The Shattering Peace: Old Man's War #7    by John Scalzi Order:  USA  Can Tor, 2025 (2025) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson The Shattering Peace follows The Human Division as the seventh episode in John Scalzi's brilliant Old Man's War SF series. It all began with a septuagenarian romp through a Darwinian universe, where humans fought desperately for survival. Earth then continued to recycle septuagenarians into genetically engineered clones to serve in the Colonial Defense Forces. As this episode opens, there's been peace for a decade, based on a tripartite agreement between the Colonial Union, the Earth, and the alien Conclave. But now the Consu (incredibly advanced and equally unpredictable aliens) are in play, with factions in conflict. Our leads are Gretchen Trujillo, member of the Colonial Union Diplomatic Security Force, and her Obin colleague Ran (who looks like a spider crossed with a giraffe and has an artificial consciousness which is learning humor). Gretchen, as the Obin analyst for State (Ran's people being humans' closest allies) is volunteered for a secret mission. A test of a multi-species colonization on a hollowed-out asteroid space station, called Unity, has simply disappeared. The human colonists include some Gretchen knows from the Roanoke colony, including her old boyfriend Dr. Magdy Metwalli. Gretchen has not got over him. Ran accompanies her as her security detail. Turns out the Consu have been very involved. Gretchen ends up dealing with an extremely arrogant one (she calls it Kitty) who was seeking a sacred death, but now makes a bargain with her. There are battles - against vastly superior odds. They do find Unity, and Gretchen's methods earn her recognition by the Consu as one of them - and the happily ever after she deserves. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews