Starship Troopers Summary

The book that I read was titled Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein. The book has 308 pages and was published by Van Rees Press • New York. © 1959 by Robert A. Heinlein. One plus was that the book had a joyful ending which left me smiling. Once minus was that many of the scenes were dragged out, dull, and how to get through, while also being partially confusing. This is so because I am not well versed in military terminology and battlefield occurrences, resulting in me not relating to the book. One interesting factor from the book was that humans were fighting earth-like arachnids for livable planets and that the arachnids could build weapons and ships to rival humans. The book begins with Juan Rico describing ‘the shakes’ he gets before
a drop -- when soldiers in an egg-shaped sphere called pods drop into a planet’s atmosphere. Clad in powered armor resembling a gorilla’s appearance, Juan and comrades destroy cities, only killing when need be, asserting dominance over the ‘Skinnie’ race. The book then cuts to a younger 18-year-old Juan who wishes to enlist in the Army. Juan’s father disagrees but the law prevents anyone from stopping a willing 18-year-old to enlist. Attempting to reason, Juan’s father announces a vacation trip to Mars and details Juan’s scholarly arrangements: study business at Harvard, attend Sorbonne and travel, eventually reaching the owner of the family business. At first, Juan is convinced he would follow said plans, but Juan enlists with inseparable friend Carl. Lacking noteworthy skills, Juan does not receive his first choices for positions and becomes an infantryman. After vigorous exercise and training at boot camp, the weak-willed leave, by their own volition or are discharged. A notable discharge is when peer Hendrick wouldn’t follow orders and was brought before the highest ranking officer for the punishment of striking a drill sergeant. All cadets witnessed the lashings Hendrick received, heard the cries of anguish, some fainting. The book then resumes where is had previously ended detailing the Skinnies’s betrayal which left earth vulnerable and open to attack, Buenos Aires being bombed by the Bugs resulting in Juan’s mother’s death. To Juan’s surprise, his father, who strongly discouraged joining the forces, had joined.
The incentive being his wife’s death and deep down he knew he should have joined earlier in life. Juan discovers Carl died while on Pluto and unexpectedly isn’t shaken since death is common while serving. On a crucial mission to capture bug royalty, Juan is commanding his own men while on Planet P. While waiting for the Bugs to surface, the ground beneath suddenly collapses, expelling thousands of bugs surely dooming Juan. Acting fast, Juan hastily flees noticing the force was comprised of only workers acting as a feint. With his troops, Juan enters tunnels dug by the Bugs. Within the complex tunnels, troops dwindle, one soldier manages to locate a ‘brain bug’ which acts as the sole brain for the expendable forces. Attacking from behind, Juan and his troops free their comrade, suddenly the roof falls atop of a now unconscious Juan. Upon waking, Juan discovers six brains and no royalty were captured. The book then concludes with a time skip, Juan as a Lieutenant and his own troops preparing for a drop. His uniform, rightfully titled Rico’s Roughnecks, a tribute his original ship’s Lieutenant, Razak, and what he called his uniform; Razak's
Roughnecks.