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Joe Haldeman
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All My Sins Remembered Paperback – January 1, 1978

by Joe Haldeman (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 608 ratings
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1977 Avon Books MASS MARKET PAPERBACK, 4th printing. Joe Haldeman (The Forever War). Once Otto McGavin was a kind and gentle soul; then he was recruited by the all-powerful Confederación. An ultrasecretive, government-linked organization, the Confederación’s stated mission of protecting threatened life, both human and alien, throughout the galaxy greatly appeals to the Anglo-Buddhist McGavin as he eagerly prepares to embark on a career of diplomacy and selfless works. But Otto’s new masters have other plans for the idealistic young recruit. Through a process of immersion therapy and hypnosis, and by encasing him in temporary bodies of plastiflesh, scientists can overlay Otto’s true persona with other ones, transforming him completely—body, mind, and soul—into the ruthlessly effective prime operator the Confederación wants him to be. But decades of interstellar subterfuge and violence, and years spent wearing the personae of spies and cold-blooded killers, must ultimately take their toll—and before he leaves behind the lives that have been cruelly thrust upon him, Otto McGavin will have to somehow come to terms with who he really is and the monstrous things he has done. - Amazon
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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Avon Books
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1978
  5. ISBN-10
    0380393212
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0380393213
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon Books (January 1, 1978)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0380393212
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0380393213
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 608 ratings

About the author

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Joe Haldeman

Joe Haldeman

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Joe Haldeman began his writing career while he was still in the army. Drafted in 1967, he fought in the Central Highlands of Vietnam as a combat engineer with the Fourth Division. He was awarded several medals, including a Purple Heart. Haldeman sold his first story in 1969 and has since written over two dozen novels and five collections of short stories and poetry. He has won the Nebula and Hugo Awards for his novels, novellas, poems, and short stories, as well as the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, the Locus Award, the Rhysling Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the James Tiptree, Jr. Award. His works include The Forever War, Forever Peace, Camouflage, 1968, the Worlds saga, and the Marsbound series. Haldeman recently retired after many years as an associate professor in the Department of Writing and Humanistic Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He and his wife, Gay, live in Florida, where he also paints, plays the guitar, rides his bicycle, and studies the skies with his telescope.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
608 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

JAK
5.0 out of 5 stars Still a "must read!"
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book is one of the classics of science fiction written by one of its masters. Having read it so many years ago, (40 or so years) I was surprised that I had such little recollection of it. The upside of that was that I could read it as if it were a new book. While some of the attitudes and technology are a bit dated, "All My Sins Remembered" stands the test of time quite well.

Otto McGavin starts his career as an idealistic Anglo-Buddhist and evolves into a deadly and talented field operative (spy/thief/assassin) for the Confederacion. Using total immersion hypnotherapy and plastic surgery, Otto is transformed into key players in a variety of settings on various planets. He's especially good at what he does even when it goes against his natural inclinations.

It's well worth reading!
2 people found this helpful
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B. Kelly
4.0 out of 5 stars Secret Agent with a Twist
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2015
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One of Joe Haldeman's earliest and one of my favorites--although there's probably an extra half-a-star's worth in the rating from nostalgia. This title, along with "The Forever War" and "Mindbridge" were among my earliest experiences with Haldeman and science fiction in general. Less of a novel than a series of short tales connected by a framing story, "All My Sins Remembered" covers the career of an elite undercover agent that can assume different personality "overlays" and physical appearances in service to the intelligence arm of the interstellar "Confederación." Our hero is a very latter-day Saint (think futuristic Roger Moore . . . or Val Kilmer, if you're under 30), but one with a pesky conscience--a bit of a handicap as he tries to walk the Middle Path (he's an "Anglo-Buddhist") among all the mayhem. It makes for some interesting character development. A bit cynical in tone (I know--a cynical tale about a government that spans star systems and keeps order with a cadre of shape-shifting secret police? Say it isn't so!) AMSR is a solid, entertaining read.
3 people found this helpful
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JJCEO
3.0 out of 5 stars An OK story but not great!
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2015
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I got this book as I am a fan of Joe Halderman’s work. I simply loved the book The Forever War. All My Sins Remembered just doesn’t measure up to The Forever War in quality or story line. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good parts. The story is about a government assassin that travels the galaxy killing people in the name of the law and with the government’s endorsement. What I didn’t like is that this ultra-secret assassin on ultra-secret missions is known to about everyone he meets despite the fact he is in a flawless physical disguise as another person that not only looks like them but speaks and behaves like them. It seems at times that everyone on the planet he was on knew why he was there and what his mission was. He seemed to know less of what was going on than the people around him.

Multiple times on multiple cases the person he is pretending to be comes looking for him after they escape the government agents. For me that part of the story simply got old and the secret agency was more like a circus than an efficiently run intelligence agency that assassinated people. It just made the story line seem weak and unrealistic.

There were some interesting plots and alien creatures but the weak storyline kept tickling the back of my mind at how silly the scenarios were. I gave the book 3 stars as just being OK but not great.
2 people found this helpful
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C. DeGhoul
5.0 out of 5 stars Forty years later, I still love it.
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2016
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This is one of the favorite sci fi books from my youth and I still enjoy it immensely. It's actually more of a collection of short stories, or vignettes rather, about one character. It's one of those books that, unlike some others, actually leaves you hungry for more, but in a good way. However, I suspect it is one of those things that some people will love and others may hate. For each "episode" Haldeman could have easily written an entire book but chose instead to give us just a glimpse, just a taste of the different worlds, cultures, and aliens. It is on one hand rather frustrating but, on the other, intriguing. If you're the type who needs every detail explained, every plot to have some convoluted point, every problem to be fixed neatly, avoid this book. However, if you like being swept along on a fast-paced journey into danger and adventure, give it a try. (On a side note, I am disappointed that they did not keep the original paperback cover which has always haunted me, nearly 40 years later, the cover that perfectly illustrates the book, which is the anguished, faceless kneeling figure surrounded by masks of different faces. To me, it is incredibly powerful and should have been kept. All others pale in comparison.)
21 people found this helpful
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Michael G Kurilla
4.0 out of 5 stars Autobiography of a special operator
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2022
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Joe Haldeman's All My Sins Remembered concerns the various missions of Otto, one of the select breed of special operators. Otto can assume the identity in appearance, manner, and memory of selected individuals that are targets of Otto's organization. Whether it's finding missing agents, eliminating troublesome leaders, or manipulating whole planets, Otto goes to whatever world is deemed at risk of something. He suffers tremendous injuries, but after each mission the post-traumatic stress disorder continue to build. During each mission, things go out of kilter almost immediately, but he manages to come through in the end.

Haldeman clearly projects his takeaway from his service in Vietnam with the disregard by mission handlers for the consequences of their failed planning. At the same time, the singular focus of the operator for completing the mission comes through. In the end, there are no heroes and the original rationales and justifications for each mission are either lost or become irrelevant.
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Top reviews from other countries

satish avasthi
1.0 out of 5 stars It is a rotten, shop-soiled, much abused, 1981 edition with discolored paper.
Reviewed in India on September 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
An absolute swindle, not worth handling or reading 40 year old print.
Utterly disgusting copy.
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satish avasthi
1.0 out of 5 stars It is a rotten, shop-soiled, much abused, 1981 edition with discolored paper.
Reviewed in India on September 27, 2021
An absolute swindle, not worth handling or reading 40 year old print.
Utterly disgusting copy.
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Reviewer ON
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Canada on October 2, 2015
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A bit disjointed, but enjoyable.
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Kevin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, but this version has too many typos
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2014
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I love this book. I have done since I got my first paperback copy many years ago. Problem is, I still have that copy and there are waaaayyyyyy more typos in this version than my knackered old paperback. The proof readers at Gollancz SF should be hit repeatedly with a wet fish until they get it right!
One person found this helpful
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Linda Novak
2.0 out of 5 stars Too disjointed
Reviewed in Canada on December 23, 2016
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There were interesting parts but it was irritating to jump from plot to plot with nothing but the main character to hold it together. I was disappointed. His other books have been good.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Joe Haldeman Books
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
I read this years ago when I was in the Navy.. When I got my kindle it was one of the first things I looked up and purchased along with a lot more of his books.. A superb read with a fantastic plot.. Love this author.. Also try the Forever series and Worlds.. You will not forget Joe Haldeman once you have read his books..
2 people found this helpful
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