The Man Who Sold the Moon and Orphans of the Sky

by Robert A. Heinlein, Mark Van Name (Introduction)

Two classic Robert A. Heinlein novels in one volume, with an all-new Afterword by Mark L. Van Name, author of the Jon and Lobo military SF series.

The Man Who Sold the Moon: D. D. Harriman is a billionaire with a dream: the dream of space for all mankind. The method? Anything that works. Maybe, in fact, Harriman goes too far. But he will give us the stars…

Orphans of the Sky: Hugh had been taught that, according to the ancient sacred writings, the Ship was on a voyage to faraway Centaurus. But he also understood that this must be allegory for a voyage to spiritual perfection. After all, the real world was only metal corridors and nothing else, right? And then Hugh begins to suspect the truth. . .

Two all-time classics from seven-time Hugo winner and Dean of Science Fiction, Robert A. Heinlein.

At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Classics, Science Fiction Fantasy, Novels, Ebooks

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2013

About the author

Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often posed provocative situations which challenged conventional social mores. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.
Heinlein used his science fiction as a way to explore provocative social and political ideas and to speculate how progress in science and engineering might shape the future of politics, race, religion, and sex. Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought. He also speculated on the influence of space travel on human cultural practices.
Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.
Also wrote under Pen names: Anson McDonald, Lyle Monroe, Caleb Saunders, John Riverside and Simon York.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete Collection Rating: 7/10 (Good)

I really like how each story in Heinline's Future Histories series build off one another from a technological standpoint. When read in chronological order, these stories read like an alternative history in which technology developed in a much different way.

Story Ratings:

Life-Line - 6/10 (OK)

One of Heinlein's first Future History stories. Life-Line tells the tale of a scientist who has invented a way to tell the exact date of a person's death. I thought it was a well written story with a fitting conclusion. However, the character development and pacing could use some work.

"Let There Be Light" - 7/10 (Good)

As early as 1939, Heinlein was dispelling gender roles with the inclusion of an extremely smart and quick witted female biologist in the co-starring role of this short story. The dialogue of the two main characters really made this story for me. Their banter back and forth took me by surprise. While it comes across a bit sexist now, the fact that both parties are dishing it out equally makes it quite funny in this context. As for the story itself, the path to scientific discovery and invention is fun to follow and the nice little twist at the end makes for an all around enjoyable story.

The Roads Must Roll - 5/10 (Mediocre)

This story feels as mechanical and monotonous as the roads it's about. The concept of mechanical roads replacing automobiles is interesting and intriguing, but the story itself wasn't engaging and I didn't feel any connection to the characters whatsoever. I applaud Mr. Heinlein's creativity, but I did not enjoy his execution.

Blowups Happen - 8/10 (Really Good)

This is a much stronger story than the first few in this collection. It was tense, interesting and well plotted. The characters had more depth and I actually cared about their plight. An uncontrollable nuclear pile that could cause an extinction level event makes for a pretty gripping story.

The Man Who Sold the Moon - 7/10 (Good)

It's rare to read science fiction about a historical event that actually happens years after the story is written. Reading this story now, we have a unique perspective and it's fun to see what Heinline got right and what he got wrong. Most of the technology and scientific accomplishments that Heinline writes about haven't come to fruition yet. He has however, nailed a few things. The video screens in his stories and the aforementioned manned mission to the moon. Obviously Heinline's fictitious moon landing and the real one happen much differently, but his vision and foresight are impressive nonetheless.

Requiem - 7/10 (Good)

Requiem is the sequel to The Man Who Sold the Moon, but was actually written about 9 year earlier. I enjoyed this story quite a bit and it nicely wraps up the loose ends left at the end of The Man Who Sold the Moon.

Orphans of the Sky - 9/10 (Awesome)

This is a fantastic story; it's pretty much got it all. Excellent plotting and solid character development are neatly mixed with a healthy portion of mystery, suspense and action. Hugh Hoyland, Joe-Jim and the rest of the gang are a diverse and unique group of well written characters. This rag-tag group of misfits are incredibly charismatic and ultimately, unforgettable.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book by accident.

I had gotten a copy while at a writing seminar in February, and had for some reason left it on the table by my door. Last month, when rushing off to take my car for a long overdue wash, I absently grabbed it as I left, not fully realizing then what book I had shoved into my satchel.

They were backed up at the car was, so I had ample time to read. Reaching into my bag, I found this. Each of the introductions grabbed me and drew me in, particularly John W. Campbell's. He got at the essence of science fiction: "the entire background against which the story is acted out is completely unknown to the reader."

He even got at an essential aspect of myth and storytelling: "human nature doesn't change over the years--but human nature is a reaction to group mores and the cultural pattern."

I found the first part of this book, "The Man Who Sold the Moon," a group of interrelated short stories intellectually compelling, but not particularly engaging. I appreciated the author's intelligence, and a few of the characters stayed with me, but the universe Heinlein created did not draw me in as have other fictional worlds.

"Orphans of the Sky" was a different story. Not only did I find this short novel intellectually engaging, I found it compelling on a number of levels. First, it was a darn good story that kept me up late reading on two successive nights. Second, it caused me (a student of myth) to wonder how our myths originate. And it had a concept which was fascinating in and of itself: what kind of world would humans create if generation after generation had been born on a spaceship, and came to believe that it (the ship) was the universe.

I should note that I had not read the latter, though I had heard it. Our science teacher in Fourth (or was it Fifth) Grade read it to us. And I remember devouring Science Fiction novels after that (a process which would last until I discovered Tolkien).

Heinlein fascinated me then--and makes me think now.

[Kateblue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got sidetracked and reread this when I should have been reading other things. I had the parts of this rated at 5* originally (when I logged Heinlein"read"as a new Goodreads member.) I find I must change this rating now.

I loved this author when I was young. I remember, however, I did much not like two of the stories here, Blowups Happen and The Man Who Sold the Moon. I still didn't like them. Too long and too much talking. But the other shorts were good, and the two parts of Orphans of the Sky were excellent, 5*.

I was surprised at the (short) descriptions/caricatures of women and one of a black character. I didn't remember his racism/sexism being so blatant. But these were brief, and all stories here were very early works. Some were, like, 1939. Still, uncomfortable to read.

Orphans of the Sky avoids this problem by having, basically, no women characters. I always liked the pair of stories that make up Orphans of the Sky.

If you are a Heinlein newbie, this is not the book for you. It purports to be a good representation of Heinlein's future history, but it is not. These selections show some of how the future history happens, but there are 3x the number than those here, and most of the fun ones are left out. So don't read Heinlein's future history in this order.

Here's a chart: https://minerva.fandom.com/wiki/Futur...

I suggest some of the "juveniles," Tunnel in the Sky or Have Spaceship, Will Travel, maybe. Or try The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I have heard complaints that it is sexist, too, but I think that the scarcity of females leaves the women in charge. Any sexism is in the eye of the beholder.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I'd give Heinlein another chance, because he can be a truly brilliant writer. These early stories set up his whole world and are classic scifi; one of the prefaces says something about how he leaves out any description (fights, etc) that doesn't move the story along, and I like that. But my problem with him remains -- any time a female appears or is even mentioned in the story, the misogyny is so jarring that I am unable to respect the rest of it. Yes, it was a different era with different attitudes, but the scorn he displays for womankind can't be blamed only on that. Unfortunately I'm going back to not reading him.

[Nathan Eaton Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A conversation I had with ChatGPT after reading "Let There Be Light"...

Me:
I am rereading some of the stories by the science fiction author who was a favorite of my teen and early adult years, Robert Heinlein. Now, 40-50 years later, what stands out is how he portrayed women and I'm a little conflicted. On the one hand, he often had very strong, independent women characters but on the other much of the time men characters treat women in a sexist manner. I can see how as an immature young man with little experience with girls, the attractive women who the men sought and gained relationships with kept me going back to Heinlein's next story or book, but while I may have fantasized about such relationships, I would never have treated the women in my life like that even then. Was this facet of his writing style ever addressed in critical reviews?

ChatGPT:

Robert Heinlein's portrayal of women has been a frequent subject of both admiration and critique in literary circles. His works often featured strong, intelligent, and capable women, such as Hazel Stone in The Rolling Stones or Maureen in To Sail Beyond the Sunset. These characters were groundbreaking for their time, challenging the stereotypes of women as merely passive or secondary figures in science fiction. However, many readers and critics have also noted that Heinlein's male characters often displayed attitudes or behaviors toward women that come across as patronizing or objectifying by modern standards.

Critical responses have varied over the years:

1. Admiration for Strong Female Characters: Heinlein was praised for writing women who were equal partners, intellectually and emotionally, to men—a rarity in mid-20th-century science fiction. Some critics argue that these portrayals reflected Heinlein's personal admiration for women who were competent and self-reliant, like his wife, Virginia Heinlein.


2. Criticism of Sexism and Male Gaze: Others point out that many of his female characters were idealized or hyper-sexualized, often serving as reflections of male desires rather than fully autonomous individuals. These depictions sometimes seem to perpetuate the idea that women exist to fulfill men's needs, particularly in romantic or sexual contexts. For instance, the relationships in books like Stranger in a Strange Land or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress have drawn criticism for their dynamics.


3. Cultural Context: Some argue that Heinlein's portrayal of gender relations must be viewed within the context of the era in which he wrote. The 1950s and 60s were a time of evolving gender norms, and Heinlein's work can be seen as both progressive and limited by the cultural constraints of his time.


4. Intentional Provocation: Heinlein enjoyed challenging societal norms and sometimes provoked readers to think deeply about social issues, including gender. This complexity is evident in works like Friday, where the titular character is both a highly competent protagonist and a victim of societal sexism.



Critics have written extensively about this aspect of Heinlein's work. Joanna Russ, an influential feminist science fiction writer, was critical of Heinlein's treatment of women, particularly the way their independence was often undercut by male dominance. Other commentators, like Spider Robinson, have defended Heinlein as a writer ahead of his time in many respects.

For you as a reader, it seems that Heinlein's ability to create compelling characters initially resonated with your younger self, but a more mature perspective allows you to view his work through a nuanced lens. This evolution is common with authors whose work both reflects and challenges the cultural norms of their era. If you're interested in exploring these critiques further, books like Farah Mendlesohn and Edward James' The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction discuss gender dynamics in sci-fi, including Heinlein's contributions.

[Paul Sand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one down on my "Reread Heinlein" project. Four left to go!

It was originally published in Astounding, in two parts, five months apart, in 1941. It's a masterpiece of plopping the reader into a bizarre tech/social setting, and only eventually revealing "what's really going on".

But I'll tell you, stop reading if you object:

A slower-than-light starship, designed to travel to a distant star system over a couple generations, has gone horribly wrong. A mutiny has killed most of the crew, leaving the worst in charge. Over the years, the survivors breed, some of them mutated. The cylindrical ship still rotates, providing "gravity" to the inhabitants. "Lower" high-gravity levels are occupied by the non-mutated. The "higher" levels hold the "muties". Conflict is common, and cannibalism is practiced. The origin and purpose of the ship gets lost in mythology. The world is the ship.

Into this comes Hugh, a wannabe "scientist". He's captured by the muties, and one of their clan, a two-headed "twin" named Joe-Jim, takes him to the Captain's Veranda, where he can see the stars. Gasp! And so starts a plan to fulfill the ship's mission. But there's a lot of bloodshed along the way. (This may be Heinlein's most violent book.)

According to the Wikipedia page, Heinlein revealed the ship's ultimate fate in Time Enough for Love. So I'm looking forward to that.

[Andrewbooks Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

future history

This science fiction was written in 1950 and though it's quite creative there are certain anachronisms that make it kind of a weird read in 2023. Imagine a spaceship but everyone still reads books to learn to fly it. Or a civilization that can build space stations but still use notebooks and letters for communication. It just doesn't match up with how computers and the internet changed everything and this makes the story seem quite dated and weird to the modern reader. I liked stranger in a strange land much better.

[Allen McDonnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heinlein Classics in a new mini collection

A novel, a novella and some short stories wander into a bar... Well what we have here is some of the earliest stories of the Heinlein future history. These stories and concepts that serve as the foundation to about 80 percent of the rest of Heinlein's works.
At the very end the afterword adds a touching personal element to the story.

[Brian Berrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book not as engaging as some of his other books I´ve read. I did enjoy the future history concept. The Man Who Sold the Moon was a little tedious to get through but I very much enjoyed Orphans of the Sky.

[Sir Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the future when space ships and space travel is easy. One wealthy business man is making space more simple to go do. Then he is turned into a mutant from it. He makes space good for all and cures his mutant problem.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fact or fiction Starship 2020

Great story of how a dreamer dream comes true and a comprehensive veiw of actual current events unfolding in Texas today. Robert Heinlein the Nostradamus of space science future evolution. Published these stories in1939

[Paul S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic and in the right order

If your a fan of the future history of Heinlein then these two books which start the series are presented in the correct order.
Classic Heinlein written in his minimalist style. No over bloated wordiness like the ring books.

[AVANTI KUMAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5 to 4 stars.

For me, Orphans of the Sky was the stronger story.

[C Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Man Who Sold the Moon was a hard, but an incredibly worth while read. Orphans of the Sky was a page turner and just as good.

[WhiskyPelican · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Stranger in a Strange Land to try to impress a girl (it didn't) and it damn near broke my 17 year old mind. As a side effect, I haven't read much Heinlein but I've come to expect hard sci-fi and nontraditional models of family and political structures. What I did not expect after rereading SIASL and picking up some short stories was the emotional gut punch that was The Man Who Sold the Moon and Requiem. The others are cool, but the words of that old Robert Louis Stevenson poem left me reeling in a way few books have.

You don't get to be one of, if not the, godfather of science fiction by collecting bottle caps. I can't get enough of these now.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of years ago I posted on FB that I was looking for great books to read and asked my FB friends to recommend some of their favorites. Many of the books I have read and reviewed on Goodreads have come from their responses. One book eluded me until now. I was torn. Old science fiction seemed a little hokey to me but it was recommended by a friend, Stanley Krute, whose opinions I highly respect and whose somewhat skewed, as in unique/unusual, vision of the universe intersects with mine at many random (and, given our backgrounds, some not so random) points. Also, as a kid I had read a fair amount of Robert Heinlein and remembered enjoying it then (when it was NEW science fiction).

Well, I could not have been more delighted. There was something so quaint and mesmerizing in the sometimes spot on/sometimes slightly amiss/sometimes laughable vision of the future written over 50 years ago that kept me spellbound. Ultimately, and I'm sure this is part of Stanley's fondness for this book, the stories (actually, this was a compendium, including not only the book Stanley recommended, "The Man who Sold the Moon," but also, "Orphans of the Sky")presented a world in which technology and Man's interaction with his environment were so different from when it was written, and also so different from now, but Man himself was fraught will all the same characteristics, foibles, strengths, temptations, and dreams that we than (when it was written), now, and in Heinlein's future, all share. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Mostly, though, the book(s) were just so much fun. Exciting suspense driven plots filled with discovery and awe. The premises set the backdrop for page turning adventure, and Heinlein's understated style gave just enough so the characters came to life and the reader fervently took sides. Many opportunities for conjecture and speculation. Loved this book...great recommendation, Stan. Thank you.

[Joe Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another collection of some of Heinlein's early stories. In this case, more of his “Future History” stories. The volume is almost worth reading just for John Campbell's introduction, explaining why Heinlein was such a great writer.

Simply put, he faced the challenge of conveying the mores and patterns of a strange cultural background, the technological background that created and sustained that culture, and the characters that inhabited that culture. He managed to do it brilliantly, over and over again, without resorting to the info dumps that are so often present in literature.

These stories, “Life-Line”, “Let There Be Light”, “The Roads Must Roll”, “Blowups Happen”, “The Man Who Sold the Moon”, and “Orphans of the Sky” all illustrate that part of Heinlein's talent. And they're all enjoyable.

“Life-Line"—how would the world react if someone could predict the instant of anyone's death?

"The Roads Must Roll"—Cars do not roll upon the roads. The roads themselves roll. What might force that innovation, what kind of world would it create, and what risks would come with that world?

"The Man Who Sold the Moon"—The one man who most wants to visit the moon, who will do the most to push humanity to the moon, may be the one man who never sees the moon. Poignant.

"Orphans of the Sky"—Residents of a generational starship believe that The Ship is all there is to the universe. They've systematically reinterpreted all of the scientific texts as various forms of allegory and myth. But what happens when one man is convinced of the truth and tries to act the missionary to his fellow voyagers?

This collection is definitely worth a read.

[Austin Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're reading "The Past Through Tomorrow", you're missing the stories "Let there be light" and "Universe" and "Common Sense". "Universe and Common Sense" can be found here, as "Orphans of the Sky".

All three of these stories are great!

[Max Lybbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Man Who Sold the Moon is a collection of Heinlein's earliest published short stories. Orphans of the Sky was published a little later.

The book is entertaining. I even found the legal commentary in The Man Who Sold the Moon entertaining. My biggest problem was that my understanding of post-WWII science history is shaky, so I sometimes had difficulty knowing what scientific principles really existed and which were made up for the stories.

Orphans of the Sky shows an interesting with long-term space travel: people born on the ship will have childhoods so different from our own that it is impossible for us to predict how they will understand reality. The story makes a compelling case that this is a weakness.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Orphans of the Sky and the Afterword by Mark L. Van Name as the best parts of this collection. I also enjoyed the introductions by John Campbell and Heinlein himself, as well as most of the short stories in the first part of the book. I think The Man Who Sold the Moon was the story I enjoyed least, mostly due to all of the business and legal lingo and dated dialogue (which didn't bother me in the other stories.) However, even though it was my least favorite in this volume, the end of Mark Van Name's Afterword contains a moving story of how Heinlein and D.D. Harriman saved Mark's life.

[Wolfy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpected ode to passion as a priority... where anyone can accomplish greatness when they set their mind to it (except the women). Despite his pretty consistently archaic views of women and minorities, Heinlein has such rich ideas to live in and dwell on in regards to humanity and purpose, that I can easily forgive the biases of his time his writing betrays. Definitely one of my favorites of his.

[Kara Babcock · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an omnibus edition. I reviewed The Man Who Sold the Moon and Orphans of the Sky separately.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orphans of the Sky- great twist. Reminds me of the Silo series by Hugh Howey.

[Ray Haas]

Two science fiction classics that I first read as a kid. They have not lost their charm. I consider Robert Heinlein as one of my spiritual fathers.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories about the human race moving forward and backward as theoretical technology progress.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first future history, an interesting view how the past viewed their future, our past.

[Rishindra Chinta]

"Life-Line": 3/5
"Let There Be Light": 3/5