Favorites from Heinlein?
I read Stranger in a Strange Land as my first Heinlein book at the same time I was reading Cat's Cradle for school. Talk about a pair of book to attack someone's faith in God... wow.
Pushed to choose, I'd take Past Through Tomorrow as my favorite, which is kind of cheating, since it's a collection of stories. But I love the way he built his universe with story on top of story and kept them consistent even as the real world advanced in a different direction.
That said, I really enjoy a lot of the non-narrative pieces of Time Enough For Love. I liked the description of all the pioneer stuff they set off with when he and Dora headed over the pass. I liked the stories of trying to piece together a new settlement on Tertius. There's a lot there I really enjoy that's not necessarily a part of the narrative arc of Laz.
Of the non-'history' novels, I enjoyed Glory Road and Tunnel in the Sky. Between Planets was good, but by the time I read it I was old enough that it wasn't as appealing as it would've been in 10th grade. I did not like Farnham's Freehold, as it felt too 'preachy' to me. And try as I might several times, I never got more than 50 pages or so into I Will Fear No Evil before giving up.
What are your favorites and why?
I started with his "juvenile" novels. Rocket Ship Galileo will always have a place in my heart. It was one the first sci-fi novels I read as a kid. I'm sure it would seem juvenile today, but for a 10 year old, it was great stuff and was my gateway into the genre.
Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress are two of my all-time favorite science fiction works. Immersive, well-written and they explore some "big ideas" that I found intriguing.
I know most folks would put Starship Troopers at the top of the list. I enjoyed it, but it didn't pull me in quite the way some of the others did.
I'll probably loose geek points for this, I've owned several Heinlein novels but never read any of them. :o
Quote from: bbmike on August 12, 2015, 05:20:37 PM
I'll probably loose geek points for this, I've owned several Heinlein novels but never read any of them. :o
As penance, you must watch all three Starship Troopers movies.
Quote from: mirth on August 12, 2015, 07:36:07 PM
Quote from: bbmike on August 12, 2015, 05:20:37 PM
I'll probably loose geek points for this, I've owned several Heinlein novels but never read any of them. :o
As penance, you must watch all three Starship Troopers movies.
Cruel, this man.....
It was always interesting to see some of the members of the Howard Families keep popping up in Heinlein's various books. Sometimes they even changed gender...
BTW, my favorite Heinlein quote:
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-Robert A. Heinlein
you guys all know mine :)
The first sci-fi or fantasy I read was Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter series. I segued from there into "Alas, Babylon" before discovering Heinlein my first year of junior high. "The Door Into Tomorrow" was my introduction to Heinlein and remains a beloved favorite. After "Door", I couldn't read enough Heinlein. "Starship Troopers" knocked my socks off and is perhaps the single Heinlein novel I've reread most often. The concept of the military attempting to turn people away....while the Vietnam war was raging on the news in my home every night....stuck in my imagination. It was years before the deeper tones of "Starship Troopers" were realized by me. I think Heinlein would have a lot to say about our decade plus of war today.
Then there was "Stranger in a Strange Land". When I read "Stranger" Playboy was still naughty and my juvenile pals were gossipping about how Penthouse magazine actually showed girls "down there". "Stranger" was amazing science fiction, social commentary and erotica all in one. I think it has to be Heinlein's most controversial and defining novel and is certainly (along with Troopers) what most people think of first when his name comes up.
My all time favorite, however, is "Time Enough for Love". A massive novel, adventure, even a love story that spoke to me on several levels, "Time" should bookcase any Heinlein collection along with "Stranger".
Great thread, BB.
Quote from: Steelgrave on August 12, 2015, 07:57:26 PMbefore discovering Heinlein my first year of junior high.
Wait, Heinlein was alive back then?!?
Actually, he was alive until 1988 and thus even during my first year of junior high. :))
And my second... and high school.. and first years of college...
Damn, now I feel old. Thanks... :(
Quote from: bayonetbrant on August 12, 2015, 08:03:05 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on August 12, 2015, 07:57:26 PMbefore discovering Heinlein my first year of junior high.
Wait, Heinlein was alive back then?!?
Socrates had passed, if that makes you feel any better.........
Quote from: Steelgrave on August 12, 2015, 08:09:12 PM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on August 12, 2015, 08:03:05 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on August 12, 2015, 07:57:26 PMbefore discovering Heinlein my first year of junior high.
Wait, Heinlein was alive back then?!?
Socrates had passed, if that makes you feel any better.........
:2funny:
Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Citizen of the Galaxy
Starship Troopers
in no particular order.
I have copies of many of the books. I was no a fan of his hugely long books focusing on sex or religion (including Stranger in a Strange Land).
The juveniles are wonderful short reads that often work in hard science, logistics, and other topics.
Quote from: Staggerwing on August 12, 2015, 07:45:26 PM
It was always interesting to see some of the members of the Howard Families keep popping up in Heinlein's various books. Sometimes they even changed gender...
BTW, my favorite Heinlein quote:
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-Robert A. Heinlein
Mine, too. I have a copy hanging on my office wall.
Job: A Comedy of Justice has to be one of Heinlein's books that I've read more than once. As a youngster, it did get me to thinking and questioning the particular tenets of the faith I was being brought up in.
I did read more Heinlein stories, as well as Asimov, Clarke, etc. as well; more of a Pournelle fan myself...makes a fellow wonder if the Silver Age science fiction stories still hold an attraction for the younger folk.
Quote from: Dammit Carl! on September 02, 2015, 06:42:34 PM
Job: A Comedy of Justice has to be one of Heinlein's books that I've read more than once. As a youngster, it did get me to thinking and questioning the particular tenets of the faith I was being brought up in.
I did read more Heinlein stories, as well as Asimov, Clarke, etc. as well; more of a Pournelle fan myself...makes a fellow wonder if the Silver Age science fiction stories still hold an attraction for the younger folk.
Ah, Larry and Jerry. I loved
Inferno and
Fallen Angles. Fallen Angles had a nod in it to Clifford Simak, one of my favorite authors. :)
Quote from: bbmike on September 02, 2015, 06:58:35 PMClifford Simak, one of my favorite authors. :)
+1.
Check out the short stories
The Big front Yard and
Good Night Mr James some time for an ideas of his range.
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 02, 2015, 07:29:43 PM
Quote from: bbmike on September 02, 2015, 06:58:35 PMClifford Simak, one of my favorite authors. :)
+1.
Check out the short stories The Big front Yard and Good Night Mr James some time for an ideas of his range.
The Big front Yard is the Simak nod in Fallen Angels. O0
Well, then I'll just have to read Fallen Angels, now won't I?
I'm sure it it will be good since I've already read the Mote in God's Eye series and Lucifer's Hammer.
EDIT: Forgot to also mention Footfall.
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 02, 2015, 07:41:27 PM
EDIT: Forgot to also mention Footfall.
The propulsion method for the human spaceship was just so freakin' metal in
Footfall - leave it to us to get off planet via nuclear explosions! Whooo!
Another great writer you don't hear mentioned much anymore these days is Roger Zelazny. For those of you unlucky enough to have not yet read his books you should start here: The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth (http://www.amazon.com/Doors-His-Face-Lamps-Mouth/dp/074347922X/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1441245586&sr=1-11).
EDIT: Bad copy/paste fix. Sorry MD.
Hey, Stagger. That'd be Roger, not George. Good call though. Never read any of his SF, but, I've read all 12 Amber books.
:-[
Did I mention that Poul Anderson is a damn fine author as well? Check out his Time Patrol series for a great mix of history and scifi (sometimes actually becoming alt-history). His Boat of a Million Years is also a must read.
Two of Anderson's earlist works are Three Heartsand Three Lions, and the Broken Sword.
Both are extremely well done and in totally different genres.
Three Hearts and Three Lions is easy read fantasy, but the Broken Sword is a dark take on the Norse myths. He had a lot of range.
And for just fun, the Dominic Flandry series is about a galactic empire's trouble shooter.
War of the Gods is another of Anderson's gems. It juxtaposes the story of the Scandinavian chieftain Hadding with that of the conflict between the Norse Gods of the Aesir and Vanir.
'Glory Road' I liked, although I guess I have read just about all of his books over the years.
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 02, 2015, 09:03:16 PM
Another great writer you don't hear mentioned much anymore these days is Roger Zelazny. For those of you unlucky enough to have not yet read his books you should start here: The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth (http://www.amazon.com/Doors-His-Face-Lamps-Mouth/dp/074347922X/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1441245586&sr=1-11).
EDIT: Bad copy/paste fix. Sorry MD.
I am re-reading the Amber series at the moment. I gotta find me some Trumps.
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 02, 2015, 09:27:12 PM
Did I mention that Poul Anderson is a damn fine author as well? Check out his Time Patrol series for a great mix of history and scifi (sometimes actually becoming alt-history). His Boat of a Million Years is also a must read.
One of my all-time favourite SF writers, especially the Nicholas Van Rijn stories.
A certain major RPG game company (which is not functional at this time) supposedly had a handshake with Zelazny to do a really in depth Amber RPG.
Since the family in Amber were based on a D&D group that Zelazny played in, this would have been ultra nerd cool.
There is an Amber diceless RPG. Not sure if it's sanctioned or not. And it's definitely not D&D.
And I'm with ya', Doc. Trumps would be sweeeeeeet!
Quote from: besilarius on September 03, 2015, 05:26:36 PM
A certain major RPG game company (which is not functional at this time) supposedly had a handshake with Zelazny to do a really in depth Amber RPG.
Since the family in Amber were based on a D&D group that Zelazny played in, this would have been ultra nerd cool.
Made mention of this in another thread, so sorry if I sound like my nutty Aunt who says the same thing multiple times, but
Lords of Gossamer and Shadow (by Rite Publishing) is a kind-of-sort-of successor to the old Amber RPG game - it too is diceless and pulls from the Amber influence with its own twists and the author of the game has good Amber pedigree.
Sorry; don't mean to derail too much here.
Quote from: MetalDog on September 03, 2015, 07:31:53 PMThere is an Amber diceless RPG. Not sure if it's sanctioned or not. And it's definitely not D&D.
it was sanctioned when the other deal fell thru
Quote from: MetalDog on September 03, 2015, 07:31:53 PM
There is an Amber diceless RPG. Not sure if it's sanctioned or not. And it's definitely not D&D.
And I'm with ya', Doc. Trumps would be sweeeeeeet!
It is authorized. I own both sets of rule books.
Quote from: MetalDog on September 03, 2015, 07:31:53 PM
There is an Amber diceless RPG. Not sure if it's sanctioned or not. And it's definitely not D&D.
And I'm with ya', Doc. Trumps would be sweeeeeeet!
Trumps & Teleporters would be awesome!
One of my favorite Zelazny Quotes:
"I trust him like a brother. Which is to say, not at all."