The Sagan Diary

Summary: The members of the Colonial Defense Fleet Special Forces - or the Ghost Brigades, as they're colloquially known - are born into the bodies of adult genetically engineered super-soldiers, and never experience a moment of consciousness without their BrainPal software fully functional. Now Jane Sagan, a Special Forces CO, has reached the end of her term of service to the CDF, and is choosing retirement over reenlistment, even though it means her consciousness will be transferred back to a regular human body. This "novelette" is her diary in the weeks before her transition, ruminating on what life is like as a Special Forces soldier, and what she risks losing - and gaining - in her upcoming transition.

Review: I enjoyed this story show more quite a lot, although I think the reasons that I enjoyed it might be the reasons that a lot of people don't like it. Specifically: it is very, very different from the full-length novels in the Old Man's War series. It's not funny, it's not action-packed, and it's more philosophical musing than plot. For people looking for a short story in the vein of Scalzi's longer books, it's going to be a disappointment. (Although I'd point those people towards "After the Coup", which is set in the OMW universe and is very much in keeping with the tone of the first two books.)

But for exactly those reasons, I thought it was great. Scalzi takes this opportunity to show off his range, and Jane Sagan's voice suits her perfectly, yet is nothing at all like the voice of John Perry or Jared Dirac. It also takes a really hard look at a lot of the issues that separate regular humans from CDF, and CDF from Special Forces - issues that are hinted at but never really examined in the books in any depth... or at least not from the point of view of someone who has volunteered to give it all up, and is willing to think about her decision critically. The tone is meandering, yes, but beautifully and poignantly so, and I thought this made a perfect little intermezzo between books. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Much like The Ghost Brigades, Scalzi doesn't waste a lot of time summarizing what's come before (i.e. who the "you" that Sagan keeps addressing in her diary is), so I don't think this is something that should be read by newcomers to the series. For those that have read the first two books, though, The Sagan Diary is a change of pace that provides a unique perspective on the events of the main series... although be advised that it is indeed a major change of pace. show less

I was shocked by how beautifully written this book is! The previous books by John Scalzi have been great science fiction, told in normal style for the genre. But The Sagan Diary is different, it is flowing prose, a mental love letter. It was the perfect compliment to the rest of the Old Man's stories, and I think my favorite. At just 100 pages it is a very quick read, but its delicious!

This book serves several purposes. It provides insight into the minds of the ubercharged military combatants who fill the pages of Scalzi's excellent novel Old Man's War, a lengthy riff on The Forever War and Starship Troopers. It answers the question as to whether for all the militance of that book and its various other parallel texts, so much of which is about action, Scalzi has a take on interior life (the answer is yes — this book is all interior). It confirms for any naysayers that the resolutely blank prose of his later novel, Redshirts, is on purpose, because there is nothing blank about the Sagan Diary; Redshirts is blank to match the lack of interior lives of so many of its characters, a blankness that is a part of the story, show more and part of the culture (Star Trek) it is riffing on, while Sagan Diary is nothing but interior life.

In the end, it does make me wonder if Scalzi would have written a book this emotional about a male character, but so be it. show less

Imagine a heroic warrior about to die. She knows death is coming for her and so do her contemporaries. A bard sings the song of her life commemorating her activities, exaggerating her prowess in battle, her kill-count, her prodigious ability to drink and fornicate when she celebrates her victories. Her deeds of bravery are trotted out for all to exclaim over. Her family history is recited so all will know who she came from and who she is leaving behind. Her ancestors and successors will be marked and known among their people with their dying relative's own heroism. Her story will be passed down through the generations, both her bravery and her exploits will attach themselves to her descendants and her fellow warriors' stories.Now show more imagine yourself inside the head of such a warrior born to no-one, with no natural predecessors or living descendants. Imagine yourself mulling over your own song -how would you recollect your battles, your enemies, your loves, your lack of natural family or kin? How would you sing your own song? This is Jane's song. She is her own bard. She is ready for what comes next. Jane's is a unique story and her's is a unique interior voice.That [a:John Scalzi|4763|John Scalzi|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1236228326p2/4763.jpg] wrote Jane and let her sing her own heroic poem like this is quite remarkable. I understand that he wrote this story on a bit of a bet to commemorate [a:John M. Ford|43734|John M. Ford|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1207232881p2/43734.jpg]. He could have taken the easy way out here. He didn't. show less

This novella is a recording of Jane Sagan’s BrainPal diary made just before she mustered out of the Ghost Brigade. It is a philosophical rumination on the nature of the soul and a love letter to John Perry.
I think its low user rating is due to its lack of plot and the marketing strategy Scalzi and Subterranean used. It was a memorial fundraiser, so commercial success was not a priority.
I like Jane, and it’s a moving love letter.

A short collection of philosophical musings by the Jane Sagan, a character in the Old Man's War series. Consisting of short sections on Death, Friendship, Language, and similar topics. Good, but actually better on a 2nd reading. Don't expect a lot of character revelations.

So this was definitely not was I expected at all. It was more like prose-poetry, but it wasn't a full novel so that's okay. I would suggest reading it without having read at least the first book of the series. The writing was really great, but there was no action, just feelings and philosophies about Sagan's previously life as a trained killer and what her new life would be like settled down with Perry, in a new body that didn't have all the enhancements.

Not sure I would pay the full $20 price on the regular edition, but if you can find it cheap and like the Old Man's War books, would definitely suggest it.