Robert Heinlein

[Kaori]

I've only read a handful of his books myself, but I admire Heinlein's wit even though I don't always agree with his views. Has anyone else read his books, and if so what do you think of him?

[ClosetOtaku]

I believe one of the best novels I've read (being in the Army) is Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Pretty darn clean, violence only in the context of warfare, a dry sense of humor, and some deep philosophical discussion. It is, in my mind, the archetype of Science Fiction -- putting man in a future setting and seeing how the future has (and hasn't) changed him. No "miracle weapons", no Deus Ex Machina, simply the struggle of man versus the unseen, unfeeling alien, and more to the point, man versus himself.

Now, that said... I also read Friday when it was first published (I was in college at the time). By then, Heinlein's powers had degenerated to the point where he was little more than a Dirty Old Man writing what was essentially a male fantasy with some scifi thrown in. It was bad enough that I gave up reading him.... which in retrospect was probably a mistake, as some of his other novels are considered classics of the genre. I was still very disappointed and disillusioned.

EDIT: By the way, if you have seen that putrid piece of garbage known as the Starship Troopers movie, any similarity between the movie and the book is purely coincidental. Sorry to be so passionate about it, but I'd hate to think someone would associate the movie with the book. The two have almost nothing in common worth mentioning.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I've read Starship Troopers (published 1957?) and I thought the movie was based on the book. I haven't seen the movie but I've heard its got loads of blood, gore, swearing and nudity and I read the book and it was so different from what I'd heard. It was pretty good as sci-fi goes. I'm not into Arthur Clarke or Isaac Asimov, although they do seem to have interesting ideas, just no concept of human emotions and they are too scientific for me. But the Starship Troopers book I highly recommend!

[Kaori]

Starship Troopers isn't one of the Heinlein books that I have read, but neither have I seen the movie. In light of your comments, ClosetOtaku, I will relegate Friday to somewhere near the bottom of my list. I have noticed that there is quite a bit of difference among his works; while some of the earlier ones are very clean, the rampant orgies and homosexuality in books like Stranger in a Strange Land are rather unappealing.

[oro!]

I liked Tunnel in the Sky and Farmer in the Sky. Those were really cool books! I love imagining going to different worlds and the frontierism fascinates me. I know, it's a boy's book, but i love the unknown parts. It was funny when the main character in Tunnel in the Sky didn't know that person was a girl until his friend cam along! Im thinking, no duh!

[SnowLeopard]

My favorite Heinlein books are (in order) The Rolling Stones, Have Spacesuit will

travel, and Space Cadet. Heinlein has a very good sense of humor, and very good

characterization skills.