Old Man's War books in order

Q: "What order should I read the Old Man's War books?"

"Read in publication order starting with 'Old Man's War' (2005). 'Zoe's Tale' retells the events of 'The Last Colony' from a different character's perspective."

Q: "How many Old Man's War books are there?"

"There are 6 books in the series. The first three follow John Perry directly, 'Zoe's Tale' follows his adopted daughter, and the final two expand the universe's political conflicts."

Q: "Is Old Man's War similar to Starship Troopers?"

"Scalzi has acknowledged Heinlein's influence. Both feature military science fiction with older recruits and power armor. But Scalzi's tone is more conversational and his politics less didactic."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Old Man’s War	2005	John Scalzi	Buy
2	The Ghost Brigades	2006	John Scalzi	Buy
3	The Last Colony	2007	John Scalzi	Buy
4	Zoe’s Tale	2008	John Scalzi	Buy
5	The Human Division	2013	John Scalzi	Buy
6	The End of All Things	2015	John Scalzi	Buy

John Perry joins the Colonial Defense Forces on his 75th birthday. Earth’s elderly can enlist in exchange for new, genetically enhanced bodies and a chance to fight for humanity’s place among hostile alien species. Perry’s wife is dead. He has nothing left to lose. The CDF transfers his consciousness into a young, green-skinned supersoldier body and sends him to war.

John Scalzi posted the first chapters on his blog in 2002. Tor Books picked it up, and Old Man’s War was published in 2005. It was nominated for the Hugo Award. Scalzi wrote in a direct, conversational style that felt closer to Heinlein than to the literary science fiction of the period. The book moved fast and didn’t waste time on exposition.

The sequels expand the universe. The Ghost Brigades follows the Special Forces, soldiers created from the DNA of the dead. The Last Colony puts Perry in charge of a new human settlement caught between political factions. Zoe’s Tale retells those events through his adopted daughter’s eyes, adding an entirely different layer to the same plot.

The Human Division and The End of All Things were originally published as serial novellas before being collected as novels. They deal with the breakdown of interstellar diplomacy and the threat of a conspiracy that could end human space colonization. Scalzi has not ruled out returning to the universe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read the Old Man's War books?

Read in publication order starting with ‘Old Man’s War’ (2005). ‘Zoe’s Tale’ retells the events of ‘The Last Colony’ from a different character’s perspective.

How many Old Man's War books are there?

There are 6 books in the series. The first three follow John Perry directly, ‘Zoe’s Tale’ follows his adopted daughter, and the final two expand the universe’s political conflicts.

Is Old Man's War similar to Starship Troopers?

Scalzi has acknowledged Heinlein’s influence. Both feature military science fiction with older recruits and power armor. But Scalzi’s tone is more conversational and his politics less didactic.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order