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Variable Star
From Science Fiction Grand Master Robert A. Heinlein, the New York Times bestselling author of Starship Troopers , comes Variable Star , an unfinished novel originally conceived in 1955, and completed by Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Spider Robinson.
When Joel Johnston first met Jinny Hamilton, it seemed like a dream come true. And when she finally agreed to marry him, he felt like the luckiest man in the universe.
There was just one small problem. He was broke. His only goal in life was to become a composer, and he knew it would take years before he was earning enough to support a family.
But Jinny wasn't willing to wait. And when Joel asked her what they were going to do for money, she gave him a most unexpected answer. She told him that her name wasn't really Jinny Hamilton---it was Jinny Conrad, and she was the granddaughter of Richard Conrad, the wealthiest man in the solar system.
And now that she was sure that Joel loved her for herself, not for her wealth, she revealed her family's plans for him---he would be groomed for a place in the vast Conrad empire and sire a dynasty to carry on the family business.
Most men would have jumped at the opportunity. But Joel Johnston wasn't most men. To Jinny's surprise, and even his own, he turned down her generous offer and then set off on the mother of all benders. And woke up on a colony ship heading out into space, torn between regret over his rash decision and his determination to forget Jinny and make a life for himself among the stars.
He was on his way to succeeding when his plans--and the plans of billions of others--were shattered by a cosmic cataclysm so devastating it would take all of humanity's strength and ingenuity just to survive.
Faithful to the spirit of Heinlein's original vision, and laced with contemporary touches that will appeal to modern readers, Variable Star is a rare treat for the Grand Master's many fans.
When Joel Johnston first met Jinny Hamilton, it seemed like a dream come true. And when she finally agreed to marry him, he felt like the luckiest man in the universe.
There was just one small problem. He was broke. His only goal in life was to become a composer, and he knew it would take years before he was earning enough to support a family.
But Jinny wasn't willing to wait. And when Joel asked her what they were going to do for money, she gave him a most unexpected answer. She told him that her name wasn't really Jinny Hamilton---it was Jinny Conrad, and she was the granddaughter of Richard Conrad, the wealthiest man in the solar system.
And now that she was sure that Joel loved her for herself, not for her wealth, she revealed her family's plans for him---he would be groomed for a place in the vast Conrad empire and sire a dynasty to carry on the family business.
Most men would have jumped at the opportunity. But Joel Johnston wasn't most men. To Jinny's surprise, and even his own, he turned down her generous offer and then set off on the mother of all benders. And woke up on a colony ship heading out into space, torn between regret over his rash decision and his determination to forget Jinny and make a life for himself among the stars.
He was on his way to succeeding when his plans--and the plans of billions of others--were shattered by a cosmic cataclysm so devastating it would take all of humanity's strength and ingenuity just to survive.
Faithful to the spirit of Heinlein's original vision, and laced with contemporary touches that will appeal to modern readers, Variable Star is a rare treat for the Grand Master's many fans.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2006
155 people are currently reading
2456 people want to read
About the author
Robert A. Heinlein
1,052 books10.4k followersRobert 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews
May 6, 2017
Variable Star was an outline found in the papers of Robert A. Heinlein by his family. Spider Robinson was commissioned by RAH’s literary executor to finish the work and he did, publishing the book almost 20 years after the grand master’s death.
My first thought about this is that Robinson did a wonderful job recreating the syntax and style of Heinlein, down to the wisecracking technicality and the human centered hard science fiction storyline. Also endearing was the ubiquitous references to Heinlein’s future history timeline and the multiple allusions to RAH books. Robinson seemed to lean heavily on Revolt in 2100 and the Scudderite theocracy. This book also read alot like The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. There is also some elements representative of The Door Into Summer and Time Enough for Love. What was very much un-Heinleinesque was the prevalent profanity.
I have developed a Goodreads rating meter that fluctuates its evaluation as I read. This one hovered between 3 and 4, had some 5 spikes, waned down to 2 a few times and ended with a solid 3, I liked it but was not thrilled with it.
Another general Goodreads observation I have is that many books that end up rated as a 3 could have been made better with some ruthless editing, shaving 50 pages off this one may have tightened it up nicely.
My first thought about this is that Robinson did a wonderful job recreating the syntax and style of Heinlein, down to the wisecracking technicality and the human centered hard science fiction storyline. Also endearing was the ubiquitous references to Heinlein’s future history timeline and the multiple allusions to RAH books. Robinson seemed to lean heavily on Revolt in 2100 and the Scudderite theocracy. This book also read alot like The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. There is also some elements representative of The Door Into Summer and Time Enough for Love. What was very much un-Heinleinesque was the prevalent profanity.
I have developed a Goodreads rating meter that fluctuates its evaluation as I read. This one hovered between 3 and 4, had some 5 spikes, waned down to 2 a few times and ended with a solid 3, I liked it but was not thrilled with it.
Another general Goodreads observation I have is that many books that end up rated as a 3 could have been made better with some ruthless editing, shaving 50 pages off this one may have tightened it up nicely.
March 29, 2016
When the impossible happens - when a planet MOVES beneath your feet, and won't stop - when you look up on a gorgeous morning and see something huge fly majestically into the side of a tall building - when a man you buried shows up at your door with a six-pack - you're supposed to feel a primitive terror, a superstitious dread. It's in all the books. You pass out, or vomit, or your bowels and bladder void, or you howl. If the universe is prepared to CHEAT, you're screwed, right? The only other alternative is to decide it's all a bad dream or sustained hallucination and just go with it.
Joel is 18 and loves Jinny. He wants to get married to her and start a family. The only problem is that they're poor. Only (SURPRISE!) Jinny is NOT poor - she's been lying to Joel. Really she's the granddaughter of one of the richest (if not THE richest) man in the solar system. Grandfather even says they can get married - but Joel's job in the company and his whole future is all planned out for him. Joel can't stand not being in charge of his own destiny, so he tells Grandfather to go Heinlein* and then heads off on a generation ship for a New Earth planet, Brasil Novo.
...
I am very torn on how to rate this.
Why, Carmen? Is it because Heinlein is a sexist?
Ah, no. Although this seems to be a common idea. If you have come here for feminist rants on how sexist Heinlein is, you'd best go elsewhere. May I suggest http://miniver.blogspot.com/2004/02/i... or the excellent http://www.reddit.com/r/scifi/comment... ?
Please go and enjoy yourself, it's fascinating. :)
But I was not ranting and raving about feminism while reading this novel. While undoubtedly Heinlein was very horny, and incredibly convinced that women crave marriage and especially babies, I didn't find this book to be offensive. Women were fine, Heinlein was fine, Joel was... interesting, but certainly not making me want to bash his head in. And you KNOW how much I love to rant about feminism, so...
You might expect me to say something like, "For a man who was born in 1907, Heinlein was surprisingly forward-thinking." However, if you are familiar with my James Bond reviews, you know that I don't forgive people solely on the basis that they were born in another time.
But that's so unfair, Carmen! Things were different back then, Ian Fleming blah blah blah blah....
Yeah, I don't give a care. Go whine somewhere else.
The only part that made me squeamish and upset was the fact that
I've seen a lot of books try to pull this crap and I've yet to find one that has given me any reaction except for instant disgust and revulsion.
Aside from that, Heinlein and I were fine in re: women and sexual relations.
OKAY, that huge "BAD" factor aside, let's break down more reasonable lists of "bad" and "good."
THE GOOD:
- Heinlein/Robinson is writing here with a kind of youthful teenage-boy outlook on life. Expect an extreme joy and interest in females, a need to make a lot of "toilet humor," and a barely restrained exuberance for space and interstellar travel.
Some may find this grating, I found it enjoyable. He made me laugh and smile a lot.
- Spider Robinson clearly busted his ass writing this and piecing this together from whatever was in Heinlein's notes. Kudos to him, he did a fabulous job.
- Heinlein has a fun, enjoyable, rather conversational style of writing (think Douglas Adams or John Scalzi).
- There's gay men in this novel (although noticeably no lesbians... perhaps fueling arguments that Heinlein is sexist? Women must be sexually available to the male MC? Just a thought) and they realistic and touching marriages/relationships.
...
THE BAD:
- There were parts of this novel I had to FORCE myself to get through. Parts that were extremely boring. Heinlein really thinks that he's funny, and really enjoys hearing himself talk. Whole scenes, whole conversations were nothing more than Heinlein spouting his philosophies about life, love, and the human race. UGH. I was ready to move on with the plot, already. This happened pretty frequently, to be honest.
- Joel is very much a Gary Stu. Not only does he play the saxophone, but he is one of the best saxophone players in the solar system! Oh, he's just a poor farmer from Ganymede, but 99% of women are attracted to him and want to have sex with him. Joel is "such a quick thinker" and
But I had also noticed quite early that I was usually faster on the uptake than most people. Unless the subject was me, anyway. I spent the better part of most conversations waiting for everyone else to catch up. Patterns form and combine in my mind like crystals reproducing at fast forward, sometimes so fast that even to me it seems like I skip whole steps in my logic process and just thumb to the back of the book for the answer.
this leads him to many Gary Stu moments where he comes to startling and brilliant conclusions before anyone else does - solving problems and occasionally saving humanity.
- Because of the Gary-Stu-ness of the protagonist, the book is quite predictable. It's simply the natural result of making your main character a Mary Sue or a Gary Stu. You know they will do x, y or z because of COURSE they are so smart/sexy/quick-thinking/talented that this must happen. Therefore, the book had very little suspense or excitement for me.
- The narrator is supposed to be ages 18-24ish in this book, but he always sounds, speaks and acts like a man who is AT LEAST 40 or 50. I wasn't buying this whole teenager/young man thing. (Unless you count the 14-year-old-ish obsession with sex and fart jokes as mentioned earlier).
...
Tl;dr - Overall, I would actually recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted space adventure. Heinlein is funny and enthusiastic - it's difficult not to catch some of this attitude reading this. On the other hand, the man does love to hear himself talk - you might get bored with his constant stream of philosophy and theories on human beings. And you're going to have to be okay with the fact that the protagonist is unabashedly a Gary Stu, practically perfect in every way.
*http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Joel is 18 and loves Jinny. He wants to get married to her and start a family. The only problem is that they're poor. Only (SURPRISE!) Jinny is NOT poor - she's been lying to Joel. Really she's the granddaughter of one of the richest (if not THE richest) man in the solar system. Grandfather even says they can get married - but Joel's job in the company and his whole future is all planned out for him. Joel can't stand not being in charge of his own destiny, so he tells Grandfather to go Heinlein* and then heads off on a generation ship for a New Earth planet, Brasil Novo.
...
I am very torn on how to rate this.
Why, Carmen? Is it because Heinlein is a sexist?
Ah, no. Although this seems to be a common idea. If you have come here for feminist rants on how sexist Heinlein is, you'd best go elsewhere. May I suggest http://miniver.blogspot.com/2004/02/i... or the excellent http://www.reddit.com/r/scifi/comment... ?
Please go and enjoy yourself, it's fascinating. :)
But I was not ranting and raving about feminism while reading this novel. While undoubtedly Heinlein was very horny, and incredibly convinced that women crave marriage and especially babies, I didn't find this book to be offensive. Women were fine, Heinlein was fine, Joel was... interesting, but certainly not making me want to bash his head in. And you KNOW how much I love to rant about feminism, so...
You might expect me to say something like, "For a man who was born in 1907, Heinlein was surprisingly forward-thinking." However, if you are familiar with my James Bond reviews, you know that I don't forgive people solely on the basis that they were born in another time.
But that's so unfair, Carmen! Things were different back then, Ian Fleming blah blah blah blah....
Yeah, I don't give a care. Go whine somewhere else.
The only part that made me squeamish and upset was the fact that
I've seen a lot of books try to pull this crap and I've yet to find one that has given me any reaction except for instant disgust and revulsion.
Aside from that, Heinlein and I were fine in re: women and sexual relations.
OKAY, that huge "BAD" factor aside, let's break down more reasonable lists of "bad" and "good."
THE GOOD:
- Heinlein/Robinson is writing here with a kind of youthful teenage-boy outlook on life. Expect an extreme joy and interest in females, a need to make a lot of "toilet humor," and a barely restrained exuberance for space and interstellar travel.
Some may find this grating, I found it enjoyable. He made me laugh and smile a lot.
- Spider Robinson clearly busted his ass writing this and piecing this together from whatever was in Heinlein's notes. Kudos to him, he did a fabulous job.
- Heinlein has a fun, enjoyable, rather conversational style of writing (think Douglas Adams or John Scalzi).
- There's gay men in this novel (although noticeably no lesbians... perhaps fueling arguments that Heinlein is sexist? Women must be sexually available to the male MC? Just a thought) and they realistic and touching marriages/relationships.
...
THE BAD:
- There were parts of this novel I had to FORCE myself to get through. Parts that were extremely boring. Heinlein really thinks that he's funny, and really enjoys hearing himself talk. Whole scenes, whole conversations were nothing more than Heinlein spouting his philosophies about life, love, and the human race. UGH. I was ready to move on with the plot, already. This happened pretty frequently, to be honest.
- Joel is very much a Gary Stu. Not only does he play the saxophone, but he is one of the best saxophone players in the solar system! Oh, he's just a poor farmer from Ganymede, but 99% of women are attracted to him and want to have sex with him. Joel is "such a quick thinker" and
But I had also noticed quite early that I was usually faster on the uptake than most people. Unless the subject was me, anyway. I spent the better part of most conversations waiting for everyone else to catch up. Patterns form and combine in my mind like crystals reproducing at fast forward, sometimes so fast that even to me it seems like I skip whole steps in my logic process and just thumb to the back of the book for the answer.
this leads him to many Gary Stu moments where he comes to startling and brilliant conclusions before anyone else does - solving problems and occasionally saving humanity.
- Because of the Gary-Stu-ness of the protagonist, the book is quite predictable. It's simply the natural result of making your main character a Mary Sue or a Gary Stu. You know they will do x, y or z because of COURSE they are so smart/sexy/quick-thinking/talented that this must happen. Therefore, the book had very little suspense or excitement for me.
- The narrator is supposed to be ages 18-24ish in this book, but he always sounds, speaks and acts like a man who is AT LEAST 40 or 50. I wasn't buying this whole teenager/young man thing. (Unless you count the 14-year-old-ish obsession with sex and fart jokes as mentioned earlier).
...
Tl;dr - Overall, I would actually recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, lighthearted space adventure. Heinlein is funny and enthusiastic - it's difficult not to catch some of this attitude reading this. On the other hand, the man does love to hear himself talk - you might get bored with his constant stream of philosophy and theories on human beings. And you're going to have to be okay with the fact that the protagonist is unabashedly a Gary Stu, practically perfect in every way.
*http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
September 27, 2024
This is my third reading of Variable Star by Robert Heinlein and Spider Robinson. I enjoyed it immensely, and it in the three years since my last read managed to forget how the plot resolves and so it was like enjoying it mostly for the first time.
Robert Heinlein wrote the outline and some index cards for Variable Star in 1955, but never wrote the novel. It was discovered in 2003 and given to Spider Robinson, Heinlein's friend and a great science fiction author himself, to complete.
The blend is really interesting. Robinson does a fantastic job at writing a Heinleinian novel. The plot, characters, assumptions about the future, benevolence and hope are typical R.A.H. Even the manner of speech of the characters is typical of Heinlein's work... to a point. He combined a lot of bits that necessarily show the novel to be later. From characters "rebooting" and computer projections being better than Heinlein's necessarily were given when they were made, to having searching computer networks be referred to as "Googling" which obviously couldn't have come from Heinlein's lifespan.
Another place where Variable Star deviates from other Heinlein novels is that Spider Robinson is really, really funny. Heinlein can make me cheer and cry -- cry with rage or sadness and richly with love. He makes me laugh, here and there, a little. Usually it is harsh satire when he does. Robinson's characters have amazing senses of humor without losing the other parts. Fantastic. I've never read one of Robinson's books, but now plan to.
The end result of all this is the somewhat spooky feel of a real Heinlein novel written 20 years after his death. It's a last novel, and it's a good one. Particularly as my opinion is that the best of Heinlein's novels weren't near the end, I really feel like I owe Robinson something. He and this novel let the grandmaster go out on a high note.
After a fourth read a couple of years later, I've become a major fan of Spider Robinson. I'm so glad this novel introduced me to him. My other comments stand.
And a fifth reading primarily brought two observations: 5 and 7 were a little young for this one. They enjoyed it, but I know a lot of it was sailing over theirs heads. We'll have to revisit it together later. I'm glad there are still a lot of juveniles they haven't read yet. The second observation is -- damn Spider Robinson can cheer me up, no matter what else may be going on. :-)
Robert Heinlein wrote the outline and some index cards for Variable Star in 1955, but never wrote the novel. It was discovered in 2003 and given to Spider Robinson, Heinlein's friend and a great science fiction author himself, to complete.
The blend is really interesting. Robinson does a fantastic job at writing a Heinleinian novel. The plot, characters, assumptions about the future, benevolence and hope are typical R.A.H. Even the manner of speech of the characters is typical of Heinlein's work... to a point. He combined a lot of bits that necessarily show the novel to be later. From characters "rebooting" and computer projections being better than Heinlein's necessarily were given when they were made, to having searching computer networks be referred to as "Googling" which obviously couldn't have come from Heinlein's lifespan.
Another place where Variable Star deviates from other Heinlein novels is that Spider Robinson is really, really funny. Heinlein can make me cheer and cry -- cry with rage or sadness and richly with love. He makes me laugh, here and there, a little. Usually it is harsh satire when he does. Robinson's characters have amazing senses of humor without losing the other parts. Fantastic. I've never read one of Robinson's books, but now plan to.
The end result of all this is the somewhat spooky feel of a real Heinlein novel written 20 years after his death. It's a last novel, and it's a good one. Particularly as my opinion is that the best of Heinlein's novels weren't near the end, I really feel like I owe Robinson something. He and this novel let the grandmaster go out on a high note.
After a fourth read a couple of years later, I've become a major fan of Spider Robinson. I'm so glad this novel introduced me to him. My other comments stand.
And a fifth reading primarily brought two observations: 5 and 7 were a little young for this one. They enjoyed it, but I know a lot of it was sailing over theirs heads. We'll have to revisit it together later. I'm glad there are still a lot of juveniles they haven't read yet. The second observation is -- damn Spider Robinson can cheer me up, no matter what else may be going on. :-)
September 18, 2021
This is a novel that Robinson wrote from an outline and notes and fragments that were discovered among Heinlein's papers after his death. I thought Robinson was quite true to Heinlein's beliefs and voice throughout, and he did a good job of telling what would have been a minor Heinlein story. Some of the attitudes and assumptions are dated (and sexist), but one must remember it was created in 1955. It's a nice romantic story, somewhat improbable (aren't they all?), but nicely executed. Not the best of either author, but a fun read.
January 8, 2025
As I headed for the death chair, I invoked my very sharpest self-criticism. You have not thought this through. Myself replied with some asperity, And how the hell was I supposed to do that, chum? Using what data?
Wow. Where has this book been? At times reading it felt like reading the old Robert Heinlein—the RAH who stretched your mind and heart—before he got obsessed with sex in general and intergenerational incest in particular. Great set up. Typical RAH not-quite-a-hero.
“They were unlike all the generations before theirs in several ways, but chiefly in that they had no faintest clue how ignorant they were. Previous ages had usually had a pretty good handle on that.”
If I tell you more, I'll spoil your fun. Do not read any reviews or liners notes--not even the dust jacket! Stop reading this review now if you think you may read it.
What goes on in the Power Room of a relativistic starship like the Sheffield? Maybe God knows, if She exists.
Why only four stars? Because Robinson is no RAH. I'm sure his research on saxophones and Zen Buddhism was relevant to the story, but his huge data dumps paralyzed the narrative. And there are technical quibbles.
We were making a jump of about eighty-five light-years—at such a hair-raising fraction of c that the trip would seem to us to take twenty years, total.
First and foremost, Robinson flunks time dilation. The clock traveling at relativistic speeds (relative to the speed of light, c) will slow to the stationary observer, not to the traveler. Hence, even if you’re almost going c, it takes you more than 80 of your years to travel 80 light years (and hundreds to the stationary observer). Therefore, the whole timeline falls apart.
“The time…for fear…is past, now.”
Second, omnidirectional radiated energy diminishes with the cube of distance (multiplied by Pi) since it's a sphere. Therefore, if a G2 star explodes, whatever the local damage, at 90 light years (a light year is a unit a distance, not time) the density of nastiness will be .0000004 whatever it was at one light year (already six trillion miles). Persons in space might still be in trouble, but colonists on earth-type planets with magnetospheres should have lower risk.
“Well, that is just the best f---ing news in the f---ing Galaxy,” he said loudly. “That makes my f---ing day.”
Third, uncharacteristic (for Heinlein) coarse language. So many f-bombs that they lose whatever dramatic effect Robinson intends. In places where they might aptly demonstrate stress or degraded character, they don’t.
Life is going to continue to suck until somebody finds the Undo key.
Still, it's an excellent read. The story exceeds its shortcomings. Highly recommended to fans of RAH.
I know that our ancestors came from the stars. It would not be so lonely to die if I knew I had died on the way to the stars.
Wow. Where has this book been? At times reading it felt like reading the old Robert Heinlein—the RAH who stretched your mind and heart—before he got obsessed with sex in general and intergenerational incest in particular. Great set up. Typical RAH not-quite-a-hero.
“They were unlike all the generations before theirs in several ways, but chiefly in that they had no faintest clue how ignorant they were. Previous ages had usually had a pretty good handle on that.”
If I tell you more, I'll spoil your fun. Do not read any reviews or liners notes--not even the dust jacket! Stop reading this review now if you think you may read it.
What goes on in the Power Room of a relativistic starship like the Sheffield? Maybe God knows, if She exists.
Why only four stars? Because Robinson is no RAH. I'm sure his research on saxophones and Zen Buddhism was relevant to the story, but his huge data dumps paralyzed the narrative. And there are technical quibbles.
We were making a jump of about eighty-five light-years—at such a hair-raising fraction of c that the trip would seem to us to take twenty years, total.
First and foremost, Robinson flunks time dilation. The clock traveling at relativistic speeds (relative to the speed of light, c) will slow to the stationary observer, not to the traveler. Hence, even if you’re almost going c, it takes you more than 80 of your years to travel 80 light years (and hundreds to the stationary observer). Therefore, the whole timeline falls apart.
“The time…for fear…is past, now.”
Second, omnidirectional radiated energy diminishes with the cube of distance (multiplied by Pi) since it's a sphere. Therefore, if a G2 star explodes, whatever the local damage, at 90 light years (a light year is a unit a distance, not time) the density of nastiness will be .0000004 whatever it was at one light year (already six trillion miles). Persons in space might still be in trouble, but colonists on earth-type planets with magnetospheres should have lower risk.
“Well, that is just the best f---ing news in the f---ing Galaxy,” he said loudly. “That makes my f---ing day.”
Third, uncharacteristic (for Heinlein) coarse language. So many f-bombs that they lose whatever dramatic effect Robinson intends. In places where they might aptly demonstrate stress or degraded character, they don’t.
Life is going to continue to suck until somebody finds the Undo key.
Still, it's an excellent read. The story exceeds its shortcomings. Highly recommended to fans of RAH.
I know that our ancestors came from the stars. It would not be so lonely to die if I knew I had died on the way to the stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2008
If you can get past the horrid predictable sexist stuff in this book, you are still left with a horrid predictable book.
This was a book based on a portion of an outline and some notes discovered after Heinlein's death, and written by Spider Robinson.
I was sad that Robinson didn't delve into the various social structures as much as Heinlein would have, so he missed out on what could have been some thought-provoking moments. He also failed to say anything insightful about oh, the end of all human life, and all other situations that came up in the book. Instead there were random religious ramblings (oftentimes with only the most tenuous connection to what was happening in the book), various sections showing off he'd researched some stuff (except that he doesn't quite understand relativity, or happily distorts it for the plot), a weird insert about modern politics, and a series of flat female characters who all, shockingly, had the hots for the handsome, 2m tall, brilliant, cocky, intuitive, did I mention brilliant? wet-dream-of-a-lead-character. Oh, except the one minor female character who was stronger than him. Of course SHE wasn't a sex object! Duh.
This was a book based on a portion of an outline and some notes discovered after Heinlein's death, and written by Spider Robinson.
I was sad that Robinson didn't delve into the various social structures as much as Heinlein would have, so he missed out on what could have been some thought-provoking moments. He also failed to say anything insightful about oh, the end of all human life, and all other situations that came up in the book. Instead there were random religious ramblings (oftentimes with only the most tenuous connection to what was happening in the book), various sections showing off he'd researched some stuff (except that he doesn't quite understand relativity, or happily distorts it for the plot), a weird insert about modern politics, and a series of flat female characters who all, shockingly, had the hots for the handsome, 2m tall, brilliant, cocky, intuitive, did I mention brilliant? wet-dream-of-a-lead-character. Oh, except the one minor female character who was stronger than him. Of course SHE wasn't a sex object! Duh.
May 6, 2013
http://libromancersapprentice.blogspo...
This may set the record for my quickest time reading a Heinlein novel. I finished reading it at about 2:30AM this morning. I would say it is safe to say that I enjoyed this novel that seems to float between revered and rejected by the Science Fiction community.
In all honesty, I have trouble considering it really a Heinlein novel, as it was written based on 7 pages of outline, a handful of index cards, and a familiarity with Heinlein's voice and style. It definitely is Heinlein's story, but ultimately the words belong to Spider Robinson. Robinson was instructed to "take his outline and write the best damn Spider Robinson novel you're capable of," and he wrote a book that, to me, holds true to the spirit of Heinlein's style. The characters, relationships, idioms, and troupes largely match what I expect from a Heinlein novel.
However it occurred to me after I finished that perhaps the reason I read it so quickly is that the book lacks the more in-depth commentaries that Heinlein only faintly disguised dialog. The writing was still in places brilliant, and the details about goats had me laughing, but I have come to expect at least one major treatise on an aspect of society in every Heinlein novel. This could be on economics, social and/or sexual morays, military service, or other topic. Even if I find his attempts at feminism oddly self-contradicted (as almost every woman he wrote requires lots of babies to be happy), and am a bit turned off by the occasionally included enthusiastic incest (I don't care if gene selection and tuning would remove any biological downsides, it's still squicky to me), Heinlein was a brilliant man. The detail in which he thought out the technology he imagined, including ship layouts and engineering principles, is astounding. He was writing in 1928 about flaws in our economic model that my Economics professors were lecturing on in 2005.
I can understand where devout Heinlein fans are split down the middle on this book. Robinson has a different sense of humor, a different grasp on technology and mathematics, a different take on society and people. My personal opinion is that Spider Robinson wrote a fantastic science fiction novel, that exists as a tribute to Heinlein.
This may set the record for my quickest time reading a Heinlein novel. I finished reading it at about 2:30AM this morning. I would say it is safe to say that I enjoyed this novel that seems to float between revered and rejected by the Science Fiction community.
In all honesty, I have trouble considering it really a Heinlein novel, as it was written based on 7 pages of outline, a handful of index cards, and a familiarity with Heinlein's voice and style. It definitely is Heinlein's story, but ultimately the words belong to Spider Robinson. Robinson was instructed to "take his outline and write the best damn Spider Robinson novel you're capable of," and he wrote a book that, to me, holds true to the spirit of Heinlein's style. The characters, relationships, idioms, and troupes largely match what I expect from a Heinlein novel.
However it occurred to me after I finished that perhaps the reason I read it so quickly is that the book lacks the more in-depth commentaries that Heinlein only faintly disguised dialog. The writing was still in places brilliant, and the details about goats had me laughing, but I have come to expect at least one major treatise on an aspect of society in every Heinlein novel. This could be on economics, social and/or sexual morays, military service, or other topic. Even if I find his attempts at feminism oddly self-contradicted (as almost every woman he wrote requires lots of babies to be happy), and am a bit turned off by the occasionally included enthusiastic incest (I don't care if gene selection and tuning would remove any biological downsides, it's still squicky to me), Heinlein was a brilliant man. The detail in which he thought out the technology he imagined, including ship layouts and engineering principles, is astounding. He was writing in 1928 about flaws in our economic model that my Economics professors were lecturing on in 2005.
I can understand where devout Heinlein fans are split down the middle on this book. Robinson has a different sense of humor, a different grasp on technology and mathematics, a different take on society and people. My personal opinion is that Spider Robinson wrote a fantastic science fiction novel, that exists as a tribute to Heinlein.
August 22, 2018
Maybe more of a 2.5
Never have I picked up a book, not expecting much, but ending up happily surprised, and then extremely disappointed. This book has been patiently lying in wait on my shelves for eight years. The first few chapters were ok, chapters eight through eighteen were wonderful, the last chapters were... ugh.
There were a lot of stupid remarks about women that became fewer and further apart, so I assumed Joel was just growing as a person. Then there was that horrible bit about Indiginous North Americans. Other than that, I enjoyed the characters and story and didn't even mind when Joel would take forever to get to a point. It even made me tear up a few times.
But then, chapter 19. Around the beginning I had predicted that It was all so cheesy as well.
How could a book that could make me feel so much for ten chapters turn into that nonsense?
Never have I picked up a book, not expecting much, but ending up happily surprised, and then extremely disappointed. This book has been patiently lying in wait on my shelves for eight years. The first few chapters were ok, chapters eight through eighteen were wonderful, the last chapters were... ugh.
There were a lot of stupid remarks about women that became fewer and further apart, so I assumed Joel was just growing as a person. Then there was that horrible bit about Indiginous North Americans. Other than that, I enjoyed the characters and story and didn't even mind when Joel would take forever to get to a point. It even made me tear up a few times.
But then, chapter 19. Around the beginning I had predicted that It was all so cheesy as well.
How could a book that could make me feel so much for ten chapters turn into that nonsense?
October 15, 2012
Having read everything Heinlein has written, I was pleased to run across this unfinished work; Spider Robinson has done a creditable job of writing with Heinlein's voice. Initially the story was a bit slow and, I thought, predictable; the romance didn't enthrall me. Things slowly picked up, though, and by the end they moved almost too fast, but it was a fun ride. I found the major plot twist to be rather over-the-top, but Heinlein frequently did, or nearly did that, so I didn't allow it to unduly influence my opinion of the work. The starship in the story uses a new kind of star drive, which certainly requires the invoking of Clarke's third law (any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic). In fact, the drive may actually be magic and not technology, but really, any drive that allows speeds to approach C is probably more magic than it is science. In any case, if you grew up reading Heinlein, as I did, or if you came to him later and grew to love him, you should enjoy this book.
June 7, 2010
Robinson is a funnier writer than Heinlein, quite often I was laughing out loud. But the typical Heinlein plot and elements still made me feel like it was a Heinlein work. I only had two problems with the book. One was right at the end when a character acts completely out of character in order for there to be one final climax in the story. The other was an unnecessary reference to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I realize many people who read this book (especially Heinlein fans who share a touch of his libertarianism) will completely agree with the author's opinions.
I am not going to try and argue against anyone having that opinion, in fact, more often I find myself thinking we shouldn't have gone to war in those countries. But I haven't quite made up my mind yet, and that's my point. I think it's sloppy to put something in that is so recent that no one really knows what the ultimate outcome will be. Also Robinson implies that there were fewer terrorists before we started a war with Afghanistan and Iraq and now they're really mad at us. I have to say that with my experience living in the middle east, that is complete bogus. They have been pissed at us ever since the west surpassed them in technology and power (circa 1683). These are people who cheered in their streets after September 11, sure not all of them did, but I can guarantee that almost no one over there started hating us after we invaded. And since the ones who hated us most were the first to step up with machine guns against our boys, I can also guarantee there are fewer terrorists as a result of those wars.
I hate that this is occupying the majority of this review, I really did like the book I am going to read more of Robinson's own work and I will probably re-read this one very soon. What I am saying is that those two things keep this at a 4 star instead of a 5 star book, not too bad especially considering my ratings of some of Heinlein's books, and I really like Heinlein.
I am not going to try and argue against anyone having that opinion, in fact, more often I find myself thinking we shouldn't have gone to war in those countries. But I haven't quite made up my mind yet, and that's my point. I think it's sloppy to put something in that is so recent that no one really knows what the ultimate outcome will be. Also Robinson implies that there were fewer terrorists before we started a war with Afghanistan and Iraq and now they're really mad at us. I have to say that with my experience living in the middle east, that is complete bogus. They have been pissed at us ever since the west surpassed them in technology and power (circa 1683). These are people who cheered in their streets after September 11, sure not all of them did, but I can guarantee that almost no one over there started hating us after we invaded. And since the ones who hated us most were the first to step up with machine guns against our boys, I can also guarantee there are fewer terrorists as a result of those wars.
I hate that this is occupying the majority of this review, I really did like the book I am going to read more of Robinson's own work and I will probably re-read this one very soon. What I am saying is that those two things keep this at a 4 star instead of a 5 star book, not too bad especially considering my ratings of some of Heinlein's books, and I really like Heinlein.
September 22, 2011
As a child, I was raised on a steady diet of Robert Heinlein, which my father gladly fed to me to keep me from causing too much trouble and to keep my mind from becoming dull and pedestrian. Reading the unfinished product of the greatest Science Fiction writer of the 20th century, with the over whelming talent of Spider Robinson to fill in the narrative gaps is quite over whelming, literally at times. The pace of the narrative changes from Heinlein's own objective description and 20th century vernacular to Robinson's more modern and removed immersion style which works very well when creating a world for the mind to explore, but does nothing in the adventure of humanity that Heinlein excelled at producing. I will not go into the plot as I recommend that every Science Fiction fan reads this book at some point, to see the absolute divergence in the genre, before it disappears beneath a serial proliferation of half rendered properties and brand names.
August 25, 2015
It's a so-so Spider Robinson book, with some of Heinlein's tropes (one used more effectively in both The Door into Summer and Time for the Stars) and a couple of his mannerisms ("Stinky" and "Skinny" as affectionate terms of address to a girlfriend). Some continuity errors, and some very pre-supposed situations which were never identfied. (A rich man is declared to be ruthless, without any explanation of why that is believed. The hero who has been largely clueless throughout the book suddenly declares he's fast on the uptake, and suddenly is. Etc.) Not particularly recommended, especially if you're expecting a Heinlein novel.
April 20, 2020
Joel Johnston has it all. The girl he loves has agreed to marry him. He figures it will take a few years to establish himself as a composer and then they can set a date. But she proposes an alternate plan. When things start to go south, the mental shock sets him on a bender that culminates in him signing on to a colony ship headed to another solar system at just a few hundredths of a percent under the speed of light. Could things get any worse? Actually, yes they could …
As Spider Robinson explains in his Afterword, this book began as an outline and some notes made by Robert Heinlein in 1955 for a novel, a novel that, for unknown reasons, was never written. The notes were discovered in his files decades later, and Robinson was suggested as a potential candidate for bringing the book to fruition. So it's essentially a Robinson novel written from a Heinlein outline (an incomplete one, as the Afterword points out.) If that thought doesn't excite you, you're clearly not familiar enough with the works of either.
There's always been a noticeable Heinlein influence in Robinson’s work anyway (it seems particularly evident to me in his novels Night of Power and Telempath), so it makes perfect sense that he’d be given this project. The result is more Robinson than Heinlein, not that that's a bad thing--the descriptions of Johnston’s saxophone performances, or of his dance with Jinny at the beginning, could scarcely have been written by anyone else. It's recognizably a Heinlein plot though, and the general feel of daily life aboard the spaceship Sheffield recalls classics like Space Cadet or Starship Troopers. And the textbook Heinlein phrase, “The door dilated,” is referenced multiple times.
The ending is a bit easy to see coming, though I don't think I can say why without spoiling anything. I don't see this as a glaring weakness. Getting there is every bit as entertaining as one could wish. This book reminded me of that first heady rush of discovering Heinlein--and, later, Robinson--for the first time. Novels like this are one of the things that keep me reading science fiction. Highly recommended!
As Spider Robinson explains in his Afterword, this book began as an outline and some notes made by Robert Heinlein in 1955 for a novel, a novel that, for unknown reasons, was never written. The notes were discovered in his files decades later, and Robinson was suggested as a potential candidate for bringing the book to fruition. So it's essentially a Robinson novel written from a Heinlein outline (an incomplete one, as the Afterword points out.) If that thought doesn't excite you, you're clearly not familiar enough with the works of either.
There's always been a noticeable Heinlein influence in Robinson’s work anyway (it seems particularly evident to me in his novels Night of Power and Telempath), so it makes perfect sense that he’d be given this project. The result is more Robinson than Heinlein, not that that's a bad thing--the descriptions of Johnston’s saxophone performances, or of his dance with Jinny at the beginning, could scarcely have been written by anyone else. It's recognizably a Heinlein plot though, and the general feel of daily life aboard the spaceship Sheffield recalls classics like Space Cadet or Starship Troopers. And the textbook Heinlein phrase, “The door dilated,” is referenced multiple times.
The ending is a bit easy to see coming, though I don't think I can say why without spoiling anything. I don't see this as a glaring weakness. Getting there is every bit as entertaining as one could wish. This book reminded me of that first heady rush of discovering Heinlein--and, later, Robinson--for the first time. Novels like this are one of the things that keep me reading science fiction. Highly recommended!
May 4, 2014
reviews.metaphorosis.com
2.5 stars
Bright teenager Joel Johnston learns something surprising about his beautiful girlfriend, and in consequence makes a rash decision that affects his own future and (indirectly) all of humanity.
I don't know that I've read much Spider Robinson before; maybe a few of his Callahan stories. I have read a lot of Robert Heinlein - most of what there is to read. So I can say with a high degree of confidence that Robinson did a masterful job of producing a new Heinlein novel based on an incomplete outline and some notecards Heinlein produced way back when, and never wrote up. This book sounds like Heinlein, in small ways and large.
Unfortunately, Robinson also reproduced the mid-period Heinlein's machismo and some of his less appealing quirks. Our hero is all for equality, and for sexual permutations of all descriptions, but obviously the best way is for real men to lead, right? Women are brilliant and strong, but when it comes to the tough choices, that's when the man steps in to save the day and the damsel. It's a flaw that worsened in Heinlein as he aged, until it became almost a parody of wish fulfillment. Here, Robinson gives us not a Sail Beyond the Sunset Heinlein, but a Glory Road version. It's a perspective that hasn't really aged well.
The fact is that Heinlein was really best at short fiction. Some of his novels are excellent, but the bulk are just adequate and now dated, where much of his early short work still stands strong. Robinson has done a good job with the task given to him, but I frankly would have preferred a book that assumed Heinlein had finally modernized his attitudes than one that replicates 1950s views in the 2000s.
The book is generally a quick, enjoyable read, despite the ponderous, often chauvinist philosophy. Robinson does make some missteps, such as with extended plugs for current artists and a few others. And he does very little with the characterization - key figures are very Heinleinian, but they're not very deep. The ending in particular is shallow, as are the motivations of some of the characters in it. Robinson sees this a one of Heinlein's juvenile novels, but young adults are sharper and deeper than he (or Heinlein) give them credit for.
All in all, the book is unsurprising. It was a better clone of Heinlein than I expected, but not a better book. If you miss Heinlein's voice and politics, here's a chance to see them one last time. If you want a light, male-dominated adventure story, feel free to pick this up. But as SFF has matured over the years, the quality of the content has matured with it, and I'm sorry to say that run-of-the-mill Heinlein just isn't at the top of the heap anymore.
February 20, 2019
oh, dear.
I'm going to be unpopular with this review because as far as i can see everyone else loved it, but it left me feeling vastly disappointed.
Firstly, I'm a HUGE Heinlein fan. I've read everything he ever wrote, own every single one of his books and re-read them regularly. I started with Time Enough for Love in 1977 and i have never looked back. He's a genius, always entertaining, even when there are parts i haven't got a clue what he's on about.
One of Lazarus Long's epigrams in Intermission in TEFL goes: "Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human. At best, he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear his shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house."
Well, that's me. RAL would have been bored by me and would be disgusted that I don't get maths. But his vastly superior knowledge of maths, astronomy etc never stopped me from loving his books. They are engaging, absorbing and even though the politics are often more right wing than i like, I can separate books from authors.
So, what's wrong with this book?
Well, it's dull, frankly. It starts well and has enough action and interest to keep you reading, boy meets girl, boy meets family of girl, boy loses girl because she's the richest woman in the solar system, and that's enough of a premise to hang a plot on. It feels quite Heinleiny in the beginning but soon went off the boil when Joel gets on a spaceship which is travelling for 20 years to start a new colony.
From the minute he goes onboard i got bored. He mopes for ages because he feels hard done by by his ex-girlfriend. Lots of HOW COULD SHE DO THIS TO ME? Then he meets up with his bunkmates who are indistinguishable and ALL dull as ditchwater. I couldn't care less about what happened to any of them because it was all about Joel and no one else. There's banter bantered about most of which is bullcrap, and it turns out Joel is some kind of Sax genius (for no good reason) none of which hangs on the tale as a whole. His job is boring, because we hear almost nothing about it, the propulsion is boring because no one knows how it works, even the people who do it, so we are dragged around in Joel's head, like being in a hamster's head as he gazes uncomprehending at a universe he doesn't get.
The much pre trumpeted disaster(s) aren't particularly interesting. Partly because i didn't care what happened to the characters who are hurt as i knew nothing about them and partly because Robinson doesn't seem capable of writing peril with any conviction. I was more worried about the goats in their improvised zero g pen - how did that work? no one knows, and we are not told.
The solution made me want to tear out my hair because I'VE READ IT BEFORE in Methuselah's Children. This is, apparently a parallel universe to the Future History series where Libby marries Joel's ex, builds his FTL drive and saves the spaceship.
so yeah. didn't think much of this won't be re-reading.
I'm going to be unpopular with this review because as far as i can see everyone else loved it, but it left me feeling vastly disappointed.
Firstly, I'm a HUGE Heinlein fan. I've read everything he ever wrote, own every single one of his books and re-read them regularly. I started with Time Enough for Love in 1977 and i have never looked back. He's a genius, always entertaining, even when there are parts i haven't got a clue what he's on about.
One of Lazarus Long's epigrams in Intermission in TEFL goes: "Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human. At best, he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear his shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house."
Well, that's me. RAL would have been bored by me and would be disgusted that I don't get maths. But his vastly superior knowledge of maths, astronomy etc never stopped me from loving his books. They are engaging, absorbing and even though the politics are often more right wing than i like, I can separate books from authors.
So, what's wrong with this book?
Well, it's dull, frankly. It starts well and has enough action and interest to keep you reading, boy meets girl, boy meets family of girl, boy loses girl because she's the richest woman in the solar system, and that's enough of a premise to hang a plot on. It feels quite Heinleiny in the beginning but soon went off the boil when Joel gets on a spaceship which is travelling for 20 years to start a new colony.
From the minute he goes onboard i got bored. He mopes for ages because he feels hard done by by his ex-girlfriend. Lots of HOW COULD SHE DO THIS TO ME? Then he meets up with his bunkmates who are indistinguishable and ALL dull as ditchwater. I couldn't care less about what happened to any of them because it was all about Joel and no one else. There's banter bantered about most of which is bullcrap, and it turns out Joel is some kind of Sax genius (for no good reason) none of which hangs on the tale as a whole. His job is boring, because we hear almost nothing about it, the propulsion is boring because no one knows how it works, even the people who do it, so we are dragged around in Joel's head, like being in a hamster's head as he gazes uncomprehending at a universe he doesn't get.
The much pre trumpeted disaster(s) aren't particularly interesting. Partly because i didn't care what happened to the characters who are hurt as i knew nothing about them and partly because Robinson doesn't seem capable of writing peril with any conviction. I was more worried about the goats in their improvised zero g pen - how did that work? no one knows, and we are not told.
The solution made me want to tear out my hair because I'VE READ IT BEFORE in Methuselah's Children. This is, apparently a parallel universe to the Future History series where Libby marries Joel's ex, builds his FTL drive and saves the spaceship.
so yeah. didn't think much of this won't be re-reading.
October 18, 2009
The good: Spider Robinson (who actually wrote the book from a Heinlein-penned outline) sounds almost Exactly like good ol' RAH. You'd think it Was him if it wasn't for the references to Google and The Simpsons. :}
And, the plot was compelling and possessed of many unexpected twists, even if meandering at times. Lots of stock RAH characters: the irreverent geniuses, the TANSTAAFL-believing rugged individualists, etc.
The bad: How can I put this? Bluntly, I guess! Heinlein wasn't just an atheist, he was one of those dumb atheists (or if we want to be nice, wildly and irrationally optimistic atheists) who - all evidence to the contrary - was firmly convinced that man could perfect himself and "outgrow" war and even personal violence.
These people have no god but themselves. The swear by "The Covenant" (under which barbaric religions such as Christianity have been outlawed) and willingly avail themselves of head shrinkers to get over their own violent impulses. And yet everything works. Everything holds together. There's no serious dysfunction, each situation is met with good humor and bonhomie... it's completely unbelievable. OK, perhaps I'm a bit unfair: some pretty nasty stuff goes down plot-wise and a few characters do go off the deep end. But not many, and not (mostly) on screen.
There are some real plot parallels between this book and "Anvil of the Stars," which also takes an atheistic worldview. I didn't like "Anvil" much because it was depressing. But I think that's because it was a lot more True.
Anyway, I had more tolerance for this nonsense when I was a kid, but the older I get the more childish it appears.
If you're a Heinlein fan or if you enjoy a good sci-fi "ark" story with some fun romance and whatnot thrown in, then by all means read "Variable Star." It's fully in his mold. But don't look too closely at the philosophy: it doesn't hold up to real life.
And, the plot was compelling and possessed of many unexpected twists, even if meandering at times. Lots of stock RAH characters: the irreverent geniuses, the TANSTAAFL-believing rugged individualists, etc.
The bad: How can I put this? Bluntly, I guess! Heinlein wasn't just an atheist, he was one of those dumb atheists (or if we want to be nice, wildly and irrationally optimistic atheists) who - all evidence to the contrary - was firmly convinced that man could perfect himself and "outgrow" war and even personal violence.
These people have no god but themselves. The swear by "The Covenant" (under which barbaric religions such as Christianity have been outlawed) and willingly avail themselves of head shrinkers to get over their own violent impulses. And yet everything works. Everything holds together. There's no serious dysfunction, each situation is met with good humor and bonhomie... it's completely unbelievable. OK, perhaps I'm a bit unfair: some pretty nasty stuff goes down plot-wise and a few characters do go off the deep end. But not many, and not (mostly) on screen.
There are some real plot parallels between this book and "Anvil of the Stars," which also takes an atheistic worldview. I didn't like "Anvil" much because it was depressing. But I think that's because it was a lot more True.
Anyway, I had more tolerance for this nonsense when I was a kid, but the older I get the more childish it appears.
If you're a Heinlein fan or if you enjoy a good sci-fi "ark" story with some fun romance and whatnot thrown in, then by all means read "Variable Star." It's fully in his mold. But don't look too closely at the philosophy: it doesn't hold up to real life.
April 14, 2012
Don’t believe the cover. This is not a Heinlein novel. It’s a Spider Robinson novel based on an incomplete outline and some notes Heinlein prepared in 1955. It makes for an odd collaboration, but I enjoyed the story. It’s mostly Robinson, though, with a characteristically crude and flawed main character, fond of drink and socially awkward. It includes clichés, snarky asides, and has a first person conversational style that constantly reminds you that this is just a story. Don’t take it seriously. Much of the plot, though, is classic Heinlein. It’s pure science fiction in the original, positive, sense of the term with scientists and spaceships and a spotlight on the importance of free choice and individual human achievement. Somehow, the combination works. It’s not the silly, unsophisticated humor of Robinson, and it’s not the serious comment on humanity of Heinlein, but it succeeds in showing mankind progressing despite mistakes and setbacks, which is what I enjoy most in science fiction and which was the predominant theme of the classic stories from the 1950’s.
June 21, 2013
My first Heinlein was Starman Jones and that beginning led me to read almost everything he wrote. I am old enough that I was reading while he still was writing. I know all of the criticisms of him, but I love his books in spite of the criticisms. This book, written by Spider Robinson, is based on a few scant pages of Heinlein's notes but it has the feeling of Heinlein juvenilia. The love Robinson has for RAH is evident in this homage.
I really enjoyed this book. Robinson has a wonderful sense of humor and the story is about RAH's themes of individualism. This is a book for those who miss Heinlein ... and that is definitely me.
I really enjoyed this book. Robinson has a wonderful sense of humor and the story is about RAH's themes of individualism. This is a book for those who miss Heinlein ... and that is definitely me.
July 30, 2022
I was planning a solo 16 hour drive, and needed something to listen to. My local library has a very limited selection of audio books that are science fiction, and even fewer that I have not already read. The winner was this 11 hour version of Variable Star.
In 1955 Robert Heinlein created an 8 page outline of an 11th juvenile novel, entitled "The Stars Are A Clock." Long after Heinlein's death in 1988, Spider Robinson was commissioned to write a novel based on that outline. Only the first 7 pages had survived, and a new ending was created as well. The resulting novel, written to honor Robert Heinlein, by a writer who was inspired by him at a young age, was completed and published in 2006. This audio recording, read by Spider Robinson himself, was released in 2007. The details of this background are included in an afterward to the novel.
Spider Robinson's reading voice is clearly understandable; his tone is somewhat snarky and clipped when wise cracks or subtle references to science fiction personalities or other works are being slipped in. That happens a lot, so it is good to have someone who knows them, to tip off the listener. For some reason, his voice reminded me of Hawkeye Pierce in the MASH series.
Make no mistake, this is a Spider Robinson novel, just using Robert Heinlein's outline. There is language and sexual behavior that would not have been included in a Heinlein juvenile in 1955, as well as contemporary culture references such as The Simpsons, and the 9/11 terrorist attack. Yet, it does conform loosely to Heinlein's future history. That said, the first few chapters are overtly Heinleinish in gender and class assumptions and behaviors - to the point where I was wondering if Heinlein was really that bad. I nearly quit, but with 14 hours of driving to go, I stuck with it. I'm glad I did.
Once the Sheffield takes off, the story transforms dramatically, and effectively explores the necessities of a 500 passenger relativistic space ship. I'll give no further spoilers, but am proud to say that I figured out many of the solutions to dilemmas faced and the romantic resolutions long before they happened. This is either because of my own familiarity with Heinlein's tropes, or to effective foreshadowing by Robinson.
In conclusion, the novel is nearly ruined by an awful start up, but is fun for those who will pick up on the homage given to Robert Heinlein by Spider Robinson.
In 1955 Robert Heinlein created an 8 page outline of an 11th juvenile novel, entitled "The Stars Are A Clock." Long after Heinlein's death in 1988, Spider Robinson was commissioned to write a novel based on that outline. Only the first 7 pages had survived, and a new ending was created as well. The resulting novel, written to honor Robert Heinlein, by a writer who was inspired by him at a young age, was completed and published in 2006. This audio recording, read by Spider Robinson himself, was released in 2007. The details of this background are included in an afterward to the novel.
Spider Robinson's reading voice is clearly understandable; his tone is somewhat snarky and clipped when wise cracks or subtle references to science fiction personalities or other works are being slipped in. That happens a lot, so it is good to have someone who knows them, to tip off the listener. For some reason, his voice reminded me of Hawkeye Pierce in the MASH series.
Make no mistake, this is a Spider Robinson novel, just using Robert Heinlein's outline. There is language and sexual behavior that would not have been included in a Heinlein juvenile in 1955, as well as contemporary culture references such as The Simpsons, and the 9/11 terrorist attack. Yet, it does conform loosely to Heinlein's future history. That said, the first few chapters are overtly Heinleinish in gender and class assumptions and behaviors - to the point where I was wondering if Heinlein was really that bad. I nearly quit, but with 14 hours of driving to go, I stuck with it. I'm glad I did.
Once the Sheffield takes off, the story transforms dramatically, and effectively explores the necessities of a 500 passenger relativistic space ship. I'll give no further spoilers, but am proud to say that I figured out many of the solutions to dilemmas faced and the romantic resolutions long before they happened. This is either because of my own familiarity with Heinlein's tropes, or to effective foreshadowing by Robinson.
In conclusion, the novel is nearly ruined by an awful start up, but is fun for those who will pick up on the homage given to Robert Heinlein by Spider Robinson.
February 13, 2010
"If you happen to be one of the fretful minority who can do creative work, never force an idea; you'll abort it if you do. Be patient and you'll give birth to it when the time is ripe. Learn to wait."
Robert A. Heinlein
"Finishing" a book left by a dead author almost never works out. While Variable Star was written by Spider Robinson from notes left by the science-fiction superstar, it comes across as more of an homage than a bastard novel.
Joel Johnston is a college student on Earth, hailing from the farms of Ganeymede. He finds himself running from the solar system, leaving behind a failed romance and everything he ever knew, aboard the starship Sheffield. Joel meets many new people, and has many lows and friends. The ship has crises aplenty, and I won't ruin any of the surprises. The Sheffield, and its destination Brasil Novo, are world-building at its grandest.
The stock Heinlein situations and societies have been deftly updated to reflect current technologies and cosmologies as we now understand them. The science fails to overwhelm, but is present in abundance when needed, with pleasant, helpful air. The reader almost doesn't notice that the author is more lost in the science than the page-turner.
Joel, the farmer Zog, Dr. Amy, Evelyn Conrad, Solomon Short, -- the folks inhabiting the world or Variable Star feel like they're a few years out of a concise Heinlein Juvie novel. Joel is a sympathetic man who makes mistakes. I was rooting for him and the 500 folks on the Sheffield all the way through.
Variable Star is great fun, a thoughtful novel, and while it doesn't feel like Mr. Heinlein was at the author's elbow, his influence is in the broad strokes. (Even the ending, maybe a touch predictable, wasn't on the original outline, but to Mr. Robinson's credit, feels like something from a Future History novel.)
A very good, page-turnin' stand-alone novel, drawing from a rich tapestry. Highly recommended.
Robert A. Heinlein
"Finishing" a book left by a dead author almost never works out. While Variable Star was written by Spider Robinson from notes left by the science-fiction superstar, it comes across as more of an homage than a bastard novel.
Joel Johnston is a college student on Earth, hailing from the farms of Ganeymede. He finds himself running from the solar system, leaving behind a failed romance and everything he ever knew, aboard the starship Sheffield. Joel meets many new people, and has many lows and friends. The ship has crises aplenty, and I won't ruin any of the surprises. The Sheffield, and its destination Brasil Novo, are world-building at its grandest.
The stock Heinlein situations and societies have been deftly updated to reflect current technologies and cosmologies as we now understand them. The science fails to overwhelm, but is present in abundance when needed, with pleasant, helpful air. The reader almost doesn't notice that the author is more lost in the science than the page-turner.
Joel, the farmer Zog, Dr. Amy, Evelyn Conrad, Solomon Short, -- the folks inhabiting the world or Variable Star feel like they're a few years out of a concise Heinlein Juvie novel. Joel is a sympathetic man who makes mistakes. I was rooting for him and the 500 folks on the Sheffield all the way through.
Variable Star is great fun, a thoughtful novel, and while it doesn't feel like Mr. Heinlein was at the author's elbow, his influence is in the broad strokes. (Even the ending, maybe a touch predictable, wasn't on the original outline, but to Mr. Robinson's credit, feels like something from a Future History novel.)
A very good, page-turnin' stand-alone novel, drawing from a rich tapestry. Highly recommended.
May 27, 2019
This book was written from an outline by Robert A. Heinlein. Heinlein wrote his outline for this book in 1955 but put it away and never actually wrote the book. Many years later the outline was found and Spider Robinson was chosen to write a novel from it. I have known of its existence for several years but had never read it. I am a huge Heinlein fan and at one time he was my favorite author. He is still my second favorite author just behind David Weber. I had never read this because I was afraid of being disappointed. I couldn't have been more wrong. Spider Robinson did an excellent job with this novel and I will be forever glad that I finally read it. In many places it read as if Heinlein had written it himself and in other places you could see Spider Robinson's hand, but it was a very good hand. There were also some modern references and a small amount of profanity which would not have been in a novel written by Heinlein but all in all it was a great read.
The story itself is about a young man whose first love turns out to have deceived him about herself and her family. Her family is ultra rich and powerful and have plans for him and her which go against everything he has planed and wants for his life. Instead of marrying into this wealthy family he signs up for a one way trip to a new planet on a sub-light starship. He thinks that his problems will be left behind but they are just beginning. With typical stumbles, our young man grows into his manhood on his trip to the stars. If you are longing to read Heinlein just one more time then this book is for you. I have read several of Spider Robinson's other novels but I will have to make sure to read a few more after reading Variable Star!
The story itself is about a young man whose first love turns out to have deceived him about herself and her family. Her family is ultra rich and powerful and have plans for him and her which go against everything he has planed and wants for his life. Instead of marrying into this wealthy family he signs up for a one way trip to a new planet on a sub-light starship. He thinks that his problems will be left behind but they are just beginning. With typical stumbles, our young man grows into his manhood on his trip to the stars. If you are longing to read Heinlein just one more time then this book is for you. I have read several of Spider Robinson's other novels but I will have to make sure to read a few more after reading Variable Star!
March 12, 2008
The book is based on an outline of notes Heinlein put together back in 1955. Upon his death, the outline was discovered and given to author Spider Robinson to create a full-length novel.
The protagonist is Joel, who has just graduated from high school (or its future equivalent) and is awaiting a scholarship acceptance so that he may study to be a composer. His high school sweetheart Jinny wants to get married, but he is so poor he cannot justify it. Then Jinny reveals she actually Jinny Conrad, te granddaughter of the wealthiest man in the universe, and her grandfather wants to groom Joel to take over the company. Joel resists giving up the future he has planned for himself, and feels betrayed that Jinny lied to him. So he takes off on a spaceship bound to establish a new colony 85 light years away, where the long arm of the Conrads cannot reach him.
Up until this part, they had me. But this was only like 50 pages in. The next 200 pages they talk about Joel's life on the ship, which isn't that interesting and also has little bearing on the overall plot of the book. Then the last 50 pages things happen again. I felt like Robinson stalled way too long on irrelevant episodes and rushed the ending. The ending itself was kind of wacky too, but I don't want to give away too much. Suffice it to say Joel gets his reunion with Jinny but it is totally anti-climactic.
In my opinion, this book was okay, but not great. I thought the story had promise but I didn't like the way the author chose to tell the story. I wanted to hear more about some parts and a lot less about others.
The protagonist is Joel, who has just graduated from high school (or its future equivalent) and is awaiting a scholarship acceptance so that he may study to be a composer. His high school sweetheart Jinny wants to get married, but he is so poor he cannot justify it. Then Jinny reveals she actually Jinny Conrad, te granddaughter of the wealthiest man in the universe, and her grandfather wants to groom Joel to take over the company. Joel resists giving up the future he has planned for himself, and feels betrayed that Jinny lied to him. So he takes off on a spaceship bound to establish a new colony 85 light years away, where the long arm of the Conrads cannot reach him.
Up until this part, they had me. But this was only like 50 pages in. The next 200 pages they talk about Joel's life on the ship, which isn't that interesting and also has little bearing on the overall plot of the book. Then the last 50 pages things happen again. I felt like Robinson stalled way too long on irrelevant episodes and rushed the ending. The ending itself was kind of wacky too, but I don't want to give away too much. Suffice it to say Joel gets his reunion with Jinny but it is totally anti-climactic.
In my opinion, this book was okay, but not great. I thought the story had promise but I didn't like the way the author chose to tell the story. I wanted to hear more about some parts and a lot less about others.
June 25, 2010
A wonderful Heinlein book. Spider Robinson has taken an 8 page outline that Heinlein abandoned in 1955 and written a story quite well in the voice of Heinlein. For the most part I would never have guessed it wasn't actually Heinlein. One disappointment is the use of some vulgar language (sparingly). This is clearly an outline for Heinlein's juvenile series (and has a lot of stuff from "Time for the Stars") but Spider has added some "modern" elements such as ambiguous sexuality, the use of drugs, and some debauchery (drinking, references to porn). I found that very disappointing but I suppose Spider was attempting to update it a little for a more "modern" audience, but totally unnecessary and not in keeping with Heinlein's prose. This is clearly a story that should have been Heinlein at his purest juvenile best.
All in all a fun ride. There are great characters; some you love and some you hate. The main character can be a jerk sometimes, which is nice because we all can. And he learns to be a better person. The science behind the interstellar travel and colonization and the relativistic issues with relationships separated by near light speed travel are done well. There is a good feel of what life on this ship would be like on a 20 year trip with several hundred people headed to colonize a distant planet. There is also some faster than telepathic communication that works well with the story.
Heinlein's outline did not include an ending. I give Mr. Robinson major kudos for pulling off a marvelous ending which I won't spoil.
All in all a fun ride. There are great characters; some you love and some you hate. The main character can be a jerk sometimes, which is nice because we all can. And he learns to be a better person. The science behind the interstellar travel and colonization and the relativistic issues with relationships separated by near light speed travel are done well. There is a good feel of what life on this ship would be like on a 20 year trip with several hundred people headed to colonize a distant planet. There is also some faster than telepathic communication that works well with the story.
Heinlein's outline did not include an ending. I give Mr. Robinson major kudos for pulling off a marvelous ending which I won't spoil.
September 12, 2010
I haven't read too much of Heinlein's work, but what I have read is enough to convince me that this is, in truth, a book by the Grand Master himself. It has much of what I think of as his style, his distinctive feel, and in that regard, Variable Star is excellent. Of course, the flip side of being a Heinlein novel is that it's a Heinlein novel, with much that that implies about the role of women within the story. However, this aspect of the story is necessary to the aforementioned Grand-Master-ness and is handled well.
As to the plot itself, this is a story about people with some sciency trappings to make the plot work, rather than a story about people interacting with 'real' science, or about the science itself. If you're looking for a detailed understanding of the local mechanisms of space flight, you're not going to find it in Variable Star. What you will find is a compelling story about people dealing both with the everyday sorts of pitfalls that are commonplace in the world, and rather more fantastic obstacles of the sort only really good SF can deliver. While some plot points can be a bit of a stretch, I found that the characters themselves behave not only consistently but fairly realistically once they are set along a path. I am willing to grant some odd assumptions if the characters play well to those fittings, and Variable Star does not disappoint.
All told, I heartily enjoyed Variable Star, and intend to direct my friends toward it.
As to the plot itself, this is a story about people with some sciency trappings to make the plot work, rather than a story about people interacting with 'real' science, or about the science itself. If you're looking for a detailed understanding of the local mechanisms of space flight, you're not going to find it in Variable Star. What you will find is a compelling story about people dealing both with the everyday sorts of pitfalls that are commonplace in the world, and rather more fantastic obstacles of the sort only really good SF can deliver. While some plot points can be a bit of a stretch, I found that the characters themselves behave not only consistently but fairly realistically once they are set along a path. I am willing to grant some odd assumptions if the characters play well to those fittings, and Variable Star does not disappoint.
All told, I heartily enjoyed Variable Star, and intend to direct my friends toward it.
December 5, 2011
This is the second time I've gone through the audio book version. There's a lot I love about it, but also there's a lot that annoys me. First, Spider Robinson is in love with his bits of music he's included so one has to deal with the reader (who is actually Spider) singing (not particularly well) lyrics written for the novel. That segment goes on far too long near the beginning of the book and then portions re-appear later in the book. Second, Spider gets overly cute in his word choice/description at times so I cringed at portions where the main character is drunk (and a few other places).
Overall, it's a pretty wonderful book, and while I hated the beginning, I loved the ending and it truly does have the overall style/structure of a Heinlein juvenile. I recommend that others stick to a different format (either e-book or paper) rather than the audio version so it's easier to skip past the parts that might annoy you.
Heinlein fans might want to read this for completion, but for others I'd recommend looking at many other excellent Heinlein books (e.g., The Moon is a Harsh Mistress) or a Heinlein juvenile such as Starman Jones (which is similar to Variable Star, just with a younger protagonist).
Overall, it's a pretty wonderful book, and while I hated the beginning, I loved the ending and it truly does have the overall style/structure of a Heinlein juvenile. I recommend that others stick to a different format (either e-book or paper) rather than the audio version so it's easier to skip past the parts that might annoy you.
Heinlein fans might want to read this for completion, but for others I'd recommend looking at many other excellent Heinlein books (e.g., The Moon is a Harsh Mistress) or a Heinlein juvenile such as Starman Jones (which is similar to Variable Star, just with a younger protagonist).
February 25, 2013
It starts very Heinlein-esque; although I was pulled up short by a few more modern turn of phrases (google [as on the computer], something described as sucking, etc), but RAH would have no doubt used google if he were still alive to write, so OK then. I've never read Spider Robinson, so can make no comparisons there.
Set in an off-shoot of the Future History novels, so you will recognize a few names and places: New Frontiers, Leslie LaCroix, Andrew Jackson (Libby, one presumes, since he designs a humdinger of a spacedrive), the Prophet, Harriman Enterprises, and the like. But no Howards.
The end does come rather fast with a few details that probably would have been better suited to be mentioned earlier on in the narrative so that the grand revelation comes a little less out of the blue, or the potential for said revelation at the very least.
Overall, quite readable if you like Heinlein; in fact, I ended up toting it around so I could keep reading it, rather than leaving it by the bed like I intended.
Set in an off-shoot of the Future History novels, so you will recognize a few names and places: New Frontiers, Leslie LaCroix, Andrew Jackson (Libby, one presumes, since he designs a humdinger of a spacedrive), the Prophet, Harriman Enterprises, and the like. But no Howards.
The end does come rather fast with a few details that probably would have been better suited to be mentioned earlier on in the narrative so that the grand revelation comes a little less out of the blue, or the potential for said revelation at the very least.
Overall, quite readable if you like Heinlein; in fact, I ended up toting it around so I could keep reading it, rather than leaving it by the bed like I intended.
May 13, 2012
Generally I am not a fan of when an author finishes up another (dead or alive) authors book or takes spare notes, and turns it into a book.
That was the case here. Spider Robinson took 7 or 8 pages of an outline RAH left behind, and fleshed it out into a novel.
In this case however, I thought it was great. I saw the footprints of SR all over it, but it didnt bother me at all. The story had plenty of familiar elements from other RAH books, without feeling like a rehashing of the events of previous books. The 3 or 4 previous RAH books had this feel to them, but VARIABLE STAR felt more like a return to the early ideas that really captured my imagination and had me falling in love with the first few RAH books I read.
Makes me sad to be at the end of the bulk of RAH's work, just a few shorts and GRUMBLES FROM THE GRAVE to go...
Oh well, at least Larry Niven has written so many great books to try and fill the void with.
That was the case here. Spider Robinson took 7 or 8 pages of an outline RAH left behind, and fleshed it out into a novel.
In this case however, I thought it was great. I saw the footprints of SR all over it, but it didnt bother me at all. The story had plenty of familiar elements from other RAH books, without feeling like a rehashing of the events of previous books. The 3 or 4 previous RAH books had this feel to them, but VARIABLE STAR felt more like a return to the early ideas that really captured my imagination and had me falling in love with the first few RAH books I read.
Makes me sad to be at the end of the bulk of RAH's work, just a few shorts and GRUMBLES FROM THE GRAVE to go...
Oh well, at least Larry Niven has written so many great books to try and fill the void with.
October 13, 2009
Better than a sharp stick in the eye, but not as good as a the worst Heinlein book (by which I mean Number of the Beast, not the Stinkeroos).
It is well that Robinson does not purport to have created a Heinlein novel. There were too many swears, for one thing, which I thought needlessly disrupted the Heinleinian feel. (I'm not opposed to swearing, but one simply does not picture a Heinlein character uttering an oath stronger than, "bushwah!" or, in great extremity, "damn it all!") And too much of the main character staggering about in an altered state of one form or another. There is also a bit too much fanboyish shouting out to the Future History, also. (But I hate winky Fan in-jokes in general.)
However, Robinson definitely does tap into the alchemy that makes for a clever and engrossing Heinlein book, and he doesn't do such an awful job of cobbling together an ending.
It is well that Robinson does not purport to have created a Heinlein novel. There were too many swears, for one thing, which I thought needlessly disrupted the Heinleinian feel. (I'm not opposed to swearing, but one simply does not picture a Heinlein character uttering an oath stronger than, "bushwah!" or, in great extremity, "damn it all!") And too much of the main character staggering about in an altered state of one form or another. There is also a bit too much fanboyish shouting out to the Future History, also. (But I hate winky Fan in-jokes in general.)
However, Robinson definitely does tap into the alchemy that makes for a clever and engrossing Heinlein book, and he doesn't do such an awful job of cobbling together an ending.
December 11, 2013
Marvelous. A beautiful synergy of Heinlein's early bold cosmic naiveté and Robinson's hippy wonder at the human heart and the cosmos that made it. If you don't read the previews or blurbs it's not as predictable as one might think, and it's full of those delightful witticisms and startling quotes that elevate good SF to intelligent, introspective, thought-provoking literature.
It does, at times, get a little straight-forward or convenient, and did feel like it rushed towards the 'end' a bit. But still much fun, especially by virtue of the Blackstone Audio version I listened to read by Spider Robinson himself. He has a perfect pace and timbre for the story and I'm eager to listen to more of his readings, whether of his books or another author.
It does, at times, get a little straight-forward or convenient, and did feel like it rushed towards the 'end' a bit. But still much fun, especially by virtue of the Blackstone Audio version I listened to read by Spider Robinson himself. He has a perfect pace and timbre for the story and I'm eager to listen to more of his readings, whether of his books or another author.
November 16, 2010
Take the solid and trusted frame of a Heinlein "Juvenile" and give it to one of the punningest and positivistic writers in the genre today to fill in and flesh out. From this rare and unusual pairing you get Variable Star a sum that is more than its parts.
The only thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars was the "deus ex machina" Robinson pulls near the end of the novel and just barely gives a possibly believable reason for. Other than that the way Robinson and Heinlein so smoothly blend without ever losing each one's distinctive style is really quite phenomenal and deliciously enjoyable to read.
Variable Star will invariably please.
The only thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars was the "deus ex machina" Robinson pulls near the end of the novel and just barely gives a possibly believable reason for. Other than that the way Robinson and Heinlein so smoothly blend without ever losing each one's distinctive style is really quite phenomenal and deliciously enjoyable to read.
Variable Star will invariably please.
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