 Author Ken MacLeod's 2003 analysis of the political nature of "Starship Troopers" stated that it was "a book where civics infodumps and accounts of brutal boot-camp training far outweigh the thin and tensionless combat scenes".Scientist and author Brunner compared it to a "Victorian children's book", while the "Science Fiction Handbook" published in 2009 said that the novel provided "compelling images of a futuristic military" and that it raised important questions, even for those who disagree with its political ideology.However, it stated that the story was weak as a tale of an alien encounter, as it did not explore alien society in any detail, but presented the Arachnids as nameless and faceless creatures that wished to destroy humanity.