The Shattering Peace is neither the best, nor the worst of Scalzi's Old Man's War novels. It covets the brisk pace, breezy aloofness and excessive verbosity that have become the DNA of Scalzi's recent works like the Interdependency Series. What is gone is the frantic, almost unhinged quality that made his early books so appealing. In its place is a kind of pleasant but slightly dull stoicism; perhaps a boon for some in these cynical times, so if that is your bag you may add another star to this review.
This sequel elevates a minor character from the series' cannon to the protagonist's role: Gretchen Trujillo, once the best pal of Zoe Boutin Perry, now an analyst for the Colonial Union State Department, is assigned a secret mission to find out what happened to an experimental and illegal colony that disappeared without a trace. If the colony's existence were to be revealed to the public it would, as the novel's title suggests, shatter the delicate peace between the human Colonial Union and the alien Conclave. There is also evidence that the deadly and technologically superior Consu are somehow involved.
This seventh entry in the series is no less smart, or smart aleck-y, than the previous ones. Despite the good pacing and easygoing vibes, I found it a little disappointing next to 2015s The End of All Things, which I felt carried a bit more weight. Or perhaps I am simply outgrowing this author?
The Shattering Peace will still satisfy fans of newer Scalzi, of whom there are plenty. If you are a particular fan of snarky banter, which the novel has in excess, you may add yet another star.
