What are you reading?

[Omphalos]

I never really liked this one. I have re-read it since becoming an adult and liked it even less.

Robbo may have a different opinion. He is more versed than I on the nuances of Heinlein.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein. Curious as to what all the hype is about (good and bad).

[Robspierre]

I never really liked this one. I have re-read it since becoming an adult and liked it even less.

Robbo may have a different opinion. He is more versed than I on the nuances of Heinlein.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein. Curious as to what all the hype is about (good and bad).

Stranger was written as satire and social commentary. The original working title was The Heretic, a bit revealing when you start delving into the work and looking at what social norms Heinlein was poking sharp sticks at. Sex and religion are used to hook readers and entice them without the reader realizing just what of their pre-conceptions are being challenged.

To many today, Stranger will not seem all that shocking, but the social climate at the time of its publication does need to be taken into consideration when reading the work.

Personally, of Heinlein's later novels, I prefer I Will Fear No Evil, Time Enough for Love, and Friday over Stranger.

You cannot go wrong with his Juveniles and of his "Adult" novels, Double Star, I feel, is an overlooked excellent novel.

Rob

[Aquila ka-Hecate]

Stranger was written as satire and social commentary. The original working title was The Heretic, a bit revealing when you start delving into the work and looking at what social norms Heinlein was poking sharp sticks at. Sex and religion are used to hook readers and entice them without the reader realizing just what of their pre-conceptions are being challenged.

To many today, Stranger will not seem all that shocking, but the social climate at the time of its publication does need to be taken into consideration when reading the work.

Personally, of Heinlein's later novels, I prefer I Will Fear No Evil, Time Enough for Love, and Friday over Stranger.

You cannot go wrong with his Juveniles and of his "Adult" novels, Double Star, I feel, is an overlooked excellent novel.

Rob

Have Spacesuit, Will Travel is right up there on my favourite works of all time.
I agree with you on Double Star and would add Waldo and Magic,Inc as another underrated book.

Stranger? Great work for its time. Amusing to see how much today's religious rhetoric resemble that of his satirical churches.

I also can't help noticing how the setup in I Will Fear No Evil in human living conditions has been fulfilled practically to a 'T'.

[Hunchback Jack]

I agree that Stranger is a fine novel, but not his best, or my favourite. Personal Bally I think The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is better.

HBJ

[Robspierre]

Many libertarians do not realize the The cat Who Walks Through Walls was Heinlein exploring the problems that would arise from the society that came out of the Luna Revolution in Mistress.

Of all his works I believe I Will Fear No Evil is probably the one that comes closest to catching how the future could look.

I do feel that many times he was being too clever in what he was attempting to do, part of that comes from having to deal with editors and censorship. How many know Rico in Starship Troopers is Philipino? Or that Rod from Tunnel in the Sky was black? Often his characters, were not white like they are often portrayed, he seemed to like various shades of brown.

One thing he did slip past his juvenile editor and librarians.

Tunnel
In
The
Sky

Rob

[Aquila ka-Hecate]

Many libertarians do not realize the The cat Who Walks Through Walls was Heinlein exploring the problems that would arise from the society that came out of the Luna Revolution in Mistress.

I hadn't realised that, thank you.

I do feel that many times he was being too clever in what he was attempting to do, part of that comes from having to deal with editors and censorship. How many know Rico in Starship Troopers is Pilipino? Or that Rod from Tunnel in the Sky was black? Often his characters, were not white like they are often portrayed, he seemed to like various shades of brown.

These two I did know about -Rico and Rod - but also Eunice from I Will Fear No Evil, wasn't she supposed to be a woman of colour, too?

[Freakzilla]

I've never read Heinlein but I've read a lot of comments about Stranger. People either love it or hate it. I don't know why I've put it off for so long but love it or hate it, it seems to largely be considered a classic of the genre and a must read. So, here I go...

[Robspierre]

Many libertarians do not realize the The cat Who Walks Through Walls was Heinlein exploring the problems that would arise from the society that came out of the Luna Revolution in Mistress.

I hadn't realised that, thank you.

I do feel that many times he was being too clever in what he was attempting to do, part of that comes from having to deal with editors and censorship. How many know Rico in Starship Troopers is Pilipino? Or that Rod from Tunnel in the Sky was black? Often his characters, were not white like they are often portrayed, he seemed to like various shades of brown.

These two I did know about -Rico and Rod - but also Eunice from I Will Fear No Evil, wasn't she supposed to be a woman of colour, too?

According to Heinlein, yes Eunice was of color. While writing the novel he had two pictures up by his typewriter, both nudes, one white and the other black so that he wouldn't focus on one ethnic look over another. Some do claim that Eunice's own words counter that interpretation, saying that a corn fed farm girl from Iowa could only be white. I think, he was going for a mix, a nice milk chocolate look, a blend, Heinlein was big on saying over time we are all going to be various shades of brown as people inter marry.

Rob

[Hunchback Jack]

I must read some of the later novels - including The Cat Who Walks Through Walls - again. Except maybe the last one, which was a bit over the top. I Will Fear No Evil was one of the first of his I read - probably close to 30 years ago now - so it's probably worth a revisit as well.

Freak, Stranger is considered a classic for good reason. Well worth reading even if you hate it .

HBJ

[Robspierre]

To Sail Beyond the Sunset was a retelling of Fanny Hill with lots of tweaks. I think the the biggest problem with the novel was how DD Harriman was basically neutered because all of his success was because of Maureen feeding him insider information and not his talent and hard work. Heinlein also started to provide clues as to how to read the later works. Job was a Comedy of Justice, TCWWTW was a Comedy of Manners, those types of works are not to be read like regular novels, they are focusing on specific things and one needs to use those templates/blueprints in order to get the most out of what the author is trying to impart to the readers.

Rob

[Robspierre]

Found the clue that Eunice was not white:

“That off-white sets off your skin”

Hard for a white girl to pull off that look.

Rob

[Hunchback Jack]

Rob, that's one of the reasons I'd like to reread them; as a more experienced reader, I may pick up more of what Heinlein intended.

HBJ

[Serkanner]

Rob, that's one of the reasons I'd like to reread them; as a more experienced reader, I may pick up more of what Heinlein intended.

HBJ

Same here. It is at least 25 years since I have read them. At the time I loved the Lazarus Long books. Must have been all the sex with pretty redheads

[Robspierre]

Rob, that's one of the reasons I'd like to reread them; as a more experienced reader, I may pick up more of what Heinlein intended.

HBJ

Same here. It is at least 25 years since I have read them. At the time I loved the Lazarus Long books. Must have been all the sex with pretty redheads

Twins Basil, twins!



Rob

[Sandwurm88]

I just finished A Scanner Darkly recently. Really bizarre, and the ending was out of left field but I enjoyed it.

Next up is a collection of Walter M. Miller stories, Dark Benediction from the SF Masterworks series. I've read the first two. Well-written, decent so far, but not on the level of Canticle for Leibowitz.

[trang]

I haven't read much of anything in a while (yet I ponder Arrakis every day)... kinda of been and remain in a personal funk... but I really enjoy the TV series Black Sails.... and it had also reminded of my gaming days playing the living shit out of Sid Meier's Pirates. I dug up from my piles, Treasure Island and am working up to a read of it.

[Naïve mind]

I've just started on Iain M. Banks's Against a Dark Background. I hope it's going to get better; if it didn't have his name on the cover, I couldn't have told you it was Banks.

[Sardaukar Capt]

I recently started Gun Machine by Warren Ellis. I love most of his comic book work so I'm hoping he can make a successful leap to novelist.

[Naïve mind]

I've just started on Iain M. Banks's Against a Dark Background. I hope it's going to get better; if it didn't have his name on the cover, I couldn't have told you it was Banks.

Ok, it didn't get better, but it did become more violent and Banks-like.

[Freakzilla]

Freak, Stranger is considered a classic for good reason. Well worth reading even if you hate it .

HBJ

I'm about two thirds of the way through and I'm enjoying it a lot and don't see what all the hatred is about. It's a very interesting way to look at society. I think all churches should have bars and slot machines!

[Freakzilla]

Freak, Stranger is considered a classic for good reason. Well worth reading even if you hate it .

HBJ

I'm about two thirds of the way through and I'm enjoying it a lot and don't see what all the hatred is about. It's a very interesting way to look at society. I think all churches should have bars and slot machines!

Kind of a lame ending, but very enjoyable.

I'm several chapters into Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

[Robspierre]

Freak, Stranger is considered a classic for good reason. Well worth reading even if you hate it .

HBJ

I'm about two thirds of the way through and I'm enjoying it a lot and don't see what all the hatred is about. It's a very interesting way to look at society. I think all churches should have bars and slot machines!

Kind of a lame ending, but very enjoyable.

I'm several chapters into Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

It had to end that way in order to be true to the direction of satire Heinlein was working in.

Funny thing about Androids, basically the concept for Blade Runner comes from one chapter of the book.

Rob

[Freakzilla]

Funny thing about Androids, basically the concept for Blade Runner comes from one chapter of the book.

Rob

Yeah, I'm on about chapter 8 and it's departed pretty far from the movie. I can see bits and pieces being picked from the following chapters though.

[Sandwurm88]

I might be the only person in the world who thinks Blade Runner is overrated, and DADOES? is underrated. I've read 8-10 PKD novels at this point, and I'd say that Androids in somewhere in the top 3 for me, if not #1.

[SadisticCynic]

I've been reading Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre. Love that guy.

Just started Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. It's a beast!