NationStates Jolt Archive

Thos being the only Heinlein books I've read, I'd like to know your thoughts on them.

i like The Cat Who Walked Through Walls a great deal, personally. but of the two you listed, i have to go with Stranger.

How is that? Does it involve yet another Mike?

I've read both of them, but I can't remember exactly what the moon is a harsh mistress was about, so I'll go with Stranger in a Strange Land. I've got an uncut copy of it with no fancy cover (black text on blue background) or anything. Wonder how much it's worth...

"Stranger" without a doubt. While some of the specifics are dated, "Stranger remains a masterpiece of demonstrating the philosophical clashes of "alien" societies and points of view and being rather matter-of-fact about it. I think it should be read and understood by all.

It straddles the genres of Science Fiction and Speculative Philosophy.

How is that? Does it involve yet another Mike?
well, to a certain extent there is a "Mike" in all his books...but not directly, no. it's worth a read, if only for the wonderful Heinlein wit and charming dialogue.

*runs screaming from the thread, eats a Twinkie(tm), and feels better about the world*

I've read neither. But Starship Troopers is worth a read.

Also, to those who have read Heinlein and like him, I suggest these three authors. Spider Robinson. Roger Zelazny. Steven Brust.

Roger Zelazny

Ahhhh ... now that's an author.

The whole Amber series was delightful (The Courts of Chaos and Knight of Shadows being my favorites) and The Changeling was a real treat.

Really brings back some memories of staying up very late with a small flashlight just so I could read.

I think Holmes is mentioned in passing in Cat, but he doesn't actually play a part. Though, if you still remember the first few chapters at the end, it has what may be the greatest ending the world has ever seen. It's, like, LHoD good. Fiat Lux good. Actually, there's no comparable ending I can think of, though those merit reading both books two or three times just for the last chapter of each. There's only one thing you can use to compare- it's opening paragraph to Guns of August good.

I preferred Mistress, personally, though it's a tough call. If you read the unabridged Stranger (it is abridged unless it specifically states otherwise on the cover), you really get one hell of a kickass story. They cut out two or three scenes and replaced one big enough to notice with a short paragraph, plus a few of the more amusing jokes were "abridged," totalling in maybe 50 pages nixed.

My personal favorites are Job: A Comedy of Justice and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. The former is what Voltaire's Candide wanted to be, along with being more interesting and more plausible. The latter is a Heinlein Juvenile, which is an amazing good read as a kid, even though I didn't really "get it" until I re-read it when I was 18. Then, I realized that Kip's father might the be the most brilliant humorist RAH has ever written, and I grokked analytic geometry.

My personal favorites are Job: A Comedy of Justice and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. The former is what Voltaire's Candide wanted to be, along with being more interesting and more plausible. The latter is a Heinlein Juvenile, which is an amazing good read as a kid, even though I didn't really "get it" until I re-read it when I was 18. Then, I realized that Kip's father might the be the most brilliant humorist RAH has ever written, and I grokked analytic geometry.I didn't like Job that much myself, but I have the hardcover...

Yes, 'grok' is one of my favorite words. I ask people if they grok something, and they wonder what I'm talking about. Ugh, unread persons. :p :D

I didn't like Job that much myself, but I have the hardcover...

Yes, 'grok' is one of my favorite words. I ask people if they grok something, and they wonder what I'm talking about. Ugh, unread persons. :p :D
I tried that, but since I seem to be the only person in the North-West who has read it, I quickly dropped it.

Lend out the book to friends, than start using it again.

I tried that, but since I seem to be the only person in the North-West who has read it, I quickly dropped it.I tell them that they obviously don't grok what I'm saying. :p It's really quite funny.

Lend out the book to friends, than start using it again.Perhaps so. I just read it a few months ago myself, so I don't think I'll come around and try it again very quickly.

Lend out the book to friends, than start using it again.
That may be a bit hard, I seem to only make friends with people who seem apathetic to SF

Starship Troopers is my favorite Heinlein. Of those two, MiaHM

Also, to those who have read Heinlein and like him, I suggest these three authors. Spider Robinson. Roger Zelazny. Steven Brust.

Oh, yes. All good. But I especially like Brust. :)
I'd also highly reccomend John Varley. He's taken up where Heinlein left off.

Starship Troopers

Say what you want about it, but that movie was nothin' but fun.

Giant bugs, Doogie Howser, and boobies.

that "I will fear no evil" ranks pretty up there, too. My only question is why do they only make movies out of his juvie fiction books?

And if anyone can answer the 3,000,000 dollar question "What author was Heinlen's biggest influence" I will personally buy you a beer (if you live within 10 miles of me, if not, you just get tons of cool point for even knowing who the answer is).

LOL, Mooning!

Say what you want about it, but that movie was nothin' but fun.

Giant bugs, Doogie Howser, and boobies.


:sniper: Awful, awful, awful movie. A movie of Starship Troopers that paints Heinlein as a fascist, makes the MI into idiots, and leaves out the powered armor is horrid.

My personal favorites are Job: A Comedy of Justice and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. The former is what Voltaire's Candide wanted to be, along with being more interesting and more plausible. The latter is a Heinlein Juvenile, which is an amazing good read as a kid, even though I didn't really "get it" until I re-read it when I was 18. Then, I realized that Kip's father might the be the most brilliant humorist RAH has ever written, and I grokked analytic geometry.[/QUOTE]

- If you really liked Job: A Comedy of Justice you should probably read Jurgen:A Comedy of Justice by which Heinlen was shamelessly influenced (and in a good way, I think). James Branch Cabell...most controversial fantasy author of the...um.... 1920s or so (Jurgen was banned for awhile and Cabell even wrote a little short called "The Judging of Jurgen" about the trial and all of it's silly accusations of pornography). Very prolific author. VCU has a whole library dedicated to him. Heinlen was introduced to Cabell by a military buddy of his and fell in love with his social satire and cultural and historical commentary.

Go read it! NOW!

My personal favorites are Job: A Comedy of Justice and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel. The former is what Voltaire's Candide wanted to be, along with being more interesting and more plausible. The latter is a Heinlein Juvenile, which is an amazing good read as a kid, even though I didn't really "get it" until I re-read it when I was 18. Then, I realized that Kip's father might the be the most brilliant humorist RAH has ever written, and I grokked analytic geometry.

- If you really liked Job: A Comedy of Justice you should probably read Jurgen:A Comedy of Justice by which Heinlen was shamelessly influenced (and in a good way, I think). James Branch Cabell...most controversial fantasy author of the...um.... 1920s or so (Jurgen was banned for awhile and Cabell even wrote a little short called "The Judging of Jurgen" about the trial and all of it's silly accusations of pornography). Very prolific author. VCU has a whole library dedicated to him. Heinlen was introduced to Cabell by a military buddy of his and fell in love with his social satire and cultural and historical commentary.

Go read it! NOW![/QUOTE]

I'm off on vacation come Saturday and doing a reread of Voltaire (ever so slowly unfortunately - work & family, yanno?) I will take you up on this since on vacation I read at least 2 books a week. On the first question Stranger was a fantastic read and an interesting influence in my late teen years. I don't recall reading The moon . . . but I may have. Sooo long ago. For this genre I still hold Asimov as my favorite author with The Foundation series & I Robot, etc. being excellent. So many fine hours spent with SciFi - loved the genre - it's been a long time.