[Dallas59]

One book I won't be reading.

[Spktyr]

Actually, this was one of the books that Heinlein deliberately chose *not* to write, IIRC. See the postscript to _Revolt In 2100_, "Concerning Stories Never Written."

Variable Star was *never* supposed to see the light of day.

[King Prout]

thanks for posting this review.

[isthisnickcool]

I'll pass, I've read all of Heinlein's books several times. By his own standard this is not one of his books.

[Darkwolf377]

Spider Robinson is a limited talent who's been foisting his gawdawful Callahan's Bar stories on the world for decades because he can't come up with anything else. He's a minor writer at best, and it's too bad someone like Jerry Pournelle or Larry Niven or Gregory Benford wasn't given this assignment, if indeed it needed to be written, anyway, which I don't think it did. Those other writers have too much going on in their own careers to need to attach themselves to Heinlein's name for a few bucks.

That the book "reads" like Heinlein makes my point: A writer with a distinct, individual style wouldn't be spending his time mimicking someone else.

[Lancey Howard]

Great post! Heinlein was the Dean of science fiction, period. (BTW, Heinlein died on May 8th, 1988 (18 years ago, not 20.) For those freeper fans of RAH who may have missed it, here is a good Heinlein thread from a couple of years ago.

[tallhappy]

Time Travellers Strictly Hack Garbage.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I can imagine what Heinlein would say about the current crop on the left, and it wouldn't be pretty.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The sad thing is, Spider Robinson wrote the following in an essay entitled "Rah, Rah, R.A.H.!": "Can there really be people so naive as to think that their way of life would survive the magic disappearance of their armed forces by as much as a month? Evidently; I meet 'em all over." And this: "...Unlike Lazarus, Heinlein loves the United States of America. He'll tell you why, quite specifically, in this book. Logical, pragmatic reasons why. He will tell you, for instance, of his travels in the Soviet Union, and what he saw and heard there. If, after you've heard him out, you still don't think that for all its warts (hell, running sores), the United States is the planet's best hope for an enlightened future, there's no sense in us talking further; you'll be wanting to pack. (Hey, have you heard? The current government of the People's republic of China [half-life unknown] has allowed as to how limited freedom of thought will be permitted this year? Provisionally.)" And this, when listing the most popular charges against Heinlein's politics, on him being right wing: "And even if there were anything to the allegation, when exactly was it that the conservaive viewpoint was proven unfit for literary consumption? I missed it."

Spider apparenty doesn't remember his own words.

[Socratic]

This reminds me of "Black Coffee," an Agatha Christie stage play which was turned into a novel by Charles Osborne. It features Hercule Poriot and Hastings but is so lacking in the original Christie style that it seemed a terrible waste of time to read it. I understand that it was almost slavishly devoted to the play's original dialogue and stage direction. What was missing was the Christie flair. What I so like about Christie are the laugh-out-loud moments. She could take an observation of human behavior or foible and craft a sentence which so piqantly described it, that one could not help but audibly laugh.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Spider IMO jumped the shark a long time ago.

[usmcobra]

I refuse to read anything but the genuine author.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I of course will read it, The Lazarus Long quote is one I have used many times.

[9999lakes]

I'm always amazed when I discover how many Heinlien fans there really are. I think I've read everything he ever wrote, but I have never met a single person who even heard of him.

Yet every time his name is mentioned in a site like this, lots of people know even more about the writer than I do.

Incidentally, "Starship Troopers" was filmed in Wyoming, not far from where I lived -- A friend of mine was one of the extras behind the white masks.

Also incidental -- if the heinlien family was willing to sign off on the movie, I'm guessing they won't mind a ghost writer doing a work-up on some old notes.

[Phsstpok]

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

Robert A Heinlein

I would say that, based on this example of his talent, Spider Robinson is appropriately named (arachnids are close enough to insects to make the point).

[narses]

Any Catholic Heinlein fans? Any thoughts on his books, his life and how they relate to our current culture?

[SunkenCiv]

Because of a long ago reply to me, I thought you might want to see this topic. :')

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/653287/posts?page=88#88