I read this first in 1984 my senior year of high school. It was by far one of my favorite novels ever and ACC's best I'd read thus far. Reading it 35 I read this first in 1984 my senior year of high school. It was by far one of my favorite novels ever and ACC's best I'd read thus far. Reading it 35 years later, it holds up. It's almost twice as good as any other ACC novel I've read. It gets right to the point, has a wealth of surprises, mysteries, and action. The characters are as complex as they need to be without making the story about them, keeping the SF idea in focus. SPOILER. DON'T READ THE NEXT PART IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS ALREADY. Instead of aliens being hostile or benevolent, ACC chooses a third option--they're indifferent to us. We're not even as important to them as we are to aliens in Simak's WAY STATION....more
This might be the best novel ACC wrote. It's certainly the most human. It reads like nonfiction, a very detailed account of the development of ground This might be the best novel ACC wrote. It's certainly the most human. It reads like nonfiction, a very detailed account of the development of ground control radar during WW2. I suspect much is autobiographical. No other ACC novel I've read has so much introspection and human nature throughout. The tech aspect is vigorously and entirely woven into the main character's life. Sad that his next novel was the overrated adaption of the movie 2001 that he made in collaboration with the overrated Kubrick. Happy that he just barely got out this last touching, sentimental story before he got swallowed up by fame....more
I would consider this a "juvenile" novel, just like I do ACC's ISLANDS IN THE SKY. I don't like it when ACC does juvenile. It just always comes off asI would consider this a "juvenile" novel, just like I do ACC's ISLANDS IN THE SKY. I don't like it when ACC does juvenile. It just always comes off as a bit patronizing, like he is talking down to his main character and reader. This book came out when the dolphin, whale, orca, and other oceanology topics were popular. I would have loved this book had I read it when I was 11 years old. Now, it's okay. It is a sort-of prequel to the universe ACC creates in THE DEEP RANGE....more
Despite two major complaints about this book, I appreciate it for being one of the very few good sci-fi novels regarding the ocean. The strongest markDespite two major complaints about this book, I appreciate it for being one of the very few good sci-fi novels regarding the ocean. The strongest mark of this book is its humanity--the believable human nature of its main character. Too many of ACC's novels are filled with plastic place-holders. It's part of what I like about ACC, that the ideas are most important, the characters secondary. Rather than get us to feel a great deal, he focuses on getting us to think a great deal. This book balances both, perhaps tipping a bit too much toward the character and away from the idea, but it is still remarkable since I am so used to the less defined ACC characters. The extrapolation of the novel is well executed, if a bit absurd--what if the whales were treated like we treat cows now? Intriguing premise followed through on in great detail.
My two complaints are ACC dismisses Christianity (again) by saying archaeology in the future has disproved it, without giving any speculative detail as to what that proof might be. In fact, since he wrote this book, archaeology has gone a long way to confirming the authenticity of the Bible and the existence of its God. My other complaint is the left turn (politically and plot-wise) the book takes 70% of the way through. It becomes a save the whales pamphlet without warning. Buddhist philosophy, which is so very flawed in so many ways, believes all living things should have respect, but it stops short of respecting things without eyes and faces, very sentimentally and irrationally. If we need to respect the feelings and spirits of whales and cows, who is to say a tomato plant does not have those same things but in a way we cannot understand? There is no getting away from the fact that for a human to live, some other living thing must die and be consumed. How immature and illogical to assume whales or cows are more important than tomato plants....more
Not the Bard's best. He did improve upon the plot he copied by having Hermione come to life (sort of) as a statue, but there are very few witty turns Not the Bard's best. He did improve upon the plot he copied by having Hermione come to life (sort of) as a statue, but there are very few witty turns of phrase and much that is belabored with the not very amusing thief....more
A bit of space espionage in an ACC novel? I like it. The convention ACC has used in every novel up to this point is a character through whom we can leA bit of space espionage in an ACC novel? I like it. The convention ACC has used in every novel up to this point is a character through whom we can learn things--not the expert, but a reporter or spy or investigator or someone who can be smarter than us but not too smart, so that he needs things explained to him. I think this is the best and most original use of that convention so far in ACC's novels. I like the very short war in the book--very realistic. It allows ACC to express his extreme pacifism and hatred of man's warlike nature, but permits him to show off some impressive war machine technology. As ever ACC is optimistic, idealistic, and utopian. If only we all got along we could all have enough and end class division and warfare. Sigh. If only so. At least ACC briefly recognizes the buried, undeniable urge for violence in mankind.
As is usual with ACC, women characters are non-existent. He tips his hat to them by letting his main character be married with a pregnant wife who bears him a son, but no women characters actually get on stage. I really don't think ACC understands half of the human race. In not bothering to try, he is able to focus on the science of the future, and his insight is amazing, but it is always going to be missing something as it does not take into account so much of what makes the human race human.
P.S. About halfway through this novel, I got inspired to create a board game based on it and started making it before I finished. It should be done soon, including space battle, espionage, and solar system resource gathering....more
I've read 14 ACC books as of this review. Until this one, I had no idea he wrote juvenile fiction. At least I think it's supposed to be. It is at leasI've read 14 ACC books as of this review. Until this one, I had no idea he wrote juvenile fiction. At least I think it's supposed to be. It is at least told from a juvenile point of view. Weird. It comes off as a bit patronizing and simplistic, like ACC had to simplify his story so ordinary folk could get it. Just very strange after reading so many of his other works. I don't like it much. When I was 13 I would have adored it. It has been fun to see the progression of his fiction, from PRELUDE as we get into space to SANDS as we colonize Mars, to this book in which there are space tourists and Mars humans who have never been to Earth before....more
This is what good science fiction should be. It should be based on realistic what-ifs that matter to humanity and also be peopled with characters thatThis is what good science fiction should be. It should be based on realistic what-ifs that matter to humanity and also be peopled with characters that are complex and compelling. I have enjoyed ACC's first three novels more than all the 2001 series books because the 2001 books seem to be people with ideas at the expense of people. This book has the perfect balance. ACC does not just add some human drama to a cool what-if idea. He embeds them as part of the unfolding sci-fi drama. If what happened in this book happened in the real world (the findings on Mars and mankind's changing of it), it would matter to me and there would be people involved very much like ACC has imagined who would be affected by it in just the way he proposes. When people think of sci-fi as being written by scientists about what scientists do, this book is a shining example of how that very convention can work. This book is hopeful and bright and yet realistic in its outlook, yet it faces the very real challenges of the skeptics who question why we bother to explore the universe. It meets that argument's to its face and rejects it with reason and rationale justification....more
This is just what I expected from ACC's second novel. It focuses on science and ideas, not characters, all with a sprinkling of earnest, intelligent pThis is just what I expected from ACC's second novel. It focuses on science and ideas, not characters, all with a sprinkling of earnest, intelligent poetic moments....more
With this, I have read all the adult Heinlein work. It was a fantastic journey. This should be read only after finishing all his other works. Anyone wWith this, I have read all the adult Heinlein work. It was a fantastic journey. This should be read only after finishing all his other works. Anyone who enjoyed TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE will enjoy this. It's the story of Lazarus Long's mother, written like a biography. I get the feeling Heinlein wrote this in homage to his mother and his wife. I bet Maureen is a fantasy amalgamation of them both....more
Reading this in 10 days has given me a truly eye opening, life changing perspective. While not perfect history, it's about as good a job as I could exReading this in 10 days has given me a truly eye opening, life changing perspective. While not perfect history, it's about as good a job as I could expect from just 513 pages that try to tell all of human history. There is much less non-Western material than Western, and Robert's view of Reagan is so quaintly liberal (he grudgingly admits Reagan ended the Cold War, but then claims only the rich got richer under him, which is patently untrue, as all Americans saw their personal economies improve and the GDP growth outstripped the deficit growth), but by and large this is a great way to gain the big picture view of humanity's story up to 1993....more
This is one of those rare items. It's a perfect novel. It starts wonderfully, continues with amazingly good pace, and ends perfectly. I love the charaThis is one of those rare items. It's a perfect novel. It starts wonderfully, continues with amazingly good pace, and ends perfectly. I love the characterization, I love the theme, I love the style, the voice, everything. I am reading my way through the adult Heinlein novels, and this is one I had not read before. His earlier stuff is unsteady, but since STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND I have been amazed how good he got. This book has so much prescient stuff in it...the scrolls...the fact that neither east nor west wins...and who does win "the war" makes sense and will probably end up happening in our world. As far as end of the world stories go, this one makes PLANET OF THE APES and all the others I have enjoyed look like kid books. This is grown up stuff for people who are ready to admit the truths of human nature. This novel has surprises, but ones that are fair. It has twists and turns that make it a page turner, and yet it is still a deep analysis of the human spirit and the meaning of life. I have not cried reading many novels...actually, I don't know that I ever have, but there is a death in this book that moved me against my will. I just finished it, but I almost want to re-read it again right now, I enjoyed it so much....more
There were times I forgot I was reading a Heinlein and thought I was reading an Arthur C. Clarke novel. This reminds me of RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA and 20There were times I forgot I was reading a Heinlein and thought I was reading an Arthur C. Clarke novel. This reminds me of RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA and 2001 a bit, and is more hard-core science fiction than any of the other Heinlein novels I have read. This is very ambitious, true speculative fiction that makes one think of one's own world not just the imagined world in a way that illuminates and enlightens. One of my favorite Heinlein novels, and probably the only one I truly love that is told in third person narration....more
Well, it's not really fantasy, is it? It has the trappings, but it's really a hero's journey SF-style. It has many good things that some Heinlein noveWell, it's not really fantasy, is it? It has the trappings, but it's really a hero's journey SF-style. It has many good things that some Heinlein novels lack--a great pace, didactics in moderation, a believable main character, a true plot with satisfying surprises, and a satisfying ending. I have to think Mike Grell read this and decided to do his version in the comic book WARLORD....more
I love that Heinlein wrote this mostly from a teenage girl's perspective. He does great first person narration. I enjoyed the sister and brother relatI love that Heinlein wrote this mostly from a teenage girl's perspective. He does great first person narration. I enjoyed the sister and brother relationship. What I didn't like is the ending. It falls flat. It's like Heinlein got bored and just wanted to hurry up and end it. Still, fun while it lasts....more
I have not read much Heinlein since the 1980s...I went back to his older stuff to read everything I had not read that was not juvenile. So far, I am wI have not read much Heinlein since the 1980s...I went back to his older stuff to read everything I had not read that was not juvenile. So far, I am worried. I am about to re-read THE DOOR INTO SUMMER, the first adult Heinlein I read, for the first time in 1983. It made me fall in love with his work. I am worried it will not hold up after reading REVOLT IN 2100. Maybe it's just Heinlein's short stories I don't like very much, but even some of his longer works I have recently read (his older stuff) are unsteady. Pages and pages of a chase. Then pages and pages of dialogue. The pacing is just odd. I like his books and continue to read them because they are books of ideas, but I don't remember them being so unsteady. I like the idea of his Future History all fitting together in one universe, but none of them up to this book would make me want to read another unless I had read some of the brilliant later works like NUMBER OF THE BEAST and TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE. Hopefully it's just his stuff before THE DOOR INTO SUMMER that is weak and he got strong after that? I'm about to find out....more
Good stories, but I still think Heinlein is far better at novels. The short stories read like short draft versions of novels, rather than really workiGood stories, but I still think Heinlein is far better at novels. The short stories read like short draft versions of novels, rather than really working as shorts. I have a feeling as I work my way through the Heinlein books I have not read that I won't love any of it until I hit the era around the time of THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST....more