Customer Reviews (11)

The Second American Revolution
Revolt in 2100 (1963) is the third collection in the Future History series, following The Green Hills of Earth.It contains three stories, an Introduction and a Postscript.

- 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".

These stories are classics, yet "Coventry" is often overlooked.While the author is often declared a libertarian, he also believed in proper conduct and politeness.If he disagreed with anybody, Heinlein was much more likely to chew him out in plain English than use profanity.OTOH, he did believe that a man should fight against tyranny.

This collection covers the development of the Solar System.The next volume in the Future History series -- Methuselah's Children -- will see the start of starflight.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of religious coups, social engineering, and odd young men.For those who want more tales by Heinlein, these and many other stories are also included in The Past Through Tomorrow.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Theocratic dictatorship and liberation of America
This book contains one novel and two short stories. In the main story USA has been put under dictatorship. A theocratic power and its religious doctrines teach the high supreme Prophet possesses absolute truth whom everybody is to follow. Any doubters are Satan's followers are executed in sight. Black uniform police force supervise everything. The West Point military academy produces guards for the prophet.

Meet John Lyle, young cadet, who fells in love with virgin priestess who is to become servant of the Prophet's pleasures. In grief he collides with secret society who plans to revolt and liberate America. After escape and rescue of his beloved one, he joins the underground. The battle against tyranny starts. The book ends in victory.

The censorship, religious movements and propaganda is quite common concept and although the book deals with the issues from hight perspective, the story is simple adventure of John Lyle, his recruitment, live in military resistance movement and portrait of the final battlefield. The story's beginning dialogue between main characters is not bad, but shift to a 3rd person narrative for the rest of the story was like reading a paper journal, or news reports.

COVENTRY short story describes world after revolt, where unfit people are sent to borderland with no rules. It's a spy story where a sentenced idealist was sent to the borderland to serve his conviction, realizes the the reality didn't meet his expectations of the "free country".

MISFIT even shorter story is about space mining crew who have a job to move an asteroid into orbit between Earth and Mars to serve as an emergency landing platform. We meet Libby -- number genius -- who's latent mind computing powers save the mission.

One (1) star. In the main story the religious aspect, even when elevated into dictatorship, is not ground breaking. The biblical fascist ruling feels rather conventional against early history. The adventures of John Lyle contains very little suspense factors because the plot can be predicted from the first pages. No great social issues or love story itch your mind afterwards. The short stories are better, but not enough to raise grading. This was Heinlein's first full length novel: published in 1953. Recommended only for the Heinlein fans.

Not Free SF Reader
Another part of Heinlein's archetypal 'Future History' covering takeover of government by hardcore religious orders, and that sort of thing, along with moving out into solary system engineering projects.

A little more sophisticated, perhaps.

Revolt in 2100 : If This Goes On - Robert A. Heinlein
Revolt in 2100 : Coventry - Robert A. Heinlein
Revolt in 2100 : Misfit - Robert A. Heinlein


Of Official Virgins, Cabals and assault runs.

3.5 out of 5


You lot here are no fun any more anyway.

3 out of 5


Space Marine bad boy builders.

3.5 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

The Right to be Free of Tyranny In Any Form
This compilation of three of Heinlein's early Future History stories was originally published in 1953, but the stories actually date from much earlier.

"If This Goes On--" was first published as a 33,000 word novella in the Feb - Mar 1940 issues of Astounding, and was rewritten for this publication, where it weighs in a 57,000 words, thereby making it into the class of `short novel'.Heinlein's original working title for this work was "Vine and Fig Tree", which was a reference to George Washington's parting address to the nation: "he shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall make him afraid." The story's main plot and theme, of revolt against an oppressive theocracy in order to make men free to determine their own beliefs, ties well with his main character's development from a naïve young soldier in the service of the Prophet Incarnate to a fully-realized man, who knows at least some of what he wants in terms of profession, marriage, and religious beliefs.The basic background scenario, that of a United States that elected Nehemiah Scudder as President, and then acceded to changes in laws and Constitution that made the government that of an all-powerful theocracy, might seem a little far-fetched (especially so at the time of publication). But there has always been a strong strain of militant religiosity running through the fabric of American society, and at times it has taken some control over the law making process (such as Prohibition). Given this strain, and the modern media allowing for instant disbursement of an idea or allowing a charismatic individual to capture the hearts and imaginations of a great portion of the populace in a short time, the idea is not as far fetched as it might appear.

As one of Heinlein's early works, it does not have quite the polish and sophistication of his later works. But it reads as a strong adventure, with a lot of very plausible character growth, while the philosophical musings are more muted here than in much of his later work. But one very significant point is raised in these pages:

"Secrecy is the keystone of all tyranny. Not force, but secrecy ... censorship. When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, 'This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know,' the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives. Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything --you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."

"Coventry", the second story here, is almost a direct sequel to "If This Goes On ---". Here we see America after the revolution of the first story, where the new government is one based on allowing individuals to do anything except those actions that physically or economically injure another person. The story is about one man who does just that - breaks the nose of another person because he doesn't like the label that person tagged him with - and is then banished to Coventry, an area set aside for such individuals who won't allow themselves to be psychologically treated for their `illness'. Once more, the story is more about the maturation of its main character from someone who thinks the world isn't fair to one who accepts responsibility for his actions and sees the benefits of working for the good of the entire society. Part of the story is a little too melodramatic for my taste, and the ending is a little too pat, but it still makes for a good adventure read with some real meat buried within its story line.

"Misfit" sees the introduction of the mathematical genuis Andrew Jackson Libby, who will figure prominently in Methusalah's Children and as a minor character in several late period Heinlein books. Here his talents are called upon to give proper firing instructions to explosive charges used to warp an asteroid into a proper orbit between Earth and Mars. This may be the most dated of the stories, as the shown computer usage is positively ancient, on par with those used by WWII submarines for computing torpedo tracks. But it provides an interesting background to Libby, and shows just how some talents just don't become apparent unless they are placed in the right environment.

Heinlein's afterword, "On Stories Never Written", is probably of interest only to die-hard Heinlein fans, as it details his thoughts on the period leading up to the scenario of"If This Goes On ---", about which he had planned to write three separate stories (whose titles are still listed on the two-page Future History chart at the beginning of the book). Seeing the ideas, I just wish he had written those stories.

---Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

First story great..the others?Not so much.
The first story depicts some important decisions in the life of one particular member of the phropets own bodyguard the Angles of the Lord.It follows him through his recruitment by the underground organization until the eventual liberation of the United States of America.

The story, the first in the collection is great it is a pretty powerful testament to what is happening today in America to a certain existent.It is also practically unique in the works of Robert H. because it features (almost) no incest of any kind.

The second story is more odd.It starts off strong and continues quite briskly until the end where it sort of contradicts itself.I've noticed that this is a pattern in some Heinlein stories. See "Citizen of the Galaxy" for a good example.

The third story gets even stranger the basic plot goes something like this:A ship of workers/exiles set up shop on an asteroid then they figure out that they brought there own prejudices with them from earth.I'm sure they did something but I put the story down after 20 pages or so because it wasn't making an sense.

Overall-Even with the slow plodding parts of it the first 2 stories are worth reading.Check them out.
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Product Description
Bill knew his destiny lay in the stars, but how was he to get there?
George Lerner was shipping out for Ganymede to join the fledgling colony, and Bill wanted to go along. But his father would not hear of it -- far too dangerous a mission!
Bill finally talked his way aboard the colony ship Mayflower -- and discovered his father was right!
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Customer Reviews (26)

A fun novel that's less exciting than some other Heinlein juveniles
Other reviewers have summarized the plot; I'll simply explain my four star rating.I enjoyed Heinlein's juveniles when I was a teenager, and again upon rereading them in adulthood.Heinlein's juveniles offer an education in science, always written in language us non-scientists can comprehend: in Farmer in the Sky, the reader learns lessons of physics, agronomy, ecology, even "population bionomics" (although Heinlein's take on the inevitability of population growth outpacing food supplies might not be well grounded in science, at least as applied to human populations).At least equally interesting, I think, are the Heinlein values that shine through in his novels, and this one is no exception:his distrust of government and bureaucratic institutions; his fierce belief in individualism, coupled with a corresponding belief in the need for individuals to work cooperatively as friends and neighbors and families.And yes, as a one-star (and one-note) reviewer here observed, there's a bit of misogyny in the story, but hey, this is Heinlein, and the novel was written in 1950:his sensibility evolved (somewhat) in later years, and it's a relatively small part of the overall story.

The plot of Farmer in the Sky unfolds a bit more slowly than the stories in some of Heinlein's other juveniles.Frequently mentioned is Bill Lerner's joy in being an Eagle Scout and his love of scouting in general.A shorter version of the book was originally serialized in Boy's Life magazine--perhaps Heinlein included the scouting references to enhance his chance of selling the story, but since they continue to appear (often) in the novel, I suspect Heinlein simply placed great value in scouting.The scouting references don't contribute much to the story (unless you're a real scouting fanatic), but they don't detract from it either.

In short, Farmer in the Sky is fun, educational, but a bit less exciting than some of the other Heinlein juveniles.For the Heinlein completist it's an essential read, but readers seeking the furious action of Starship Troopers might be disappointed.

Early RAH teen novel excellent of the type and time 1950
Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein


If you are a devotee of Robert A. Heinlein (1907-88) and enjoy science fiction novels with lucid extrapolations of the near future then "Farmer In The Sky" should be on your "must read" list.

Overpopulation pressures induce the more adventurous, or more reckless families of Earth's teeming cities to apply for homesteads on the Terraformed Jupiter moon Ganymede. As Heinlein would state in another novel (Farnham's Freehold) TNSTAAFL - "Their Not Such Thing As A Free Lunch". Each homesteader-farmer must pledge several years of crops and labor to repay his passage and use of farm tools - the land is free.

Heinlein deftly handles the narrative detailing the fear and uncertainty within the Lerner household as they leave the security of Earth for the life of a pioneer. His descriptions of the homestead activities on an alien world are engrossing.

My only complaint, and a minor one at that, was the introduction of an "alien artifact" to give, I suppose, the story a real 1950's SF zing.

This novel, although written for the teen market in 1950, can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Settling a New World
Farmer in the Sky (1950) is the fourth SF novel in the Juvenile Series, following Red Planet.It is set at a time when the moons of Jupiter were being terraformed.Ganymede already had a heat shield to trap solar energy and an atmosphere plant to convert the ice to breathable air.A colony -- with a population of thirty thousand -- had formed around the power station at Leda.

The colonists had been carried to Ganymede in nuclear powered ships.Now the torchship Mayflower is being prepared to carry six thousand immigrants to the Ganymede colony.It will be leaving soon.

In this novel, William (Bill) Lermer is an Eagle Explorer Scout and leader of the Yucca Patrol.His mother Anne had died when he was much younger, but he has been living as a partner of George -- his father -- ever since.If it hadn't been for Bill, George would have staved to death long ago.

Hank Jones is also an Explorer and Eagle Scout in another Patrol.He is impulsive and exertive.

Molly Kenyon is a draftsman in George's office.She has a twelve year old daughter named Peggy.

In this story, Bill is flying home from a trip to the High Sierras with Hank as his co-pilot.Bill doesn't know Hank very well and doesn't like the way that he is behaving.When he reaches home, Bill cooks supper for his Dad and complains about Hank's pushy attitude.

Then George tells Bill that he will be going to Ganymede on the Mayflower, but that Bill will be staying behind.George wants Bill to finish his education before relocating to Ganymede.Bill disagrees and they have a bitter argument.

When Bill returns from a field trip to Antarctica, George show him an application for the voyage made out in Bill's name.Naturally, Bill informs all his friends and acquaintances of the possibility of his going to Ganymede.Then comes the tests, but both of them pass and are accepted as colonists.

Then George breaks the news that he is getting married.Bill is shocked and leaves the room.He can't understand how his Dad could betray Anne.But he remembers how his mother told him to "stand tall" and he manages to interact with Molly and Peggy.But he is by no means friendly.

They take a shuttle out to the Mayflower.After a long wait, the Mayflower powers up and away.Bill had been expecting something worse than the shuttle takeoff, but the interplanetary ship uses only one gee of acceleration.

After sixty days of avoiding boredom -- and a very exciting meteorite strike -- the Mayflower reaches Ganymede orbit.The shuttle ferries the new immigrants down to the surface, where they find confusion and makeshift arrangements. The Mayflower carries many more colonists than previous ships and the settlement is struggling to cope.They have converted community buildings into barracks just to house the newcomers.

This tale relates the efforts of the Lermer family to adjust to a new and uncertain situation.At least there is a settled community already in place, even though the population has suddenly grown by twenty percent.When claims are assigned, George and Bill discover that they have a well established and quite friendly family as neighbors.

Ganymede has a reasonable climate thanks to the heat shield.The ground is sterile outside of the settled areas, but the rocks can be converted to soil through hard and persistent work.Yet Ganymede is a still relatively new environment and contains a few more surprises.

This story is about human interactions and personalities, with only a few minor conflicts.The real fight is with the environment on a newly settled world.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of planetary colonization, pioneer societies, and interpersonal relationships.For those who have not previously read this series, the initial volume is Rocket Ship Galileo.

-Arthur W. Jordin

A good science fiction story, but lacks believability
"Farmer in the Sky" is good science fiction and is suitable for teenagers.Heinlein was writing science fiction for 'juveniles' when he wrote this.And, he had a problem.Question: Can I get young readers to make a huge jump to believe in interstellar travel or should I shorten the jump by putting my stories in our solar system?He decided to put many of his juveniles in our solar system.For the time, it wasn't a bad decision, but today's youngsters are brought up on SF interstellar travel.

I picked this book up in the 1950's as an early teenager.I had problems even then in picturing Gandymede as a possible place for colonization.So, I think you should imagine that this is a story about interstellar colonization.

Other than that, this is a pretty good science fiction story. The beginning is terrific. The middle is good.The end is OK but seems contrived.It is OK, the story is good and is enjoyable, but it is not quite up to my standards for Robert Heinlein.

If you are new to Heinlein, I suggest "Space Cadet" or "Podkayne of Mars" as better places to start reading Heinlein.Read this one only after reading two or three other juveniles by Heinlein.

See the Greatest Tree on Ganymede
_Boy's Life_, the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America, used to publish a lot of science fiction. It has been quite a few years since I have read the magazine regularly, but I suspect that it still does so. Some of the stories that I read in my youth were pretty marginal stuff. I dimly remember a series about some Scouts from the past, present, and future who got in and out of scrapes with a time machine.

On the other hand, _Boy's Life_ published stories by Ray Bradbury, Poul Anderson, James Blish, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert A. Heinlein. A large portion of _Farmer in the Sky_ (1950) was serialized in _Boy's Life_ as "Satellite Scout" ( Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. 1950 ). The satellite is a terraformed Ganymede and the Scout is Bill Lermer, a teenager working on completing his Eagle. The novel deals with some elements of Scouting: merit badge lessons in areas like astrogation and alien ecology, conflicts between members, and power politics between different troops.

But it is not exclusively about Scouting. Bill gets sidetracked by other concerns, such as the details of working a five-acre farm and various family emergencies. At the close of the novel, he still hasn't completed his tests for Eagle.

Alexei Panshin , in _Heinlein in Dimension_ (1968), notes that in Heinlein's later novels, he began to present his opinions as "facts" to the artistic detriment of his work. But _Farmer in the Sky_ has real facts-- or at least, realistic detail-- about how a torchship is powered and spun, how Ganymede was terraformed, how you go about farming land that was once all rock, why a certain tree is the most beautiful one on the planet, what a multiple eclipse of Jupiter's moons will look like, and how a political meeting or a ship's mast is run.

As with many of Heinlein's early works, it is the detail that carries the day. This is a juvenile that can readily be read by young and old readers alike. It well deserves a five-star rating. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Worth reading
"6XH: Six Stories by Robert A. Heinlein" is just that.I have read it.The stories are worth reading.

However, these stories are, now, collected in other, newer, books of collected Heinlein stories.This set of six stories may be of more interest to the confirmed Heinlein fan who wants to collect one, each, of ALL books by Heinlein than to the caual reader.

Heinlein was a very good short story and novella writer.You are sure to find one story here that you like. ... Read more

Product Description
Only the best and brightest -- the strongest and the most courageous -- ever managed to become Space Cadets. They were the elite guard of the solar system, accepting missions others feared, taking risks no others dared, and upholding the peace of the solar system for the benefit of all.
But before Matt could earn his rightful place in the ranks, his mettle would be tested in the most severe and extraordinary ways -- ways that would change him forever but would still not prepare him for the alien treacheries that awaited him on strange worlds far beyond his own.
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Customer Reviews (37)

An early (and very enjoyable) Heinlein juvenile
First published in 1948, Space Cadet is one of Heinlein's earliest sf juveniles.I remember loving it when I was a teenager.Those years are long past, but when I recently reread the novel, I recaptured at least some of the sense of wonder I felt when I read it as a kid.Science fiction has become more sophisticated in the intervening years (at least some of it has), but the art of storytelling never grows old, and Heinlein was a master storyteller.

Space Cadet has a tight, engaging plot that begins with Matt Dodson joining the Space Cadets and ends with an adventure on Venus.Dodson is a strong character who would be especially appealing to teens--he's able to overcome self-doubt, gains maturity, and learns (while making use of a leave to visit his parents) that "you can't go home again."The only other character in the novel with any personality is Matt's fellow cadet Tex, who likes to repeat his Uncle Bodie's tall tales, adding some humor to the story.The aliens Heinlein envisions living on Venus are credible (at least by 1948 standards, and in any event more credible than most of the lizard-like aliens that dominate sf movies), and the novel has something useful to say about prejudice against those who are outwardly different.

Space Cadet hasn't lost much of its charm in the six-plus decades since its first publication.I would give it 4 1/2 stars if Amazon offered that option.

Good purchase
Shipping was quick and the condition of this used paperback book was as described. I was completely satisfied with this purchase.

A boy's life
Not Heinlein's best boy's book, but a good one. I hadn't read this one in many, many years, and it didn't hold up quite as well as the one in my memory. But at any rate, in today's world, a half-century after Heinlein first published this book, I really appreciate how Heinlein hammered in the need to look with respect at those who are different from ourselves, specifically in regard to Oz's work with the Venerians. The 360 on the "pie with fork" lesson was great.

I also like how the book's protagonist, Matt, isn't necessarily the sharpest pencil in the box. He works hard, he tries hard, he makes mistakes, and he tries to do the right thing. But it's often other characters who take the stereotypical hero's spotlight. I think there's an important lesson in there that Heinlein tries to impart.

As is often the case, Heinlein is pretty harsh on parents, especially mothers, but I made a decision long ago that this is simply part of Heinlein's baggage, and his many positives outweigh this negative theme.

Space Officer Training
Space Cadet (1948) is the second SF novel in the Juvenile series, following Rocket Ship Galileo.It is set several decades in the future when colonies have been established on the inner planets and the moons of Jupiter.It also occurs during a time of peace for humanity.

In this novel, Matthew Brooks Dodson is a young man from Des Moines, Iowa.Matt has passed the field elimination tests and is reporting to Hayworth Hall -- Academy Headquarters -- for more tests.

Tex Jarman is another candidate at Hayworth Hall.Naturally, he is from Texas.He has an Uncle Bodie who has been everywhere and done everything better than anyone else . . . or so Tex says.

Oscar Jenson is a candidate from Venus.His version of Basic has been influenced by the Venerians, giving it a slight hiss.

Pierre Armand is a candidate from Ganymede.It took Pete two years to reach Hayworth Hall from his home.

In this story, on July 1, 2075, Matt meets Tex on the slidewalk to Hayworth Hall.After reaching the building, they discover that the atrium contains the USSF Rocket Ship Kilroy Was Here, the first ship to return from Mars.While they were admiring the exhibit, Oscar and Pete join them to discuss the history.

At first, the candidates are assigned randomly to double rooms.Matt finds himself rooming with Girald Burke.Although he doesn't like the cynical youth, Matt vows to hold his temper until he can arrange more compatible company.

Matt finds the environment to be unlike most of his experiences, although, as a scout, he has some familiarity with communal living.The dining halls are familiar.But Tex has a run-in with the passed cadet in charge of his table.

After the current round of tests are completed, remaining candidates are sworn into the Patrol.They are issued their whites and a book of regulations.Then they are taken to the PRS Randolph, the ship that is the Interplanetary Patrol Academy.

On the Randolph, Matt finds his days filled with studying, drills, labs, and occasional periods of sleep.He is having trouble with astrogation and considers a transfer to the Space Marines.Then he starts performing up to standard and gets the duty of guiding another class of cadets into the Randolph.

Matt has temporary duty on a bomb-rocket, followed by his first leave.He finds his home smaller and his relatives and friends very ignorant about the Patrol.Matt discovers that he has outgrown his family.

This tale takes Matt, Tex and Oscar into the Asteroid Belt and then to Venus.There they respond to a call for help from Venus.To their surprise, they encounter Girald Burke on Venus.

The story has some incompatibilities with Between Planet, which also includes Venusian natives.Similar incongruities occur with the Mars natives in Red Planet and Between Planets.However, the Juvenile novels are not as well integrated as the Future History series.

This novel is slower paced than others in the series.The first half is mostly about Matt's academic and technical training.But the action picks up in the second half.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of space academies, interplanetary adventure, and young spacemen.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Matthew Dodson, Space Cadet!
My title does not have the ring that "Tom Corbett:Space Cadet" had, which was based on this Robert A. Heinlein book, but it is more accurate.Matthew Dodson sounds like a plain, ordinary person, and that was Heinlein's intent.Heinlein's belief always was that the backbone of America was the everyday person doing their job.

Matt Dodson has joined the elite Solar Patrol.Before Matt and his friends can be officers in the Patrol they must endure rigorous, multi-part training.They begin their training on Earth in a process that eliminates many would-be Space Patrol candidates.As their training continues, Matt and his friends become members of a small group of students that have passed one test after another.Finally, the remaining students leave Earth to continue their training on a school ship.The training on the school ship starts with the mundane and ends with the complexities of calculus and nuclear physics.At long last the students move on to an operational ship where their training will help them to overcome the challenges of an actual mission on Venus, where death awaits their first wrong step!

Many people call Heinlein preachy in his books.While there is probably some truth in that comment, if you think Heinlein's viewpoints had merit, you probably like the supposed preachiness.Regardless of which side you fall on, this book has little of Heinlein's explanations of the woes of the world is focuses primarily on the story.

The story in this book is excellent.There is practical science in this book, but Heinlein blended the science into the story so naturally that I hardly noticed it.Those who have been through basic training and technical school in the military will recognize features of both in this book.Robert A. Heinlein was a member of the U.S. Navy for a time, which I think must have helped him to create an extremely believable story regarding the training of the members of the Space Patrol.

It has been many years since I first read "Space Cadet."I wondered whether I would enjoy the story as much now as I did decades ago.The answer is yes.I must admit that some of my enjoyment is nostalgia, but part of my enjoyment was how much Heinlein got right.There are cell phone equivalents, flat screen monitors and more.The only thing Heinlein failed to predict was the increasing lack of enthusiasm for space exploration.

Heinlein wrote many good books.This one is one of his best.I recommend this book for every person who thinks of themselves as a fan of science fiction.This book is a winner from an author who won four Hugo awards during his life and the first Nebula Grand Master Award.

Enjoy!
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Customer Reviews (2)

And he built a crooked tale ... !
Heinlein's 6xH is a collection of (would you believe it?) six of Heinlein's short stories ranging in tone from warmly optimistic and almost religious through paranormal mysticism all the way to hard core multi-dimensional (both space and time) sci-fi. Just as the tone and nature of the stories represent a wildly eclectic blend of plots and characters, the quality and credibility of the stories is all over the literary map as well! But, rest assured, it's all vintage Heinlein and will certainly appeal to Heinlein fans!

The centre piece of the collection, The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag (***), is a 125 page novella that, in a fashion vaguely reminiscent of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, tells us of Hoag's total inability to recall what he does during the day. When he hires a very earthy and yet very warm and loving husband and wife team of detectives to follow him, we are treated to a sparkling story filled with superb dialogue, terrific suspense and first-rate characterization. Sadly, like a poorly written episode of The Twilight Zone, the story ultimately dissolves into a conclusion of meaningless metaphysical bafflegab that left me completely deflated as a reader and asking what happened.

The Man Who Traveled in Elephants (*****), in a remarkably small number of words, not only describes a positively astonishing cross section of 1940s American cultural snippets but also clearly delivers the message that happiness both here on earth and ultimately in a heavenly after-life is in the eye of the beholder. Warm, uplifting, charming, believable and well-delivered without a trace of religious or preachy overtones. Wonderful, indeed!

In "---All You Zombies---" (**), Heinlein has prepared a racy, adult-rated time travel tale that opens with a bartender, clearly a time traveler and recruiter for other potential time travelers, listening to a customer's tales of woe over his beer. Once again, Heinlein's dialogue is crisp and realistic as is the characterization but (and how ironic is this?) the story has not stood the test of time. Heinlein completely ignores the issue of time travel paradoxes and, as a result, the story ends up unresolved in a most unsatisfactory fashion.

They (***) presents a morbid, dark and probably realistic vision of serious mental illness, or at least debilitating paranoia from the point of view of the suffering patient. The twist at the conclusion of the tale, while entertaining, is perhaps just a little too predictable and, frankly, is not sufficiently resolved to be completely satisfying.

A whimsical flight of fancy, indeed, Our Fair City (*) tells the story of an animated whirlwind that seems to know its own mind and makes friends with Pete Perkins, an elderly all night parking attendant. While treating us to some truly inspired slapstick comedic moments, ultimately this childish whirlwind dwindles to a limpid zephyr and then just hits the doldrums.

On the other hand, "And He Built a Crooked House" (****), also clearly intended as a lighthearted fantasy with a bent towards comedy succeeds in a walk. Heinlein gives us an out on the edge California (where else?) architect with an extraordinarily imaginative idea for his clients - a new age house designed as eight cubes stacked in the shape of a tesseract. Imagine the confusion when, in the middle of the guided tour, they are jostled by an earthquake tremor and their brand new home somehow collapses into the fourth dimension and folds back up into a hypercube. At once, funny, mind-bending, tantalizing, novel and provocative.

An interesting, collection of stories that must be read by and I dare say will even appeal to diehard Heinlein fans in order for them to say they've read it all. But, for my money, I'll call it a very average rating overall as science fiction goes and a disappointment coming from the pen of a master such as Heinlein.

Paul Weiss

AN ENTERTAINING BUNCH OF FANTASY TALES FROM ONE OF SCI-FI'S FOREMOST PRACTITIONERS
Robert A. Heinlein, certainly one of the most influential authors in sci-fi history, was also one of the most celebrated. As reported in "The Science Fiction Encyclopedia," Heinlein was the guest of honor at three World SF Conventions, received the first Grand Master Nebula Award, and was selected "best all-time author" in many readers' polls. His four Hugo awards for Best Novel is a record that stands to this day, and in his long and prolific career, the man wrote 32 novels (13 of them juveniles) and 58 short stories. (Go to the RAH Home Page for the complete bibliography.) In 1959, six of those shorter pieces were collected in what was to later be appropriately titled "6XH," consisting of tales written between 1941 and 1959. Most of these tales are rather fantasy oriented and not really sci-fi, and indeed, all six appear in a larger collection called "The Fantasies of Robert A. Heinlein." The collection kicks off with the longest tale of the bunch, "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag" (which first appeared in "Unknown Worlds"; 10/42). In this novella-length story, a prim and fussy man hires a detective couple (that Heinlein obviously based on Nick and Nora Charles) to find out just what he does for a living. The little man is an amnesiac, it seems, and pretty soon our detecting couple is involved in a very bizarre case involving apparent hypnotism, hallucinations, the kidnapping of souls and the mirror-dwelling Sons of the Bird. The reader will never guess just where this one-of-a-kind story is going next, or the mystery of Jonathan Hoag's background. A way-out finale answers our many questions, but just barely. This tale, by the way, was chosen for inclusion in British critic David Pringle's book "Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels," despite its 105-page length. Yes, it IS that good. (This "6XH" collection, by the way, was originally called "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag," but my 35-cent Pyramid paperback from 1961 carries the latter title, so I'm reviewing it here. Amazon readers who wish to see additional comments on this book are urged to look under the original title.) Next up is a short tale called "The Man Who Traveled In Elephants" ("Saturn"; 10/57), supposedly one of Heinlein's favorites. If I'm reading this tale correctly (and I suppose that the story is open to interpretation), the author is here suggesting that heaven is very similar to all the parades, state fairs, and expositions in the world rolled into one. This is a sweet little story, rich in detail, that features a warmly satisfying ending. "All You Zombies" ("The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction"; 3/59) is one of the author's last short pieces, and was something of a head scratcher for yours truly. Supposedly a classic time paradox story, this one almost gave me a migraine as I tried in vain to figure out its loopy temporal conundrums. "They" ("Unknown"; 4/41) was much more satisfying for me. A man sits in a mental ward, convinced that he is different from every other human being in the world. Is he a raving paranoiac or rather on to a hideous worldwide conspiracy? Heinlein waits until the very end of this fun story before showing his hand. "Our Fair City" ("Weird Tales"; 1/49) is a very whimsical fantasy that is heavy on the humor. It tells the story of Kitten, a sentient whirlwind (as in spinning current of air) that helps to bring down the corrupt government in a nameless small city. This one really had me chuckling out loud, with its tough talk and outrageous situations. A very charming tale indeed. The collection winds up nicely with the much-celebrated "'And He Built A Crooked House--'" ("Astounding Science-Fiction"; 2/41). In this story, an eccentric architect builds a house in SoCal based on a tesseract, and succeeds in having this structure enter a fourth-dimensional wonderland, where our three-dimensional rules seem to be in abeyance. Things get pretty outre and hallucinatory by the end of this remarkable tale. Thus ends this very entertaining bunch of fantasies from one of sci-fi's foremost practitioners. By the book's end, most readers will be wishing it were called "12XH," I have a feeling! ... Read more

Product Description
Slusser examines Heinlein's classic years, from the publication of his first story, "Life-Line," in 1939, to "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is not a retail item, it's a bunch of MP3 CDs made on a computer.
When I received this item in the mail, I was disappointed to learn that it was just a bunch of home-made CDs containing MP3s.

This would have been fine if I had been aware of this beforehand and had still decided to purchase the item (for $38 +shipping). But the item's Amazon description made by this seller is totally lacking in detail. In my opinion, it's fairly misleading if this information is not stated up-front.

Sure, "let the buyer beware." Perhaps I got what I deserved for assuming this was a real retail product. But hopefully others will read this review and be more fully informed before they decide whether to spend their hard-earned cash on this item.
As far as the quality of the actual MP3 files goes -- they're good enough, and if you're just looking to get your hands on recordings of these early radio programs, this is one way to do it. ... Read more

Product Description
Rod Walker is an urbanite teenage high school student with dreams of becoming a professional colonist. One of his classes is Advanced Survival, and the final test involves being dropped into a hostile environment for a duration not less than 48 hours, but not more than 10 days. During this time, students have no communication with Earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What Heinlein Wrote
The Amazon computer claims that I ordered and got "Cliffsnotes Heinlein's Works (Cliffs Notes), copywrite 1969.What I actually got and is in front of my face at this moment is "Cliff's Notes on Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land & Other Works", copywrite 1975.Believe me, there are differences between the two. Get the most current version you can find!

A copy of Cliffs Notes on Heinlein's work is absolutely essential to any fan who has read more than a few of Heinlein's works!My copy runs to 69 pp. and gives very short synopses of all of Heinlein's stories.Although I have been a Heinlein fan for over fifty years, this short book is being a good help to me in keeping my memories of plots and stories straight with the titles.

I do have one grump. The editor who wrote this pamphlet seems to believe that "Podkayne of Mars" is a very light work and not up to Heinlein's standards. I happen to believe this story is one of Heinlein's best.

While I may have a grump or two, this is a magnificent source of information on Heinlein's fictional works.About 95% of what is written in this set of 'notes' is right on the money.That is amazingly good for an author as complicated as Heinlein.

Please, be sure to shop around and acquire the latest version of this fine work that you can find. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

His Last Book
Heinlein's final book.I have read most of his works, and I think this may well be the best of them all.

Screw Publisher's Weekly
This is my favorite of all the Heinlein novels I have read.Far from being a story of debauchery and helpless characters, it is both a wonderful scifi novel and an exploration in open-mindedness.The sexual attitudes represented here are refreshing in their non-conformity, and yet completely logically reasoned out.Maureen is a wonderfully real character with flaws and aspirations to delight any reader. Our favorite scifi kitty Pixel also makes an appearence.

This is one of those books that I will read over and over again, and it will hold a place amongst my favorite scifi novels for a long time.

One of my favourite novels
This has long been one of my Favourite novels ever by RAH.Not only does it tie up all the loose ends with his previous Lazarus Long Novels, but it gives an insight into his ideas on life, love and relationships."Mama Maureen" gives us many words to live by and I can only hope that I would be as strong as she is in similar situations.Heinlein gives such "historical" detail to his novels that you can almost believe that this is what should have actually happened - even when his history goes off in odd directions.This is a novel I go back and read over and over again.

The Beauty of Maureen
What a wonderfully refreshing view! Women around that time period are so often portrayed as prim and proper, completely dependant on their husbands for everything. Maureen is tough, practical, and intellegent. As for thewriting, once again Heinlein's tone is lush and sensual (as is Maureen!)with a sense of adventure and Heinlein's ever- present politicalcommentary. He is called the grand master of sci-fi for an excellentreason! Another success- his best ever!

The master outdoes himself once again!
This is my favorite Heinlein book of all time!Maureen's practicality and stand-for-nothing attitude are wonderfully refreshing to read in an era of vaporish heroines.At the same time, she has a remarkable blend ofold-fashioned values and a tendency to thumb her nose at "Mrs.Grundy". Also, after reading "Time Enough for Love" and"Number of the Beast"it was fascinating to get anotherperspective on some of the same events. Maureen is a woman afer my ownheart, and I will not tire of reading this book, nor can I wait until mydaughter is old enough to read it! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Terrific youth fiction adventure
I loved this book as a young teen and read it over and over.It has a strong family in a classic adventure with a Swiss Family Robinson man vs. nature feel.The story is simple but meaningful and I still find it fun to read. Some of the dialog follows a 30's clipped and dense style which might make it difficult for a very young person.There is a subtext of coming of age and how becoming an adult is about taking responsibility.I read this book to my own boys and they loved it too.I'm old fashioned enough to call this a boy's book.I know a woman older than I am who also loves this book; she says its a boy's book too. ... Read more