John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wifes grave. Then he joined the army. The good news is that humanity finally made it to the stars. The bad news is that, out there, planets fit to live on are scarceand alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So: we fight. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding. Responsible for protecting humanity, the Colonial Defense Force doesnt want young people; they want people who carry the knowledge and skills of decades of living. Youll be taken off Earth, never to return. Youll serve two years in combat. And if you survive, youll be given a homestead of your own on a hard-won planet light-years from home. John Perry is taking that deal. He thinks he knows what to expect. But the actual fight is far, far harder than he can imagineand what he will become is far stranger.
