems much more of an anti-war
story and certainly more bitter about war than the Dorsai books.

Reading the first few chapters I assumed from the nature of the war and
the basic attitude that this book had come out of the Vietnam conflict,
but no. It's copyrighted 1961, making it far ahead of its time and
presaging work by folks like Joe Haldeman.

The French had been fighting Vietnamese "insurgents" since they regained control of the area at the end of WW2 and Americans were well aware of it.


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I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

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James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

As I recall, it was Dickson's reply to Starship Troopers.

That makes a lot of sense. It's definitely a different view of war than Starship Troopers but it might very well be the same kind of war.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

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