Book Review: The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Shattering Peace by John Scalzi

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 7 of Old Man’s War

Publisher: Tor Books (September 16, 2025)

Length: 288 pages

Author Information: Website

I confess, my relationship with John Scali’s work has been a bit strained as of late. Books like Starter Villain or When the Moon Hits Your Eye have sometimes felt too breezy or even downright too silly for my tastes, and so it was with some relief when I heard he was returning to the Old Man’s War universe a decade after the sixth book, The End of All Things. After all, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for that series, with its sharp humor and humanistic themes. At last, The Shattering Peace felt like the welcome course correction I’d been waiting for.

Long time fans will remember Zoe Perry, the adopted daughter of the series’ protagonist John Perry and his wife Jane Sagan, whose story was told from her perspective in the novel Zoe’s Tale. Admittedly, fewer readers would probably remember Zoe’s best friend, the perky and quick-witted Gretchen Trujillo, who now features as the lead in her own book. Roughly a decade has passed since the fragile ceasefire between the Earth, the Colonial Union, and the Conclave, which has kept the galaxy relatively at peace. But now a new enemy has reared its ugly head, threatening the status quo. A highly intelligent and technologically advanced alien species called the Consu have ignited a heated civil war between their factions, and they’ve unfortunately dragged everyone else into their conflict.

Gretchen, now a diplomat for the Colonial Union, has successfully kept her head down for much of her career. But now her star is about to rise when she is assigned to a covert mission to investigate a missing colony, one with significant historical ties to the development of human-alien relations, and what they find there may have far-reaching repercussions for the precarious peace that’s been holding the galaxy together. The assignment also thrusts Gretchen into the path of the Consu, whose cryptic philosophy and volatile ways would prove to be an unpredictable catalyst—one that could unravel everything the Colonial Union is trying to do.

Returning to the series that first put his name on the map, Scalzi also returns to form, bringing back his brand of interstellar politics that made Old Man’s War such a hit in the first place. There’s arguably more substance and thoughtfulness here in The Shattering Peace, though the book still reads on the lighter side overall. That said, newcomers might want to think twice before jumping in here. While the book technically works as a standalone, much of its content relies on the reader’s knowledge of the wider universe and its tangled history. Without that context, a lot of the references won’t make sense, and it will also be harder to appreciate the deeper stakes and emotional payoffs.

From here though, Scalzi proceeds to build a mystery that as much about the whys and hows of the missing colony as it is about maintaining the delicate balance required to keep a galaxy from tearing itself apart. Along the way, we get the usual healthy dose of witty banter and quirky side characters which will be no surprise to anyone familiar with the author’s style. Everyone gets a snappy line or two, etc. They’re certainly fun to spend time with, but at the end of the day, it’s also very surface-level and you won’t get much depth beyond their immediate roles in the story.

Despite that, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve long referred to the Old Man’s War books as gateway reads into heavier science fiction—accessible space opera filled with amazing stories and characters that give readers a taste of larger and more complex ideas without being bogged down in dense world-building and incomprehensible technobabble. And as a bonus, there are plenty of laughs. I’m happy to report The Shattering Peace fits that mold perfectly, delivering an easy-to-follow and fast-moving plot. Throw in some humor and clever dialogue, and what you get is a very readable and entertaining novel. Still, there’s no denying that the story feels smaller in scope for it, or that the premise is not quite as galaxy-shaking as the title suggests.

Ultimately, I enjoyed The Shattering Peace and consider it a successful return to the Old Man’s War series—lighter than I’d hoped, but still more substantial than I expected. I’m also happy to see John Scalzi back to writing thoughtful and engaging space opera, and in some ways reading this was a nostalgic reminder of everything that made me fall in love with this universe.