Product Description
"Revolt in 2100": After the fall of the American Ayatollahs (as foretold in "Stranger in a Strange Land") there is a Second American Revolution; for the first time in human history there is a land with Liberty and Justice for All. "Methuselah's Children": Americans are fiercely proud of the freedom they seized in "Revolt in 2100". Nothing could make them forswear it. Nothing except the secret of immortality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Great Author and a so-so book
I did not like the book and was disapointed. Will be very careful in the future of the books I buy from this author.

The Twenty-Second Century
Revolt in 2100 & Methuselah's Children (1998) is an omnibus edition of two classic Future History volumes.It includes two short stories, a novelette, a short novel, an Introduction and a Postscript.

Revolt in 2100 (1963) is the third collection in the Future History series.It contains the following:

- The Innocent Eye: An Introduction by Henry Kuttner gives a writer's view of Heinlein's works.

- "If This Goes On" (Astounding, 1940) tells of the adventures of John Lyle during the revolt against the Prophet Incarnate.

- Coventry (Astounding, 1940) describes the changes in David MacKinnon after being remanded to Coventry.

- Misfit (Astounding, 1939) describes the discovery of an intuitive mathematician in the Cosmic Construction Corps.

- Concerning Stories Never Written: Postscript explains the reasons that the author did not write "The Sound of His Wings", "Eclipse" and "The Stone Pillow".

Methuselah's Children (1958) is the fourth SF work in the Future History series.It was originally published as a serial within Astounding in 1941.It was later expanded to a full length novel.

The Howard Foundation was established in the 1870s to lengthen the span of human life.Using well established breeding principles, young men and women with living grandparents were encouraged to marry each other.In 1875, the first child of the Howard Families was born.

At first, they were just a bunch of people trying to improve the lifespan of the members.After a century or so, however, they were forced to start the Masquerade.Many members had grown too old, so ways were found to allow them seemingly to die and then to take on other identities.

In this story, Mary is leading an emergency meeting of the Family heads and things are looking bleak.When Lazarus complains about the long and wellknown review of facts before presenting new information, Mary gets him to admit his age.As the Eldest, Lazarus is now expected to moderate the meeting.

Others point out the improbability of maintaining the Masquerade.Some members -- about ten percent of the group -- had voluntarily admitted their extended lifespan.Although the initial impact on the public was small, a sense of anger and disbelief has been growing exponentially.

All present are impressed by the facts and calculations, but their voiced opinions are not very helpful.The members are undecided and unable to agree on any approach to the problem.Lazarus has them break up into like minded groups to work out better solutions and then adjourns the general meeting until the next morning.As he later admits to Mary, they are probably not going to agree on any workable approach.

Mary is being pursued by Bork Vanning, the Minority Leader of the Federation Council.The next morning, Bork comes to press his suit.He mentions the Howard Families and states that the secret of longevity is close at hand for important officials and their wives.Mary then tells him that she is one of the victims of this witchhunt.

Bork refuses to believe her until Lazarus steps into the conversation.Although his knife convinces Bork to leave, both Lazarus and Mary know he will send proctors to arrest Lazarus.They get out barely in time and take Mary's car out to kill time until dark.

After some evasion, they reach the Families' Seat and Mary hurries to the sanctuary to send a message through the telepathic sensitives.She sends a recall to all sites run by the Howard Families.Then they hold another emergency meeting.

During the meeting, many options are discussed.Leaving the planet is brought up, but dismissed since the only really habitable planet in the Solar System is Earth.Then Lazarus remembers the ship being built in orbit for the Second Centauri Expedition.

Lazarus proposes that the New Frontiers be used to leave the System.He learns that Andy had not been involved in the design of the New Frontiers, so there are probably ways to increase the boast.But this proposal is tabled while other options are discussed.

The meeting is interrupted by a call for Zack from the Federation Administrator.Ford now knows a lot about the Howard Families from captured members, including the location of the Families' Seat.But he doesn't think that the Families have a hidden secret of longevity.

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of possible futures, civil disorders, and Lazarus Long.For those who want more tales by Heinlein, these and other stories are also included in The Past Through Tomorrow.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Classics That made Heinlein Great
These are a bunch of vintage Heinleins - the stuff that made him great.

Revoltin 2100contains three stories, the main one being "If This Goes On". For halfa century, America has been ruled by a religious dictatorship, founded by Nehemiah Scudder, a TV evangelist elected President in 2012. "The next election was never held". The Church seems to be an amalgamation of the wilder Protestant sects, very down on Catholics, Mormons, Freemasons and (surprise, surprise) Jews, who are renamed "Pariahs". It follows a naive young officer who gets on the wrong side of the regime, has to join the revolutionary "Cabal" (actually a Masonic Lodge) to survive, and takes part in the eventual revolution. Essentially a straight (but good) adventure story.

The next two stories, "Coventry" and "Misfit", give short glimpses of the subsequent regime, where liberty has been restored, with a "Covenant" guaranteeing human rights, but are mainly from the viewpoint of those who still don't fit in, respectively a literary critic who refuses psychotherapy after punching someone on the nose, and a juvenile delinquent (nature of delinquency unspecified) who turns out to be a mathematical genius. Mainly these lay some groundwork for "Methuselah's Children", where the Brave New Utopia faces its first serious test.

It flunks big time.

This story centres on theHoward Families, who have, for the last two centuries,used selective breeding to lengthen their lives, andnow live two or three times as long as other people.Until the fall of the dictatorship, they have kept themselves discreetly clandestine, but under the Covenant feel safe enough to come out of the closet. This proves a disastrous mistake. They promptly attract the attention of demagogue Bork Vanning, a sort of "Nehemiah Scudder with the religion left out" who sees a path to power in whipping up the jealousy of the short-lived majority against the Howards, who are cast as the new Pariahs.

When the chips are down, the wonderful Covenant proves a distinctly shoddy product. Far from strengthening the old checks and balances, which themselves evidently failed to stop Scudder, it has actually weakened them even further. All civil rights can be suspended by a simple vote of the Council, reminiscent of the Enabling Act by which the Reichstag gave Hitler dictatorial powers. When the Administrator (ie President) is sceptical and presses the witch-hunt with insufficient vigour,he is likewise removed by a simple majority vote (no impeachment needed) and forced to flee for his life.The Howards are rounded up - women, kids and all - to a "Guantanamo"-type camp, in a manner which makes Joe McCarthy and George Dubya look like Mary Poppins, so that the "secret of immortality" can be extractedby torture.

The rest of the book focuses on the Families' escape. They hijack an interstellar spaceship and seek a new abode. After encounters with two alien races - both fascinatingly drawn - they return to earth where they are no longer in immediate danger, but which is, from the sound of things,not much better than the one they left.

As always, there are minor flaws. In particular, I am a mite confused as to the political setup. In "Coventry", the Covenant is apparently a new Constitution for the United States, adopted after the Second Revolution; but in MC, the US now forms part of a Western Federation, presumably the same "Federation" mentioned toward the end of ITGO, which America (previously cut of from the rest of the world by "Iron Curtain" type barriers) has evidently joined.

Yet there is no mention of any Constitution or legal system other than the Covenant. Did America, having drawn up its brave new Covenant, immediately nullify it by joining a supranational body with power to overrule it? Or did the Federation adopt the Constitution of a new member, admittedly an important one, but whose democratic record had been spotty, to say the least, for the past half century or so? This would be rather like the Third Reich continuing to the 1990s, and upon its overthrow the rest of Europe at once adopting for itself Germany's new and untested Constitution, or as if the EU had admitted Gorbachev's or Putin's Russia on a similar basis.Not very likely, yet Administrator Ford apparently resides in the US, and his office is at "Novak Tower", named after an important figure in America's Second Revolution. In short, the distinction between America and the Western World in general is thoroughly muddled.

Going from the sublime to the ridiculous, Heinlein couldn't resist including an overpossessive mother, like the one in "The Star Beast", as an Aunt Sally. She is savagely mocked, yet her only crime is to have been dropped into a ghastly situation, for which nothing in life has prepared her, and failing to react like an omnicompetent "Heinlein Individual". How many of us would? If she's a tad overprotective of her only child, is this really surprising after what they've gone through?

Still, these remain immortal classics of sf. In particular, MC introduces us to Lazarus Long, who will feature so much in Heinlein's later work. A great character. Read and enjoy.

Great stories, bad format
If you really want to enjoy these stories, buy 'The Past through Tomorrow', which collects most of Mr. Heinlein's connected short stories in one easy-to-read volume. I bought this book at a bookstore thinking it'd be some new stories (I really ought to have checked the back of the book!) This publisher leaves a lot to be desired in way of how they have handled and organized some of Mr. Heinlein's work.

Again, buy 'The Past through Tomorrow'. It is a much more complete/definitive book than this half-done book (with a horrible cover, too!)

Great stories, lousy printing from this publisher
I'm a huge Heinlein fan, and while this is not his best work, it's still a fun read.If you could actually read it.The publisher of the paperback edition (Baen Books) has terrible quality control.I've bought two books in this series from Baen, and both included pages that were either too light or too dark - bad enough to be unreadable.The actual print runs occurred some time ago, so shame on Amazon for continuing to stock and sell these poorly-printed books.

Heinlein deserves better treatment. ... Read more

Product Description
Project Moonbase contains the screenplay for the now classic sf film, plus eleven finished teleplays and two story outlines for a projected television show, The World Beyond. In addition to original tales (the story outlines "Home Sweet Home" and "The Tourist") Project Moonbase also contains teleplay adaptations of such RAH classics as "Delilah and the Space Rigger" "And He Built a Crooked House" and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

For Heinlein Devotees / Collectors (Like Me) Only
It's an artifact, a keepsake, a chance to study Heinlein at work -- always a joy for someone like me who learned to write by reading him, and who owes his career and livelihood to this man I never met. If you're not a Heinlein person, however, you will almost certainly be disappointed. Read the stories in their original narrative versions, and then come back to this if you are hooked.

Taking Hollywood for a Test Drive
This is a collection of TV scripts and treatments that Heinlein did for a proposed television series in 1952. The first item to notice here is the age of these scripts, done five years before the first Sputnik started beeping from the skies. The second is to recognize that most of these scripts were based on stories Heinlein had written as part of his Future History series, with some of them dating back to 1941. Because of the age of these stories and the technology that was available at that time (both in terms of what we could really do, space-wise, and what a television studio on a tiny budget could do), many of the items detailed here will seem both quaint and in some cases laughable. It is difficult to imagine today just how cutting edge and forward-looking these items would have appeared to studio executives, let alone the potential TV audience.

However, even making allowances for the period it was written and the severe budgetary restrictions, the first and longest script here, "Project Moonbase" (working title "Ring Around the Moon") is just plain bad. As this is one of the few stories here that was not based on his previously published stories, this is a severe disappointment. This story was intended to be the pilot episode of the planned series, but when plans for the series were dropped, the screen-writing collaborator on these scripts, Jack Seaman, decided (apparently unilaterally, without Heinlein's consent) to make a full-length movie Project Moonbase out of this, which was eventually released in 1953. The movie manages to keep all the faults of the script, and adds some very wooden actors and even cheaper sets (many of which were also used for the movie Cat-Women of the Moon, another disaster), with a net result of it being one of the cheesiest movies of that year (or almost any year).

There are two major faults with the script: first is a very implausible "plot", imagining an infiltrating spy being placed on the first planned mission to orbit the moon with a mission of destroying the space station this mission will debark from, and the horrendous sexism that pervades this situation. This last deserves some further comment. Heinlein, even this early, was promoting female characters in positions of authority, and for this script he has a female Colonel in charge of piloting the flight and a female President of the U.S. But having set this up, he now proceeds to totally undermine this forward-looking position by naming the Colonel "Breiteis" and having everyone refer to her as "Bright Eyes", having a General state that he will "put her over his knee and spank her" as suitable discipline for insubordination, and finally making it clear that the only acceptable relation with a male is both married and subordinate to him. How much of this was due to Heinlein's own thoughts at that time and how much was due to his either thinking that the studio execs would not tolerate a truly strong, independent woman in the show or what his co-writer added to the script, we'll probably never know, but it certainly makes for very uncomfortable reading.

The rest of the scripts are a mixed bag. The one for "It's Great to be Back" comes off very well, retaining all the power of the original story along with careful instructions for sets and scenes that place the story solidly in the real world. "The Black Pits of Luna", however, suffers immensely as a script (and probably as TV show if it was ever produced) as the prime motivation of the major character does not show here. The original story was written in first person, and all of that internal dialog that so sharply showed just why and how he could do what he did has been cut, leaving a very bare `incident' that just doesn't have any emotional gripping points. "And He Built a Crooked House" shows the amount of effort Heinlein put into these scripts, with a lot of instruction about tesseracts ,3-D models of same, and the weirdness of the mathematics involved, but here I think the script is marred by the basic weakness of the original story.

So what is good in this volume? Throughout the scripts are Heinlein's instructions for how to build the sets and achieve certain special effects, and these are well worth perusing. It's quite apparent that Heinlein realized the constraints that the TV studio of that day had to work under, and bent over backwards to show ways to minimize the cost of the effects while still retaining as much scientific accuracy as possible. He was also aware that few directors working in TV at that time had any real appreciation for just what science fiction was and how important the `science' portion of it was, and his scene directions often have `educational' comments about what is important about a scene or effect. Clearly getting the `science' component right was important to him (as it had been for his Destination Moon). But while these `new' words from Heinlein provide an interesting window into what he thought was important, they are far from enough to justify the cost of this volume.

This one is strictly for the Heinlein dyed-in-the-wool fan and historical scholars.

---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
... Read more

Product Description
[This is part 1 of a 2 part cassette audiobook, library edition.]

Time Enough for Love is the capstone and crowning achievement of Heinlein's famous Future History series.

Lazarus Long is so in love with life that he simply refuses to die. Born in the early 1900s, he lives through multiple centuries. Time Enough for Love is his lovingly detailed account of his journey through a vast and magnificent timescape of centuries and worlds. Using the voice of Lazarus, Heinlein expounds his own philosophies, including his radical (for 1946) ideas on sexual freedom. His use of slang, technical jargon, sharp wit, and clever understatement lend this story a texture and authority that seems the very tone of things to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (155)

Time Enough
One of my favorite books ever, but I had lost my copy.I ordered here, and it arrived in just a couple of days...faster than promised, in perfect condition.Thank you!I've just finished reading it again...and it turns out it's quite a different book 30 years later...but I still loved it.

Outstanding book
If nothing else (and there is a LOT else) this book contains the "Notebooks of Lazarus Long". That alone makes it worthy of continued publication. An outstanding novel with many many different slants.

Poorly written and dated
This is a book with some interesting ideas, but it is so poorly executed that I found it annoying.

Heinlein apparently wants to take issue with some of society's attitudes towards various sexual taboos. This is a good idea, and a lot could be written about it. But he hammers his points home over and over again. What makes this worse is the weird macho/libertine feeling that goes along with all of this. He is clearly very proud of himself. He also has some very dated ideas about sexuality. For example, that all men would be happily bisexual if they would simply free their minds. Very 60's-70's. (However, no male character in the book actually has homosexual relations - Heinlein wimps out.)

All this would be bearable if the writing was up to par. Unfortunately, the book consists of long conversations between multiple people where it's often difficult to tell who is speaking, and many of the conversations are repetitive and pointless. Every character is simply a mouthpiece for Heinlein, with no actual personality.

And what's with all the advice on how to defeat enemies in a gunfight? And how to travel in the wilderness? I get the feeling that Heinlein is desperately trying to prove what a tough guy he is.

Finally, the "excerpts from the notebooks of Lazarus Long" are simply embarrassing.

Sure would like to read this on Kindle.
This is a great book.How about releasing it for kindle?Give it this same 7.99 price, and I'll buy it right now.While you're at it, publish all of Heinlein's other great books on Kindle and I'll buy those too.

You publishers have nothing to lose by publishing to Kindle.Consider: Under no circumstances will I buy another Heinlein paperback.For one thing, I already have most of Heinlein's stuff in paperback.For another, I'm done with paper books.Finally, as I said before, I'd love to give you my money for these books AGAIN, if only you'd make it available on Kindle for a reasonable price (i.e. same as paper back or less.)

Heinlein in decline
This novel represents all Heinlein's worst traits with few of his virtues to compensate.Heinlein's crackpot ideas are paraded as the wisdom of an immortal with centuries of experience and, of course, nobody ever disagrees with him.Example: to "prove" eugenics, Heinlein makes up a story about a planet wiped out by disease, then blames it on the inhabitants' failure to breed for disease resistance.Have you heard of any planets wiped out by disease?Neither have I.But in the book Lazarus Long cites it as "historical proof" of his (Heinlein's) political views.It's so convenient when you can make up your data.

There are a number of stories nested inside the big one.One is about two teenage slaves who are more obsessed with having sex than getting away.After all, they're genetically superior, so it's important for them to reproduce, I suppose.

Oh, and there's the bright idea of probating wills before the writer dies.Gee, why don't we do that in 21st century America?Having been an executor of a will, I understand why: you need to know the final amount of the assets in order to distribute them properly.Of course, nobody in the novel thinks of that.Listening to Lazarus doesn't give them time to think.

Some of Heinlein's earlier novels were science-fiction masterpieces.This is just one long, very long egotistical monologue.
... Read more

Product Description
Hardcover reprint of Baen mass paperback. Collection originally published in hardcover in 1951, and in paperback since. This is the 2nd US hardcover edition. It is also part of the four book omnibus The Past Through Tomorrow. Stories include: "It's Great to Be Back!"; The Green Hills of Earth; Logic of Empire; We Also Walk Dogs; The Black Pits of Luna; Delilah and the Space-Rigger; Gentlemen, Be Seated!; The Long Watch; Ordeal in Space; Space Jockey. ... Read more

Product Description
Three high school students formed the Galileo Club to share their interests in science and space exploration. But they never imagined they would team up with a nuclear physicist to construct and crew a rocket bound for the moon.

And they never expected to gain some powerful enemies in the process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Read Rocketship Galileo, or get it for your kids.
Rocket Ship Galileo

This was Heinlein's first novel published in book form, and the first in his excellent "juvenile" series which included Space Cadet, Time for the Stars, Starman Jones,Star Beast,Tunnel in the Sky,etc. . Heinlein manages to make believable the tale of a scientist (Dr. Cargraves) organizing some 18-year-old boys of a rocket club to build a nuclear powered moon rocket.


On 6 October 1988, after Robert Heinlein's death, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded him the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal:
"In recognition of his meritorious service to the Nation and mankind in advocating and promoting the exploration of space. Through dozens of superbly written novels and essays and his epoch-making movie Destination Moon: 15 Year Anniversary Edition

Read Rocketship Galileo, or get it for your kids.

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and kids just starting to read science fiction, or adults for that matter.

Gunner, April, 2009

I LOVE Heinlein!
I really like Heinlein's juvenile novels for the entertaining way he explains the physics of space travel. The cover art on this one makes it desirable as well. This was not my favorite book of his but it was the 1st (not counting "We the Living" since it wasn't published until much later.) The story was somewhat topical in 1947 since he included a Nazi plot to take over the Earth by using the Moon as a military base. This was also an era when rockets & space travel were gaining a lot of importance. It's still a great read for kids today & for the occasional childish adult!

Golly!I wish Heinlein had not used Nazies as his bad guys.
"Rocket Ship Galileo" was the first of Robert Heinlein's 'juvewniles'.I guess it was the mid-1950's when I first read it as a kid.The first 2/3 or 3/4 went great.But, even then, I wished Heinlein had not used Nazies as his bad guys.The Germans had been so crushed by the end of WWII that even a young kid felt that such a quick turn back to power-seeking was unlikely. Thus, minus one star.

But that beginning was terrific!It was a great adventure story.Fortunately, I had read one of Heinlein's other juveniles first.Also, I had read two of his short story collections.So, I was already hooked on Heinlein.

In the first two years I belonged to the library, I guess I read four or five dozen kids' books and eight to ten were Heinlein books.I still remember the Heinlein books but have almost entirely forgotten most of the other books.I think that says something about Heinlein.He did and still does make an impression!

This book is, now, very dated in language, customs, science, and other stuff.So, why don't I subtract a second star?Examine the propulsive system for this moon rocket.Have you seen anything like it in today's rockets?Yet, it is, still, a possibility!Also, the story is very realistic in many respects and does keep the reader's attention.

If I or a modern-day writer rewrote this novel for today's audience.I am not sure that there would be more than a bunch of minimal cosmetic changes.That ain't too bad for science fiction written sixty years ago!

Fabulous book, great audio CDs!
I've been a fan of Heinlein for most of my life... This audiobook hooked both 8-year-old and husband!:-)

The reader is highly competent and pleasant to listen to.Nice job on the character voices.

This book is holding up well, even though it was written a million years ago.Enjoyable dialog.Promotes math / physics / science to kids.

Fantastic Early Heinlein
I'm a huge fan of Heinlein and this is a truly classic Juvie.Yes, it may be a bit formulaic,but those elements are what made him famous so maybe they are worth sticking to.Basically several youths with an older scientist retro-fit a spaceship with a new and improved engine and head off to be the first to reach the moon.Once in space there are adventures a-plenty and a few surprises in the story telling. (I won't spoil it, but once your find out who the antagonists are, it's worthy of a good chuckle.)

But one of my more favorite juvie by this great author.Full of optimism, characters who follow a dream and overcome any obstacle.Believable?Well, no.But it's a good ride. ... Read more

Product Description
Hamilton Felix, the result of generations of genetic selection, finds his life as the ultimate man boring, until a gang of revolutionaries tries to enlist him in their cause. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Big questions
Is there life after death?Hamilton Felix, the main character in Beyond the Horizon, is troubled by that question, as well as one that is equally large and related:What is the meaning of life?Heinlein's novel tackles a simpler question:Are these questions answerable only by faith, or are they the proper subject of scientific investigation?

Some reviewers at this site have complained that the novel has no plot.I disagree.The story meanders, it dangles some loose ends that aren't nicely resolved at the end, but in essence, the story follows Hamilton Felix, the recipient of an unusually good genetic structure, as he makes the decision to reproduce, creating genetically designed children whose existence will make a beneficial contribution to the human race.As Hamilton ponders his reproductive decision, he helps foil a plot to rid the world of (supposedly inferior) individuals who haven't been genetically designed, befriends a man from the 1920's who somehow remained in stasis until Hamilton's time (the details of that little accomplishment are foggy), and instigates experiments into telepathy and other areas of scientific inquiry that might provide some insight into the meaning of life and the aftermath of death.

Admittedly, some aspects of the novel are a little silly, particularly the notion that this supposedly evolved society has adopted 19th Century formalisms of gentlemanly politeness, complete with duels if offense is given.Heinlein might have thrown that in to explain why his characters are running around armed.And maybe there's just too much going on (genetic engineering, telepathy studies, the possibility of reincarnation, the stasis thing, not to mention differing philosophies of parenting and life's meaning) and a corresponding lack of coherence.Later in his career, Heinlein proved more adept at juggling lots of big ideas in a single novel.Finally, the ending seems a bit out of the blue.But the story is still fun, many of the ideas it advances are still intriguing after more than half a century, and the writing is lively (if occasionally a little clunky).

Good Heinlein Book
Originally published in 1942 and still pretty much up to date in 2010.I recommend it.

"An armed society is a polite society."

One of Heinlen's earlier, weaker books.
This is Heinlein's second published novel, and the lack of skill shows.

The problem with this book isn't so much that it is bad, but rather than nothing in it is particularly good.

The plot is, well, it's not really there. There's a revolt going on in the background, but it's never given enough detail to seem real, and it's over by two-thirds of the way through the book. The rest of the book is given over to talking, or rather, to Heinlein pontificating.

The characters are thin; the lead is the usual Heinlein Ubermensch, but without anything beyond that to make him interesting. The supporting characters are also Heinlein stock: the supportive nerd, the female lead who battles, but eventually submits to the lead. All done less well than Heinlein manages later. (And even then, these characters are stereotypes).

I found this book again recently, after reading it years ago. I couldn't remember the book. After I re-read it, I understood why. There's just nothing interesting here. I've read almost all of Heinlein's work, and this is one of the three or four weakest.

If you are curious about Heinlein, try some of his works a few years later, like The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Double Star or perhaps Stranger in a Strange Land.

Not a bad read
This definitely isn't one of Heinlein's best works, and not because the language is dated. The plot itself is not that interesting - it's exciting at first and shows promise - but the story putters out miserably with a rather boring conclusion. Some ideas are introduced in here, such as genetics, and makes for a good read. If you're an Heinlein fan, you might enjoy this. It's not the best, but it isn't junk, either. Just don't expect a deep/fascinating read.

Genetic engineering society
In society, where all economic problems are controlled and rerouted by government agencies and planning instances, people can devote themselves for fun, leisure, amusements and cocktail parties. Everybody carries guns and kill each other in response to insults. Meet utopia which combines Wild West of the 1800's and their Jesse James gun heroes.

The genetic engineering makes sure social breeding produces good Darwinian results where strongest specimens are guaranteed to be dominant. One of these star line breeds is Hamilton Felix, who has lost joy of life and does not see why he would have to help mankind by donating offstpings of government's choosing. Felix finds him recruited to a revolutionary group that plans to overthrow the current government to erect pure scientific regime that would have no restrictions how genetics would be used. Felix plays double-agent. After the brief revolt skirmish he accepts his star line heritage and joins in research to develop it further. His son turns out to have telepathic abilities; a relatively unknown trait yet to be studied further.

There are too many subplots in the book that are not fully developed. Felix, the leading male, is not very interesting although most of the events happen near his perimeter. He is too perfect, super hero, complete, and caricature of the TV shows of the 40's. He takes a woman, climbs to his nest and yodels like Tarzan when fighting against bad guys. His friend, Cliff, is a super mathematician being led to revolt's side, tries to laser a woman whom he loves, just because he had believed the ideology of pureness: natural women would have no part in future society. Then there is rockefeller Mr. Smith from 1920's who pops out from a time stasis bubble; he erects long lost American football game.

Two (2) stars. Written in 1942 (2nd print 1948) there are interesting topics like genetics, social engineering, speculative psycho sciences and aim to solve Aristotelian meaning of life. Any one of these topics would have been enough. Unfortunately the social commentary is thin and shifts too fast to irrelevant subplots. Advocating Gun-rights feels too far fetched in this utopia. Too much too fast. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Technofiction review of Starship Troopers
Robert Heinlein wrote Starship Troopers in 1959. Part of it, the action part, is a story about power armor and how it affects military tactics. Part of the story is about who should govern our society -- should everyone have an equal say, or should those who sacrifice for the community have more of a say?

The action part of this story is well told. We have an initial assault described in the first chapter, then we flashback to when our protagonist, Johnnie, first decides to join the military, over the objections of his mother and father, and follow him through basic training. Then we go through another, more difficult, assault that becomes a decisive battle in the war. All of these are well told. I read this as a youngster and gobbled it all up.

While the action is being told, Heinlein is also telling us a philosophy of who should run a society, and this is where the controversy about the book emerged. He guides us through Johnny's thinking as it grows from a boy's into a hardened man's. And Heinlein's assertion is that those who are willing to take responsibility for a society should be those who govern the society -- those who vote for its leaders. Many critics took this to be a fascist stance. I didn't, and I didn't in large part because of how different fighting power armor, as described by Heinlein, is from fighting with just a gun and guts... as described in the 1997 movie version. They are quite different.

In the book version fighting is a head's up affair and one where the soldier is taught to think and have a lot of initiative. In the movie version fighting is a be brave and put your ass on the line with your fellow troopers affair. The thinking that will evolve in these two environments will be quite different... and the movie version will be fascist.

So, the book and the movie are quite different, and I really like the book and I think the movie version missed the book's point entirely -- so much so that I was inspired to write my own version of the power armor story. You can find my version in "Tips for Tailoring Spacetime Fabric -- Vol. 1" look for "The Ticket Out"

Tips for Tailoring Spacetime Fabric : Vol. 1

Interesting experiment (look up Rodger W. Young) on the net.
As with any good sci-fi the story and descriptions of the latest gadgets are important; however this is just the window dressing or vehicle to carry a message or concept to you with out sounding too preachy.

Basically this book is not fascist like the movie. It suggests that people should be responsible for their actions and have a stake in what they make decisions on. Never did it say that these people were smarter or better, just that when you have a vested interest your decisions tend to work or you will pay.

I was intrigued in the process that Johnny Rico was going through in the story. The movie does not phase me as it looks like cartoon hype. But the book was too close to home. I hope my memory is flawed as I remember every one of the people types that he described. Actually I think with the volunteer Army today it is closer to the book than was Vietnam where conscripts looked on it this as slightly preferable to prison. I know that this story is not about the military but it is too real to be ignored as just the story.

You could have floored me when after watching the movie I found out there were no naked women in the book. Dizzy Flores must have had a great Swedish doctor. This could have been a genuine attempt to update the story; however it distracted from the original purpose.

Basically after school Johnny Rico is whisked into the military by peer pressure and to finds out if he is more than just the factory owner's son. While going through boot camp he learns of different cultures and the intricacies of military life. Naturally he makes mistakes and learns from others mistakes. As he grows he learns what make the world the way it is. I will not contrast this book with the movie because I think you enjoy the story more if you find out what happens as it unfolds.

Assignment In Eternity

Interesting experiment (look up Rodger W. Young) on the net.
As with any good sci-fi the story and descriptions of the latest gadgets are important; however this is just the window dressing or vehicle to carry a message or concept to you with out sounding too preachy.

Basically this book is not fascist like the movie. It suggests that people should be responsible for their actions and have a stake in what they make decisions on. Never did it say that these people were smarter or better, just that when you have a vested interest your decisions tend to work or you will pay.

I was intrigued in the process that Johnny Rico was going through in the story. The movie does not phase me as it looks like cartoon hype. But the book was too close to home. I hope my memory is flawed as I remember every one of the people types that he described. Actually I think with the volunteer Army today it is closer to the book than was Vietnam where conscripts looked on it this as slightly preferable to prison. I know that this story is not about the military but it is too real to be ignored as just the story.

You could have floored me when after watching the movie I found out there were no naked women in the book. Dizzy Flores must have had a great Swedish doctor. This could have been a genuine attempt to update the story; however it distracted from the original purpose.

Basically after school Johnny Rico is whisked into the military by peer pressure and to finds out if he is more than just the factory owner's son. While going through boot camp he learns of different cultures and the intricacies of military life. Naturally he makes mistakes and learns from others mistakes. As he grows he learns what make the world the way it is. I will not contrast this book with the movie because I think you enjoy the story more if you find out what happens as it unfolds.

Assignment In Eternity

A Classic Science Fiction Story
STARSHIP TROOPER

Starship Trooper by Robert Anson Heinlein is a classic in the Science Fiction Genre.It is so good I believe one should read it about every ten years so that you make sure that you remember every little nuance and detail.

I'd love to see Heinlein's idea of obtaining the franchise implemented in the United States.Why should voting be easy.Soldiers have died to protect our right to vote, why should something that has been paid for at such a high price be easy?Beside that I think soldiers, especially those who have been in combat look at the world in a way that nobody else can.They understand that sacrifice for the larger group may be desirable.They aren't all just in it for themselves.

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone who appreciates a good story told masterfully.

GunnerAugust 2,007

A novel before it's time, perhaps our time...
When I saw the movie, I didn't even know it was based on a novel.The movie was fun.Big blockbuster.Nice effects.Gore heaped upon gore heaped upon even more gore.Really hot girls in showers.What's not to like?

Then I read the novel, and I found the desire to look into the minds and hearts of the subjects, not just their tops.Is it me, or is Dina Meyer smoking?Plus, you have Denise Richards in that spandex uniform.Sorry, got lost for a second.

The novel actually embraces the military and it's ideals.In the future the earth is ruled under one large federal government.People who serve in the military are granted special privileges, such as voting.Those who don't serve live by the laws and rules set by those that have risked their lives during their service.

The novel shows the camaraderie between the soldiers and certain disdain for those that don't enlist.The novel offers a different point of view than most other books and movies on the market.It doesn't say that "war is good" or "war is bad".It simply states that wars happen, and here are some of the reasons that men fight.Plus the book offers a few political views that are interesting to think about.I won't go into them here, some may find them inflammatory.But you may just find yourself thinking, "Why not?" as you read it.

Plus the Troopers don't fight like in the movie.They have these killer super suits they run around in.With rocket launchers and flame throwers and jet packs and machine guns and fire trucks...Sorry, got away from me again.If they ever do a sequel for the movie, they gotta to have the suits.

Now where is that Bachelor Party DVD? ... Read more

Product Description
Robert A. Heinlein, the dean of American SF writers, also wrote fantasy fiction throughout his long career, but especially in the early 1940s. The Golden Age of SF was also a time of revolution in fantasy fiction, and Heinlein was at the forefront. His fantasies were convincingly set in the real world, particularly those published in the famous magazine Unknown Worlds, including such stories as "Magic, Inc.," "'They--,'" and "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag." Now all of Heinlein's best fantasy short stories, most of them long novellas, have been collected in one big volume for the first time.
Amazon.com Review
Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) was one of the most influential SF writers of any era (four of his 31 novels won Hugos, and he was the first to receive the Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Award). The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein gives newer SF readers and fans a less-known side of his work and opportunity to savor crisp sentences filled with telling detail, sardonic observations of character, and engrossing tales.

The stories, originally published in the 1940s and '50s, showcase Heinlein's science-fictional approach to fantasy. Though magic works and the supernatural underlies ordinary life, the reader is always firmly anchored in a lawful reality. The setting is the USA, sometimes in the mid-20th century, sometimes in a near future, always featuring very American characters. It's just that the salesman sells elephants and encounters fictional characters and ghosts ("The Man Who Traveled in Elephants"), the reporter covers a sentient whirlwind that collects old newspaper ("Our Fair City"), and the bartender is a time-traveling recruiter ("All You Zombies"). The ambitious, young California architect builds a house where doors and windows open on many places--but not to the outside he came in from ("And He Built a Crooked House"). And the paranoid patient's reality is saner than you think ("They"). The three novellas: "Magic, Inc.," "Waldo," and "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag" are vintage Heinlein; the last is a Lovecraftian tale of an amnesiac who hires PIs to find out what he does all day--what they uncover isn't illegal but is supernaturally evil, and Hoag is neither perpetrator nor victim.

These stories feel a bit old-fashioned, but no one ignited the sense of wonder in readers better than Heinlein. This collection offers a golden opportunity to sample a master at his best. --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Fantasies of Heinlein
A compilation of his works in the fantasy genre, this book displays some of Heinlein's greatest literary skills... His ability to tell a good story and this book shows Heinlein not just as a multi Hugo award winning science fiction author but as a master story teller of any genre.The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein shows his fans another side of his genius.

Not All The Stories are good
Some of the stories are good, and some are outright painful to read.

Good ones that are worth your time: "All You Zombies", "They"

The rest are truly not worth ones time. Especially "Magic Inc." That one was truly horrible I cant believe I read the whole thing. Waiting for some good to come of it.

good books
Book delivered on time, in great shape. Forgotten Works Warehouse will get my business again.

The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein

received item on time and in good condition. would do business with them again.

These are destined to become true masterpieces!
"The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein" is a collection of stories.The worst of these is very good. Robert Heinlein was a master of science fiction writing.His fantasies are even more masterful!

One piece of advice.Do not read them all at once.They are best if savored, one at a time, over a few weeks."Waldo" brought a new word to the American-English language.I believe Waldoes are still used.Many of today's robots (There are many more than you think.) had their basis in Waldoes."All You Zombies ... " may be the best Heinlein story, ever. I think "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants" is a great key to appreciating Heinlein.I consider "Magic, Inc." to be a fun story, but it has chilling undercurrents.And, wait til you find the story that I consider to be the most chilling story of all time!Consider each of these to be a good shot of brandy, of varied sort and potency.

At least two of these stories reach the level of all time great American literature. ... Read more

Product Description
The Jordan Foundation sponsored the Proxima Centauri Expedition in 2119, in attempt to reach the nearer stars of the galaxy. But that was far in the mythic past. The original purpose of the Ship's epic voyage has long been forgotten, and gor generations the ginat spaceship, lost between the stars, is the only world that the people aboard have known. A strange civilization has evolved, with its own superstitions, savage religion, rigid class structure and mutant outcasts. Then, one young man discovers the truth about the Ship and changes everything, for ever... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

One of 1940s science fiction's small gems
Hugh Hoyland knows no other universe but that of the Ship, whose vast decks hold farms and villages powered by the Converter. He's a curious young man, though; so he enjoys exploring the upper decks, and risking attack by the "muties" who live there, rather more than do his contemporaries. When his former teacher, a Scientist named Nelson, calls him in and tells him that he will be trained to join that Ship-board equivalent to a priestly caste, Hugh's joy comes as much from being allowed to read all the ancient books he wishes as from knowing that he will be looked up to all his life. He hasn't long to enjoy his new status, though, before a venture to the upper decks ends badly. Hugh is captured by muties, and enslaved by one of their leaders - the two-headed Joe-Jim Gregory. Who knows much that the Scientists below do not, including what the Ship really is.

This pair of novellas that together form a slim book fired my imagination the first time I read them, when I was in junior high school and had quite recently discovered science fiction. I wondered, when I picked it up last week, how the story would stand the test of being read again a good 45 years later. The answer to that question? It is what it is, still. An imaginative adventure tale, lacking in character development because it's designed to be plot-driven; and lacking in female characters (those that do appear barely even speak) because the market for which Heinlein wrote his early works wasn't interested in such characters. At least, that's my take on the reason.

One of 1940s science fiction's small gems. This copy goes into my library, because I'm not parting company with it again.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 EPPIE science fiction winner "Regs"

compelling and imaginative
This book is a fun and imaginative trip into the future. What would happen if it took so long for colonists to reach a far-off planet that they forgot where they were going or even that they were on a ship? A quick, light read, yet provides food for thought.

A science fiction classic
This novel as far as I know is the first novelization of the "generational spaceship" concept.In the story mankind has not solved the problem of traveling faster-than-light, and accordingly is seeking to colonize nearby stars using spaceships that will take many generations to reach their goal.But something has gone terribly wrong, and a strange and unpleasant civilization, which has forgotten the entire purpose of the voyage, has evolved on the ship.This novel does not feature Heinlein's best writing, but it is a thoughtful and engrossing story.Recommended.RJB.

A classic story by one of the masters
There is a statistical principle called "regression to the mean" that can also be applied across human generations. It means that when a parent is extremely intelligent the probability is very high that the children will be closer to the mean, in other words be less intelligent. That principle has often been used to predict the consequences of having multi-generational spaceships travel between the stars. Even though the original inhabitants will be selected for their intelligence and dedication, their descendents will revert to the mean and perhaps even lose touch with what their mission is. Throw in the possibility of negative genetic damage due to cosmic rays and a noble cause can degenerate into a primitive society rather quickly.
Hugh Hoyland is a passenger on such a ship where two social groups have emerged. A society composed of "scientists", engineers and other working people and another of the primitive "muties", a term used to refer to both the descendents of mutineers and deformed mutants that managed to survive. These two groups have been at war with each other for some time. While some books still exist, learning is almost non-existent, a physics book is considered to be a collection of fables. In this society where bodies are recycled, sometimes as food, the highest greeting is "Good eating!" as quality food is at a premium.
Heinlein weaves an excellent story of a degenerate society and the attempts by Hugh and his allies to regain control of the ship, reach a state of peace between the two groups and get them back on their mission to colonize a planet around another star. The human capacity to create religious myths out of whatever is available is paramount as well as the unwillingness of such minds to deny the evidence of their own senses when it contradicts their religious beliefs. There is a hint of the history of the Catholic Church against Galileo when the newly installed Captain of the ship denies the existence of stars, even after he has seen them. This is an excellent science fiction story from one of the original masters.

It Still Moves!
Orphans of the Sky (1963) is the fifteenth SF novel in the Juvenile series, although not included in the original sequence.It was initially published in 1941 as a two part serial in Astounding and then reprinted in paperback -- under the title of Universe -- in 1951.

Mankind spread through the Solar System.First the moon and the inner planets.Then they reached the asteroids and the outer planets.

In 2119, the Jordan Foundation launched the first starship -- the Vanguard -- toward Proxima Centauri. At first the voyage went well, but then the Mutiny killed the Captain and many others before it was defeated.The mutineers fled into the upper levels, mixing with the mutants that had been born over the years.

In this novel, Hugh Hoyland is a cadet. He lives in the barracks and works for his Uncle Edard.Unlike most of the crew, Hugh knows how to read and write.He likes to explore the ship and wonders about its purpose.

Joe-Jim Gregory is a mutant.He has two heads on one set of shoulders.Jim is the impulsive one, but Joe thinks ahead.

In this story, Hugh and his buddies are many levels above their normal working space.A Mutie has barely missed his head with a slung metal slug, so they decide to return.As they proceed downward, their weight gradually grows heavier.

The next day, Hugh asks the Witness about all the levels above them and is told The Lines From the Beginning.The day after that, Lieutenant Nelson calls him into his office to discuss his plans.He has been thinking about marrying Edris Baxter and becoming a farmer, but the Lieutenant tells him that he will become a Scientist.He has no choice in the matter.

Hugh is enthralled by the old books, even though the old style of writing is hard to read.He is also confused by certain references and expressions.For example, the Law of Gravity is rather puzzling, but the Lieutenant explains that it is a metaphor for young love.

Especially perplexing is the references to the Ship moving.Everything moves relative to the Ship.How could the Ship move?

Hugh is assigned to duty at the Converter and soon forgets his abstract thoughts in the ordinary tasks within Engineering.His peers have their own -- practical -- ways of looking at things.So he goes on a scouting party to locate Muties and finds himself a captive of Joe-Jim.

This tale describes a generation ship that has lost its knowledge of the outside universe.To the inhabitants, the Ship IS the universe.Of course, nothing else matters during the voyage, but sooner or later they will come to the destination.

This story was among the first works about using slower-than-light travel to reach the stars.Most SF authors of that period either ignored the lightspeed limits in relativity or bypassed such limits by assuming faster-than-light drives.Since the author did not see FTL travel as a readily developed technology, he wrote about other ways to reach the stars.Naturally, research on FTL travel would continue through the decades or centuries while STL ships were crawling toward their destinations.

This story was published before Time for the Stars, but has a similar scenario.Yet it differs in several ways, most significantly the amount of time that the passengers perceive during the voyage.Since the Ship in this tale has been drifting for most of the voyage, it travels at much less than lightspeed.Relativity has only slight effects on shipboard time, so generations are born and die while the ship travels onward.

The original stories were actually listed in the Future History Timeline as "Universe" and "Commonsense".However, neither story was included in The Past Through Tomorrow.So this novel is generally included in the Juvenile series.

This work is a classic.The generation ship theme has been used many times by later authors, but this short novel has never been surpassed.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of interstellar voyages, group dynamics, and isolated cultures.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Greatest SciFi anthology ever.
This is a collection of Heinlein's "Future History" stories, most written between 1939 and 1962.While written as entertainment, these stories prove disturbingly prophetic, describing not so much the technological innovations of the past 50 years, but more the social evolution which has come about.His emotionally charged scenarios, and unique characters are captivating, and the evocation of possible future events and discoveries are tantalizing.
This volume also serves as an excellent introduction to his novels which further explore these themes of social progress, frank sexual situations and technological wonder.

Can't believe I waited this long to read it!
This book sat on my shelf since college where I read a few of the stories for an English class.I finally got around to reading the whole thing front to back and what an amazing piece of work.The thing that most amazes me most is the continuity in these stories that were written over several decades.The final story in the series is quite possible one of the best pieces of Scifi i've had the pleasure of reading.Enjoy!

It is good to see all these favorites from the past
"Past Through Tomorrow" gathers together the short stories and novellas from Heinlein's "Future History" series of tales.I read it when it first appeared as a collection.I, also, read most of the individual stories even earlier, as a kid.

Heinlein was, sometimes, a brilliant short story writer.However, some of these stories do show the passage of time.Still, some of them are so timely that it seems that they could have been written yesterday.

These shorter stories and novellas helped to hook many of Heinlein's older fans.

Buy the book!

Classic
This is the first Heinlein book I ever read, and I have never looked back since. A fantastic collection of thought-provoking and interconnected stories made for a very excellent read. Personal;ly, my favorite stories were 'Requiem' and 'The Man who sold the Moon'. 'Methuselah's Children' is also part of this collection, introducing you to the Howard Families (and Lazarus Long)

Future History In Order
This is a fantastic collection.To begin with, almost the entire contents of the two collections ("The Green Hills of Earth" and "The Man Who Sold the Moon") are here ("Let There Be Light" is not included).Next there is "Searchlight" a short vignette which Heinlein wrote as part of an advertisement for Hoffman Electronics.In addition there is "The Menace From Earth", "If This Goes On-", "Coventry", "Misfit", and the novel "Methuselah's Children.All in all, over 800 pages of stories from Heinlein's Future History.

This collection of Future History stories was published in 1967, and while the claim made on the back cover of having all the Future History works included is not true, it is a truly great collection of 21 of them.A couple of the missing ones include the aforementioned "Let There Be Light", and "Farmer in the Sky", and there may be some other ones which I have forgotten.The stories were all written between 1939 and 1962, with the majority of the work coming from the 40s.Here is a list of the included material, along with some of the recognition it has received:

* "Life-Line" - Short Story - August, 1939 - Tied for 14th on the 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for Short Fiction written before 1940.

* "The Roads Must Roll" - Novelette - June, 1940 - Tied for 28th on the 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll of Short Fiction.

* "Blowups Happen" - Novella - September, 1940.

* "The Man Who Sold the Moon" - Novella - 1950 - Tied for 35th on the 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll of Short Fiction. 5th on the 1999 Locus All-Time Poll for Novella's.Won the Retro Hugo in 2001 for Best Novella for the year 1950.

* "Delilah and the Space-Rigger" - Short Story - December, 1949.

* "Space Jockey" - Short Story - April 26, 1947.

* "Requiem" - Short Story - January 1940 - Tied for 17th on the Locus All-Time Poll for Short Stories in 1999. Nominated for the Prometheus Hall of Fame in 2002.Won the Prometheus Hall Of Fame award in 2003.

* "The Long Watch" - Short Story - December, 1949 - Tied for 30th on the 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll of Short Fiction.Tied for 33rd on the 1999 Locus All-Time Poll for Short Stories.

* "Gentlemen, Be Seated!" - Short Story - May, 1948.

* "The Black Pits of Luna" - Short Story - January 10, 1948.

* "It's Great to Be Back!" - Short Story - July 26, 1947.

* "-We Also Walk Dogs" - Short Story - July, 1941.

* "Searchlight" - Vignette - August, 1962.

* "Ordeal in Space" - Short Story - May, 1948.

* "The Green Hills of Earth" - Short Story - February 8, 1947 - Tied for 2nd on the 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for Short Fiction.10th on the 1999 Locus All-Time Poll for Short Stories.

* "Logic of Empire" - Novella - March, 1941.

* "The Menace from Earth" - Novelette - August, 1957.

* "If This Goes On -" - Novella - 1940.

* "Coventry" - Novella - July 1940.

* "Misfit" - Novelette - November 1939.

* Methuselah's Children - Novel - 1941 - 26th on the 1966 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for books.Won the Prometheus Hall of Fame award in 1997.

The stories are presented in Future History chronological order.The first story "Life-Line", takes place in 1951, and Methuselah's Children leaves us approaching the 23rd century.This is an outstanding collection of stories, from what many feel is the greatest science fiction writer of all time.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This vendor stands behind the product
I received the book and it was worn more than I thought it should be.I sent an email to the vendor and they promptly refunded my money.I will do business with this vendor again.Very trustworthy. ... Read more

Product Description
In one of Robert A. Heinlein's most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe-and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind's most alarming enemy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

What is all the fuss about ?
I finally got around to Starship Troopers, after reading over and over again that it's a classic.I found most of the book to be dated, turgid, and boring.I'm sure it was ground-breaking when it was published in 1959; in the interim, however, other authors (most notably John Scalzi) have taken the same theme and greatly improved upon it.For a supposed military sci-fi adventure, there are few actual battle scenes.Try Old Man's War or The Ghost Brigades- they both leave Starship Troopers in the intergalactic dust.

Best SciFi is still in books
I first read this 25 years before the movie came out, while in Jr. High. I recall being put off by the martial society and the direct criticisms of American democracy it portrayed. Even if there were no interstellar war going on, it's hard to imagine that being a very pleasant future to live in. Politics aside, I was taken in by the cool technology and tales of alien adventures. The clash between human electro-mechanical and "Bug" bio technologies was a main attraction for me. Even without re-reading the book I could tell from the first five minutes that the 1997 movie adaptation was going to be a major disappointment. It was. Probably the worst "creative decision" made was not equipping the troops with the signature powered armored suits of the novel. Trying to compensate for obviously budget conscious moves like that by having the movie not take itself too seriously didn't work for me.

FOR THE LOVE OF SPEACHES AND TRAINING
OUCH!I'm still kicking myself for reading this book!The movie is on my short list of All-Time Favorites.This novel is NOT!!
I remembered liking "Stranger in a Strange Land" (another Heinlein book) as a kid. I don't like Starship Troopers tonight!
The speach by Rico's HS teacher (about how to raise a proper teenager), with the anology of training a puppy, was really GREAT!
But hundred more pages of speaches and training details took away the faint glow.
The amazing battles of the film version were very exciting.
This book was not exciting.There are only a few pages of action.
Deaths of characters are frequently mentioned "after the fact" and "after the battle".I can't believe how much was ADDED to make the film so good!
The alien "Bugs" are rarely seen.I started to skim pages...not caring.
If political debating is your sort of thing, then go for it.
Otherwise, find another way to spend your precious hours!

Starship Troopers as Utopia
In the annals of military science fiction, one book has always stood apart in my mind as the epitome of excellence. That book is Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. A controversial book to say the least, its also one of the best coming-of-age novels that SF has to offer. It may also be one of the most storied novels in the history of our genre as well; the controversy surrounding its submission by Heinlein to Scribner's is legendary. So legendary in fact that it would be a horrible waste of time for me to go over it yet again here. But the debate over the purpose of this book has raged quietly since it was first published in 1959. Most readers take this book as an exercise in jingoistic excellence, as full of the polemic of military virtue as a book of three hundred odd pages can possibly be. One thing though that it is actually surprisingly light on, at least by today's standards, is blood and gore, which is odd for a military-themed work. The reality of war is presented well: Dead civilians, crippled infrastructure, nuclear blast craters and dead comrades are sprinkled liberally throughout the book, and topics such as terrorism and the targeting of noncombatants are presented without the amorality being questioned at all. But by far the bulk of the text is dedicated to deep discussions of what it means to be an adult, and the ways that real men and women care for society, and make decisions about the use of force as an instrument of foreign policy. Without ever sounding preachy or descending to pandering or nagging, Heinlein did an excellent job of describing exactly what that meant within the framework of a military dominated government. If you ask me this book is clearly focused on the military and sociological themes, but what the book becomes is nothing short of a utopia tale. It is definitely another one of those ambiguous utopias, but Heinlein presented a society here that chose to focus on a military way of life to avoid certain problems that crop up in a society like our own where freedom is a birthright and rights are granted before people have a chance to consider the burdens of citizenship. As it happened, after that particular course was chosen for the ship of state an interstellar war broke out, so throughout the story the military government was just doing what it was designed originally to do; make war on an enemy...[...]

Don't hurt me. :-p
I am going to say it, at the risk of being told that I don't know what I am talking about, or that I have no class and would rather be entertained than educated.I don't know, someone will say I am dumb.I liked the MOVIES, more than I liked this book.
I thought this book was boring!!!!I cannot stress how boring this book was.It was full of nothing, but long boring rants about Rico Math homework.He never got out of basic training, I lost count on how many chapters dealt with his military training, and it was always the same stuff over and over again.He always wanted to quit, and then the book would go to him thinking about his History teacher's words of wisdom, which kept him going.
When there were battles, they lasted for 5 pages at the most.Then back to the Roger Young for 4 whole chapters about how his friends bought the farm, and how his unit was going to change and refit to fight again, which comes after 8 chapters about him complaining about how he wants to see girls, and other stupid things.
Then he goes to officer school, wow more BASIC training, he never gets out of training.At least this was about 3 chapters and not 8 chapters.The first chapter was his civilian life (I don't count the Prolog). 11 chapters out of 14 were all him in some sort of training.The battles were not even that impressive, when they went into battle.I couldn't wait to see if Rico would finish his Math homework, which he never does. So no real closer on that issue, lol.I can't stress the fact that if the director of the Movie were to make the movie to the book, it would have been long and boring.I enjoyed the first movie immensely, not the 2nd movie, at least the 3rd picked it back up.This book is BORING, but nothorrible.It can be entertaining for a while, but once you finished you will be glad to move on to another book.
The idea of people having to serve to gain their citizenship is not too bad of an Idea.I agree that a lot of people don't know what true freedom is in America, they take for granted a lot of the freedoms we have, because they have never earned it.Being in the Military (Army) myself, and having been deployed twice, I can honestly say I will never take my freedom for granted again.I seen the world, and how different it is compared to the lives we have.However, that's the point of our great country.People have the choice to not join the military, and that's great.
Overall this book gains three stars.It's not bad, but not great.This book is written in a journal type of way, with Rico being the journalist. The book is not very entertaining, but rather dry.It has a lot of philosophy questions it asks, that Rico tries to find the answers for, but never really does.It never goes into battle, but ask why we are fighting.I guess it's only considered a classic because of the questions it raises about society and the way of gaining citizenship (in the book) was contraversal at the time of 1959.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good collection of Heinlein short stories
"The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein" is a good collection of Heinlein short stories. However, a more recent book, "Expanded Universe" contains all of these stories plus several more.Still, this book is a worthwhile collection, by itself.The passage of time has dated some of these pieces, but some of the fiction still reads very well in 2008.

The first piece is "Pandora's Box", an updated non-fiction piece listing 'predictions' that Heinlein makes about the future.Rating =4

"Free Men" is a story about an America conquered, almost, by a ruthless enemy and about one of the small bands of insurgents left, resisting and reconnecting with other bands of insurgents.Rating = 3 to 4

"Blowups Happen" is about the bad effects of stress and about ways of dealing with it. It is also a tale of suspense.Rating = 4 or more.

"Searchlight" is outdated, but was a neat solution to finding someone. Rating = 3

"Life-Line" is a very early Heinlein story.Question: What are the results from knowing when you are going to die?The answer is somewhat dark.Rating = 4.

"Solution Unsatisfactory" is a story about one way of "fighting" an atom-age war.Somewhat outdated but scary.Rating = 4.

On the whole, the stories are not exactly cheerful.But, they will engage your attention!These are the types of short stories that really got me hooked on Heinlein.

Not Free SF Reader
There is rather an extensive introductory section and essay to this book, which is apparently revised and annotated from a previous example.Heinlein talks about SF writers not being prophets, but doing a bit of extrapolation.

A couple of interesting quotes :

"...can you imagine a man being lynched for wasting an ice cube? Try Frank Herbert's Dune World saga, which is notI judgeprophecy in any sense, but is powerful, convincing, and most ingenious speculation. Living, as I do, in a state which has just two sorts of water, too little and too muchwe just finished seven years of drought with seven inches of rain in two hours, and one was about as disastrous as the otherI find a horrid fascination in Dune World, in Charles Einstein's The Day New York Went Dry, and in stories about Biblical-size floods such as S. Fowler Wright's Deluge."

"The greatest crisis facing us is not Russia, not the Atom bomb, not
corruption in government, not encroaching hunger, nor the morals of young.
It is a crisis in the organization and accessibility of human knowledge."

Other than that, a 3.30 average for these.

Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein : Free Men - Robert A. Heinlein
Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein : Blowups Happen - Robert A. Heinlein
Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein : Searchlight - Robert A. Heinlein
Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein : Life-Line - Robert A. Heinlein
Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein : Solution Unsatisfactory - Robert A. Heinlein


Irradiating the Resistance resistance.

3.5 out of 5


Rocket scientist atomic observational pressure.

3.5 out of 5


Find Blind Betsy.

3 out of 5


"I can tell you when the Black Camel will kneel at your door."

3.5 out of 5


Dead as dust by dust democracy defense.

3 out of 5


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Customer Reviews (89)

Too much of a (potentially) good thing
I first read this novel not long after it was published and loved it.I remembered the basic premise but could not recall the details.Now I know why.

Johann Sebastian Bach Smith is one of, if not the, richest man in the world.He lives in a fortified mansion, surrounded by a huge staff as he controls his vast business empire.He is also dying of old age, hooked up to numerous life support devices that will not allow him to die despite the fact he suffers through each day in pain. In order to escape his suffering Johann devises a plan to transfer his brain into a younger donor body using new untried techniques.The biggest problem finding a suitable donor body, which is made particularly difficult by his extremely rare blood type.Johann was horrified when he discovered that the procedure had occurred and that he had survived - he had been thinking of it as a way to commit suicide.He was further shocked when he discovered that his new body was female, specifically that of his secretary and friend, Eunice.As Johann dealt with the shock and grief that this turn of events caused him he was further shocked to find that Eunice was still in residence.

This novel is one of Heinlein's Future History/World As Myth stories.The story was set twenty or thirty years in the future (it was published in 1970).Heinlein was once again predicting that society would further deteriorate, crime would increase, literacy would decline and technology would continue to provide new surprises.He also spoke to themes familiar to his fans, polyamory and acceptance of sexuality however it is expressed.

Heinlein wrote this novel after his better known works, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS which had brought him to fame, making him, along with Arthur C. Clarke and Issac Asimov, one of the Greats of Science Fiction authors.Unfortunately in this case that very fame, coupled with the fact that he was quite ill will this was being written,was probably a detriment.Heinlein had begun his writing career writing for pulp magazines which paid by the word, a practice that did not encourage a writer to brevity.Editors would usually step in to curb excesses but, when dealing with an author of Heinlein's stature that system did not always work.This is a book of just over 500 pages, unfortunately the story is really only 200 pages long at most.The other 300 pages are filler, scenes that don't need to take place, characters that have no purpose and endless pointless conversations.If a stern editor had taken Heinlein to task over this novel, had ruthlessly cut large sections of this first draft and sent him back to work we would have been left with a much better story.The premise here is wonderful and gives rise to many ideas that could be explored - that a rich man could be a prisoner of his own success (an idea also touched on in CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY),what constitutes sexual identity?, what defines an educated person?, where do we go after we die?- to name but a few.Sadly most of these opportunities are lost amid the pages of pointless drivel in this story.

Fans of Heinlein will not want to miss this one, to see the familiar themes in another setting, to smile at the little gems Heinlein would slip into conversations or 'news stories'.Those unfamiliar with his work should begin elsewhere, with STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, or THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS or DOOR INTO SUMMER or....well just about anywhere but here.

disappointing potboiler of body switch
This is a clunkily written book about an old man who has his brain implanted into the body of a young woman.Not only is the method unrealistic - as they are compatible by blood type the surgeons just match the brain stems and don't worry about which nerve goes where - but the story is way too long.Naturally, there is a dialogue that goes on between the 2 people in the body, and it is not bad but there is nothing much interesting about it except perhaps when the old man discovers sex as a female.The atmospherics are not bad, as the earth is falling into a kind of political chaos from totally unregulated capitalism, but this is only a backdrop. I just never quite believed in either the characters or the situation.

Recommended tepidly.

Great concept but average execution
Before we get into things, let's deal with the most common complaint regarding the book. Yes, it is sexist, anachronistic, and often patently offensive in it's portrayal of BOTH genders. It's also a book that was first published in 1970, and is the work of a man who began writing science fiction as early as 1939. Critiquing Heinlein for not being properly progressive regarding women 40 years ago is like lambasting Mark Twain for not being politically correct regarding race 135 years ago.

Anyway, the book introduces us to Johann, an elderly, crippled, bitter old man who also happens to be exceedingly rich. He knows his body is dying, but his brain is just fine. So, he comes up with the idea of transferring his brain to a new body upon his death. He doesn't actually expect it to work, but figures it's better to waste his money on a sliver of hope than to let his children squabble over it.

Not only does he not expect it to work, but he certainly does not expect to wake up in the body of a woman - specifically, that of Eunice, his beautiful young secretary. Fortunately for Johann, something of Eunice has survived to share her body with him. It's never made clear whether this is her spirit, her memory, or just his imagination, but it serves to jumpstart the plot past the awkwardness you'd expect of a man who is suddenly a woman.

Once the legal/ethical/philosophical issues are dispensed with, much of the book deals with Johann's (now Joan Eunice's) sexual exploits. Again, yes, they're sexist and sometimes crude, but also thoroughly entertaining.

Ultimately, what I took away from the book was an appreciation for the dilemma of sex vs gender vs sexual orientation - what does it means for a man's mind to desire other women (while in a woman's body), or for a woman's body to continue desiring men (while guided by a man's mind).

As I said, it's an interesting book, and one that makes you think. It's not the greatest story every written, but certainly a great concept.

This is Heinlein at his worst, yet it is still worth reading
Personality transfers between humans is not anywhere near a new idea, the concept of possession, demonic or otherwise, goes back thousands of years. Johann Sebastian Bach Smith is very old, very rich and very sick, yet his mind is still extremely sharp. Therefore, it is his desire to have his intellectual essence transferred into another body when he dies.
The inevitable happens and his mind is successfully implanted into the body of his recently deceased and gorgeous secretary Eunice. Furthermore, although Eunice supposedly died, her personality still exists and cohabitates the human vessel with Smith. The minds of an old man and that of a sexually active young female have to somehow manage to live in the same body, which creates natural problems as it is hard enough for a man and a woman to share the same house.
While Heinlein is a master at pursuing an interesting science fiction plot, this book is simply much too long and the body starts getting quite crowded. At the end the logical question is "How many souls can dance in one head?" The version I read is 495 pages long and I really struggled through many sections, a lot could have been cut without loss of flow. I have read that many consider this Heinlein's worst novel and that is an opinion I must concur with.

Great Author, Terrible Book
Basically, this is about an old guy who gets his brain transplanted into a womanm then he/she loves everyone and has sex with everyone. Near the end, she decides she wants to sleep with the several thousand people who have immigrated to the moon. There are about 50 good pages among the 517, the rest are just awful. Nothing happens. His other books are MUCH better. ... Read more

Product Description
Attn Robert A Heinlein collectors! Contains "Beyond Doubt," by Robert A Heinlein and Elma Wentz, only reprinted two other times and very rare! Also contains: The Embassy, by Donald A. Wollheim [as by Martin Pearson]; The Hunted, by John D. MacDonald; Heredity, by Isaac Asimov; Rock Diver, by Harry Harrison; The Little Black Bag, by C. M. Kornbluth (winner, 2001 Retro Hugo Award; The Lonely Planet, by Murray Leinster; Operation Peep, by John Wyndham; Let the Ants Try, by Frederik Pohl [as by James MacCreigh]; There Will Come Soft Rains, by Ray Bradbury; Scanners Live in Vain, by Cordwainer Smith (nominated, 2001 Retro Hugo Award; Such Interesting Neighbors, by Jack Finney; Bridge Crossing, by Dave Dryfoos; Letter from the Stars, by A. E. van Vogt; Love in the Dark, by H. L. Gold; Obviously Suicide, by S. Fowler Wright; Rescue Party, by Arthur C. Clarke; Stepson of Space, by Raymond Z. Gallun; Death Is the Penalty, by Judith Merril. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Pohl's First Anthology
"Beyond The End of Time" as far as I know, is the first anthology of stories edited by Frederik Pohl.Published originally in 1952 only in paperback (Permabooks P145), this collection has sadly never been reprinted.Included are 19 stories from icons from the Golden Age of science fiction.A few of these stories had been anthologized before, but most of them appear here for the first time, some of which were never published again.

Some of the noteworthy inclusions are C. M. Kornbluth's "The Little Black Bag" and Cordwainer Smith's "Scanners Live in Vain"; both of which were nominated for the 2001 Retro Hugo for novelettes published in the year 1950, and which was ultimately won by Kornbluth's story of an advanced medial kit which was sent back in time and was found by an old drunk doctor.The story was also remembered by fans, where it tied for 13th on the Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for short fiction in 1971, and tied for 24th on the Locus All-Time Poll for novelettes in 1999.Also included is Harry Harrison's first story, "Rock Diver", which is a promising first effort about an invention which allows miners to pass through solid matter to much more easily find valuable minerals.

A couple of stories have been republished numerous times: Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" and Arthur C. Clarke's "Rescue Party" both of which are fan favorites.Bradbury's story was tied for 15th on the Locus All-Time Poll for short stories in 1999, and Clarke's was tied for 9th on the Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for short fiction in 1971.However, if you already have those stories don't let that deter you.You will find stories from Asimov, Leinster, Wyndham, Pohl (under the pseudonym James MacCreigh), van Vogt, Wright, Merril, and a story co-authored by Robert Heinlein and Elma Wentz.

I enjoyed all of these stories, which if rated individually would all be 3 - 5 stars.There are no weak stories in this collection.Currently the only way to get this is used, but perhaps someone will revisit some of the wonderful anthologies from the 40's and 50's and reprint them.
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