# Most interesting depictions of a Human VS Alien interstellar war? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282 "2016-10-21T21:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/21 "2016-10-23T19:19:00Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > I noticed that on Amazon but its still a little to expensive at the moment It’s[free on the author’s website](http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/22 "2016-10-24T02:01:37Z")
Read in order: \*Starship Troopers \*by Robert A. Heinlein - a granddaddy of the humans v. aliens military sf genre. Bonus: powered body armor! _The Forever War_ by Joe Haldeman - humans v. aliens in a generations-long war, as the Earth soldiers become less and less connected to the society they are supposedly defending. Strongly influenced by Haldeman’s Vietnam War service. _Old Man’s War_ by John Scalzi - humans v. aliens with about a half-dozen delightful twists. More sarcastic and witty than the two previous books, but really, all of 'em are worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/23 "2016-10-24T17:54:16Z")
A short story that had an interesting take was Turtledove’s “The Road Less Traveled.” It’s an alien invasion but with a twist. The aliens, like many in the galaxy, happened on the key that let them develop interstellar travel very early in their technological development. So they grabbed their flintlocks and headed off to explore and conquer the galaxy. Boy were they surprised. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/24 "2016-10-24T19:04:15Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > I like the war in [Enemy Mine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_Mine_(film)). Don’t mention that near Barry B. Longyear. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/25 "2016-10-24T19:09:18Z")
All of the [BOLO books](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_(tank)#Books) have to do with interstellar war. I’m surprised no one has mentioned the [Honor Harrington series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorverse). ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/26 "2016-10-24T20:37:19Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > Käfer is German for beetle. Ah OK, thanks! > [@MrDibble](#): > > It’s[free on the author’s website](http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm). > [@MrDibble](#): > > It’s[free on the author’s website](http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm). Thank you, I was getting it mixed up with this book by the same author which seems to have a similar premise. Thanks again for the answers everyone. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/27 "2016-10-24T20:57:57Z")
Oh Lord, I can’t believe I forgot the best one I’ve read in many years. The problem is that you don’t even find out that it’s a human-alien interstellar conflict until significantly into the book, so I’m going to put the rest of the post in a spoiler, including the title: The Three-Body Problem. It’s hard-as-nails SF from China, with several jaw-droppingly beautiful scenes any one of which would be enough to hang an entire novel from. The way the book unfolds is amazing. Don’t be put off by the long beginning section about the Cultural Revolution; it sets up a central conflict for later in the book and the sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282/28 "2016-10-24T21:04:42Z")
The Honor Harrington series is all humans vs. other humans. There are a handful of other sapient races around, but none of them are particularly involved in the conflict (aside from a few treecats who have adopted Manticoran humans). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-depictions-of-a-human-vs-alien-interstellar-war/769282.md?page=1)