The War Against The Chtorr - Writing Style

Writing Style

The feel of the novels is very "Heinleinesque" (indeed the first book, A Matter For Men, was dedicated to Heinlein) and one perception of the books is to look at them as an entire life-cycle of a Heinlein Character, a distinctive sort of character usually central in all of Heinlein's novels, with a recognizable set of key personality traits (common sense, intelligence, fierce independence, and high competence), albeit at differing ages, sexes, and experience levels. Sometimes the type appears in multiple roles, as both central character and older, wiser mentor. One possible reason that Gerrold is holding off on the later books is that he intends to write them from McCarthy's central perspective of the oldest Heinlein character, older than Gerrold has been prior to around 2005.

Another Heinleinesque characteristic of the series is that, in the first book, the main characters' Jewish heritage is relegated to one throwaway sentence, similar to Heinlein's tendency to throw in a similar comment about the race or national origin of his central character. This heritage is more openly discussed in the later books of the series.

The series also shares a number of stylistic similarities to Heinlein's Starship Troopers, with substantial didactic portions akin to Starship Troopers' "History and Moral Philosophy" coursework discussions between the central character and a school mentor. The various aphorisms which open the chapters of the second editions also resemble the aphorisms in some of Heinlein's later books, such as Time Enough for Love.