The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

This science fiction novel follows the story of a soldier conscripted to fight in an interstellar war against an alien species known as the Taurans. Due to the time dilation effects of space travel at near-light speeds, the soldier experiences only months of combat, while centuries pass on Earth. Each time he returns from a mission, he finds an unrecognizable society with new technologies and altered social norms. The narrative explores the psychological and emotional impact of war, time displacement, and the soldier's struggle to find a sense of belonging in a constantly changing world. As the conflict drags on through the eons, the soldier begins to question the purpose of the war and the high cost of human life in the face of such temporal vastness.

The 1236th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 313

Since this book was first published in 1974, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 313.0.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.