The End of All Things is the sixth entry in John Scalzi's acclaimed Old Man's War series. Originally published as four novellas in e-book form, The End of All Things expands Scalzi's science fiction universe in a way that will satisfy fans while remaining approachable for new readers. The new print installment centers chiefly on its protagonists' struggle to protect the fragile peace established in the previous books between the human-run Colonial Union and the Conclave--best thought of as a more effective but divisive United Nations, with alien species substituting for nation-states. A group known as Equilibrium has set out to disrupt both the Colonial Union and the Conclave by pitting them against each other.
The End of All Things breaks no new ground for the series, nor does it do much to push past traditional science fiction tropes. However, the novel stands out thanks to Scalzi's likable characters and hilarious, whip-smart dialogue. A little like a space-bound Aaron Sorkin, Scalzi gets tremendous mileage out of having humans and aliens cleverly jaw at each other about complex, but accessible, political dilemmas. The Old Man's War series has been presented as military science fiction in the tradition of Robert Heinlein and Joe Haldeman, but Scalzi prefers a middle ground between the bone-weary pacifism of the latter and the militant philosophizing of the former. More importantly, Scalzi emphasizes fun over lectures, and consequently The End of All Things is best enjoyed as another breezy read in a much-loved series. --Hank Stephenson, bookseller, Flyleaf Books