FOREVER PEACE by JOE HALDEMAN (1997)

I was looking forward to reading this science fiction novel because I really liked Haldeman's 1977 novel The Forever War. I am sorely disappointed. In my opinion, this book lacks focus and logic and a consistent message.

Haldeman actually tells three stories here, and they don't mesh very well. The book begins with a war scene, as remotely-controlled robots battle against conventionally armed insurgents in Central America. The robots are controlled from many miles away by so-called "mechanics" who are "jacked" together through shunts into their brains in order to coordinate the actions. The jacking technology allows those connected not only to read each other's thoughts but also to feel what the others feel. This is an intriguing set-up, allowing the author to portray the mechanics as they actually experience the death of one of their number from brain-overload or actually feel the guilt one of their number feels from the killing of adversaries. Haldeman also lets us know how beneficial to the sexual experience jacking together can be, as a participant feels not only hia/her own physical sensations but also the sensations of the partner.

From this beginning, Haldeman jumps to the discovery by one of the mechanics (who happens to be a physicist) and his lover (also a scientist) that a project nearing completion around the planet Jupiter will bring about a second Big-Bang, which will destroy the galaxy. How can they convince their country to stop the project?

The third story hinges on the discovery that being continuously jacked with a group for about two weeks results in such overwhelming empathy that the participants can no longer bear to injure or kill others, except in self defense. Thus, to bring about worldwide peace, everyone would need to have a jack installed. Simple, right? This is the point where many lapses in logic enter in. To detail them would reveal the entire plot of the latter part of the novel. Just take my word for it--this is not something that could even be possible and if it could it wouldn't even work.

Haldeman's message seems to be that peace could be achieved if people had more empathy, which is undoubtedly true. Yet the novel's most riveting passages are scenes of violence and mayhem, which would seem to weaken the plea for peace.

Forever Peace won both the Hugo and Nebula awards in 1998, so this is a minority opinion. I would not recommend this novel.