Camouflage Kindle Edition

If you are looking for a book with deep, richly-nuanced characters… this is not the book for you. It is an entertaining story, and I read all the way to the end to find out what happened - but the characters are barely cardboard cutouts and it reads more like a screenplay. Also, I could never put my finger on what it was about the way the sentences are constructed, but it kept jarring me out of “thoughtless” smooth reading.Two shape-shifting aliens have been roaming the Earth for millenia, imitating whatever life forms are most beneficial for their survival, mostly humans for the last few centuries. The book jumps back and forth between their pasts, especially in World War II, and the future where a mysterious object has been found buried in a deep ocean trench under million-year old coral.

I am reading the Nebula Award winning novels in chronological order. This is the winner for 2006.I read this book very quickly, partly because I had insomnia one night, but mostly because the book is very interesting. Also, it has short chapters which make you think to yourself: I'll just read one more.But then there's one more after that, and one more after that. Pretty soon, you're done.I liked the three interspersed timelines, one for the current time where people are examining the artifact, one for the evil Camouflage, and one for the increasingly sympathetic Changeling. Each of these stories is interesting in its own right, although Camouflage is less developed than the others. There are some unresolved issues at the end of the book and they do nage at me, but not enough for me to downgrade my rating.This book deserves the Nebula.

This novel was easily the most intelligent I’ve read in it’s genre. The only part I didn’t enjoy was when it ended. I do wish he had elaborated a bit more on the Chameleon’s origins and differences between it and the Changeling, aside from just one being “charitable” towards humans and the other enjoying the destruction of them; as well as, how only one of each species made it to Earth, which I felt was too improbable.I did love the story, however, with so much clever detail on the Changeling’s ability to morph itself and it’s long progress with adaptation into human society with all it’s nuances.This is certainly a read I would recommend highly for those with a discerning taste for unusual sci fi.

Most First Contact books are about the First Contact as seen from the human perspective, but this book has the distinction of being from the alien perspective, which I found refreshing. The book follows the story of this shape shifting alien that finds itself on Earth, starts with learning how to impersonate a human, and ends learning how to be human. There's a much underdeveloped parallel story of another analogue shape shifting alien who, placed in the same situation, follows a different path. The dichotomy would have been nice had it been better developed, but the second alien gets very little time and character development. Readers hoping the book is about the mystery of the 2 aliens and therefore expect some resolution or revelation will be disappointed, the book is about the characters, the mystery behind the aliens is explored very little and never truly resolved. This makes the ending feel rushed and unsatisfactory.

Camouflage is a tight little romp by Joe Haldeman centering around two succinctly different but intertwined plots. The first and far inferior plot revolves around the unearthing and subsequent tinkering with a large inanimate alien artifact that doesn't seem to do much. The artifact is in a makeshift lab in Samoa where numerous scientists are trying various experiments with little to no results or reaction by the said object. Unfortunately, despite the scientific thinking behind the different experiments, this subplot is tepid at best. The other and slightly more prevalent story line focuses on two separate immortal shape-shifting aliens who are roaming Earth. One is a sadistic war mongering killer always looking for the next challenge. The other (and more interesting) is a fish out of water (literally) trying to understand human behavior while searching for its origin and purpose.Haldeman's focuses on the more tranquil of his creations and its growth and participation in events of the 20th century is fascinating. It's subjective view of the human condition and how it learns to interact with humanity is both terrifying and tender at the same time. It's ability to change into any form or person within certain time constraints is well utilized by Haldeman and provides for many smart and tense moments.I don't think I've ever thought this about a novel, but I actually believe this book would have been better as a more sweeping, detail filled epic sci-fi novel. 600 hundred page books are not really Haldeman's fast pace "airplane" book style, but it might of really turned this otherwise well executed novel into "one for the ages". This book was nominated for the 2005 Nebula Award but lost out to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel and rightly so as that book was the epic and immersing novel this could have been.Bottom Line: Another great quick read by Haldeman who continues to produce excellent page-turners.

Best known for Forever war and his post apocalyptic Worlds Apart series Joe Haldeman was a prominent author in the 70's and 80's SF scene. This novel won a Nebula award in 2004.Its a relatively recent work of Haldemans - like many of his recent works takes place in the present but the style of writing and the characters are very reminiscent of his 70's and 80's works.Its an interesting read - very 80's sf - dealing with an immortal Alien shapeshifters struggle to come to terms with existence as a human being. Lots of sex and violence - most of which id say typified 'classic Haldeman' - very like -All my Sins remembered.For new readers - go read his earlier works first - Worlds apart - is more poignant. Forever war has a better vision. Both have better characters and story.

This novel held my attention throughout. Although it wasn't high-end SF the story engrossed and kept me reading late intot he night. Well worth a look.

wer hat sich das nicht schon einmal vorgestellt ? Von Anbeginn der Zeiten unterwegs, Beoabachter von Krieg und Frieden, von Erfindungen, Entwicklungen und auch Rückschritten, ohne Angst vor Alter und Tod?Genauso ergeht es unseren beiden "Fremden", die sich nicht mehr daran erinnern können, wie und wann sie auf Erden kamen - ob sie vielleicht sogar irdischen Ursprungs sind oder doch Außerirdische.Das Chamäleon kann nur männliche Gestalt annehmen und ist seit der Steinzeit als brutaler Krieger unterwegs. Der Changeling kann sowohl Tier- als auch Menschenform annehmen - und sich auch als Gegenstand tarnen.Da wird ein merkwürdiger Gegenstand aus sehr großer Tiefe ausdem Südpazifik geborgen - ist es das Mutterschiff - wird es seine Geheimnisse preisgeben?Die Ausgangslage ist sehr reizvoll, die Geschichte wirklich originell und die Charaktere sind sehr gut geschildert, man lebt und leidet mit den Protagonisten richtig mit.Warum dann nur vier Sterne? Zum einen ist es die rein amerikanische hurrapatriotische Sicht der Dinge, die ich schon bei "The Coming" bemängelte: Bei der Reise durch die Zeit wird der zweite Weltkrieg thematisiert sowie der Kriegseinsatz der USA im Pazifik. Die Japaner sind natürlich die furchtbar bösen und brutalen Mörder und Menschenschinder, Pearl Habour und der Verlust von amerikanischen Soldaten wird auf mehreren Seiten ausgeschlachtet.Europa kommt nicht weiter vor, außer der Anmerkung, dass man in Europa mit "Eurodollars" zahlt. Aha!Dazu kommt dann noch das zuckersüße Hollywoodreife Ende - das war bißchen zuviel des Guten.Nichtdestotrotz: Ein spannender, sehr gut geschriebener Science Fiction der bißchen anderen Art - absolut empfehlenswert!

I read "The Forever War" by the same author before reading this book. Both books have won the prestigious Sci Fi awards, but I was disappointed with thus one. While the plot is very interest groups and the pace very good, one feels the book was written with movie in mind. Forever war , had underlying philosophy and commentary on social and cultural impacts due to war and technology but this one does not.

Nachdem ich bereits "The accidental time machine" von Haldeman gelesen habe, wurde mir dieses Buch in meinen Empfehlungen angezeigt. Ich habe es direktgehend verschlungen! Der Autor hat genug wissenschaftliches Hintergrundwissen um Details glaubwürdig zu präsentieren, Zusammenhänge intelligent zu kombinieren und dabei dennoch ein selten gesehenes Talent, eine Geschichte spannend und interessant zu gestalten, nur zu geringen Teilen vorhersehbar (selbst mit viel Science Fiction Erfahrung). Wichtig ist vor allem der Punkt, dass obwohl es hier um Aliens und Raumschiffe geht niemals ein zu abstraktes "Fiction-Gefühl" aufkommt, vielmehr wird eine fast schon genial auf mehrere Erzählperspektiven verteilte Storyline gesponnen, welche sich bis zu einem richtig guten Ende hinentwickelt, was bei Plots dieser Art schon fast unerhörten Seltenheitswert hat. Absolute Empfehlung - und bei dem Preis auch noch ein Schnäppchen.