This IS an “Old man’s war story” and fits in as book 2,5But I do not believe it belongs in the original series.Fans of John Scalzi’s “Old Man” universe, prepare yourselves: there’s a long new story in that universe, told from the point of view of one of the series’ most intriguing characters. Subterranean Press is proud to publish The Sagan Diary, a long novelette that for the first time looks at the worlds of the Hugo-nominated Old Man’s War and its sequel The Ghost Brigades from the point of view of Lieutenant Jane Sagan, who in a series of diary entries gives her views on some of the events included in the series… and sheds new light into some previously unexplored corners. If you thought you knew Jane Sagan before, prepare to be surprised.

But now The Sagan Diary shows us Sagan from another point of view – her own. As she prepares to leave military life and join her new husband and adopted daughter on a colony world, Sagan reflects on her life, in her own words – recalling friends, battles, and experiences; illustrating all the violence and wonder of her times; trying to fit “an entire life into this compressed space”.

For fans of Scalzi’s works, it’s an intimate and surprising glimpse into one of his most popular characters. As read by Stephanie Wolfe, it’s unlike any other science-fiction story you’ll hear this year.

What I liked: the idea the soldiers were born as such and when they finished serving, they could choose to live a new life that “would not end at the end of the barrel”, and that would fulfill them. It’s like – I know you’ve been dealt a shit hand, but here, you have the chance to be born again and try to live a normal life.

The woman’s voice was probably a new one for Scalzi but he does quite well, with the only comment that he ruminates on pain and death a bit too much and the concept of fear.

The bad parts: Because it was a monologue, it tends to ramble at points and loses interest.