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Time for the Stars

robert a. heinlein

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This is one of the classic titles originally know as the "Heinlein Juveniles," written in the 1950 and published for the young adult market. It has since been in print for 50 years in paperback, and now returns to hardcover for a new generation.
Travel to other planets is a reality, and with overpopulation stretching the resources of Earth, the necessity to find habitable worlds is growing ever more urgent. With no time to wait years for communication between slower-than-light spaceships and home, the Long Range Foundation explores an unlikely solution--human telepathy.
Identical twins Tom and Pat are enlisted to be the human radios that will keep the ships in contact with Earth. The only problem is that one of them has to stay behind, and that one will grow old while the other explores the depths of space.Always a master of insight into the human consequences of future technologies, this is one of Heinlein's triumphs.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1,1956
Literary awards
vermont golden dome book award, 

This edition

Format
256 pages, Hardcover
Published
August 8, 2006 by Tor Books
ISBN
9780765314932
ASIN
0765314932
Language
English

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About the author

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robert a. heinlein

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

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Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
31(31%)
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34(34%)
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100 reviews All reviews
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claire_de_lune27
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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Overall, an excellent book that doesn't suffer from Heinlein's usual problems with endings (although some might not be happy with it). While it might be considered a juvenile, it's probably better suited to teenagers given some of the things that happen in the novel.

The book is the journal of a boy who has a telepathic link to his twin brother. He and a number of other telepaths (who can only telepathically talk to specific people, usually their twin) are signed on a spaceship as "special communicators" since their telepathy ignores the speed of light. The book makes good use of the "twin paradox" in which the one who stays home ages while the other is still young. This plays a significant part in the book. One could argue that this book was written to explore that idea further.

It's mentioned early in the book that the odds of surviving are low and so one can definitely expect that characters are going to die at times in the book. It is for this reason that I'd avoid sharing this book with younger readers. There are definitely traumatic moments, so I'd say it's roughly for teenagers and maybe slightly younger (10-12).
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myoniiv
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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This is the story of Tom and Pat, identical twins who are selected for special testing by the Long Range Foundation. It turns out that they are telepaths - they have been communicating with each other mostly by ESP all their lives without even realizing it - and that their services are in demand for the first group of expeditions to explore beyond our solar systems and discover habitable planets. It is believed that ESP happens simultaneously, or faster than the speed of light, and will be the only way to get timely communications between the ships and Earth on these long voyages.

One twin will stay home, while the other one boards a starship and heads out into the unknown. After some wrangling, Pat is selected to go, but injures himself in a skiing accident and Tom takes his place at the last minute.

I believe that this is the book where I first learned of the theory of relativity and of the time dilation effect that takes place at near-light velocities. This quirk of physics plays a large role in the story, as the twin who is left behind on Earth will age "normally", while the one who is traveling to the stars at high speeds will, from the earthly frame of reference, age much more slowly.

How the twins and the other telepaths deal with the pros and cons of their talents, the downsides of time dilation, and their gradual loss of rapport as they live vastly different lives makes for some interesting plot devices.

Once again, Heinlein uses a very odd twist at the end to finish off the story when he'd written his contractual page count, by having the Earth scientists develop a sort of drive that travels instantaneously between solar systems. Earth sends a ship out to "rescue" all of the surviving ships that the Long Range Foundation sent out nearly a century before, and the crews get to return home to experience the Rip Van Winkle effect of time displacement.

A good young adult novel, bereft of Heinlein's usual politicking.
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ffddgghy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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4.0 out of 5 - Splendid 1956 Heinlein Juvenile (YA) Sci-Fi novel exploring family relationships, interstellar space travel, and time dilation.

For a novel written in the 1950's, Time for the Stars holds up quite well. The technology didn't come across as being especially dated (except for consulting the ship's research logs from the microfilm), which frees the reader to enjoy the story without distractions.

The book begins with a tone similar to The Rolling Stones: two wise-cracking twins conniving to get their way that kicks off the adventure. In this case, the Long Range Foundation is interested in the twins and want to employ their ability to instantly communicate telepathically over long distances. Heinlein takes this basic premise and builds an immersive world that is just a bit darker than his earlier novels, foreshadowing his more serious adult works that would follow.

Today's readers may be put off by the way women are portrayed and the roles that are "appropriate" for them, a world view that rang true in the 1950's but is so dated by today's standards. Heinlein does include a number of intelligent and capable female characters, but their role is often diminished. For example, when the captain asks for volunteers for a mission, the entire crew responds. The captain thanks everyone and then asks the women to remain behind in a "support" role. Another example were the women researchers with doctorates, leading researchers and very intelligent, whose professional manner would inexplicably be interrupted by giggling.

However, if you can get past these sexist passages, you will find a novel that will engage your imagination.
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Paraturtle
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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Very dated, but still entertaining if you take the male point of view with a grain of salt, and see it for what it is...one of the first space travel books from the 1950s. This was the first Heinlein I read when I was a kid.
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Ranposa
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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This is a classic from a Grandmaster of Science Fiction that I missed when I was a child. In this book published in 1956, Heinlein bases his story on the idea that human telepathy is instantaneous across any distance including light years. Among the communicators are the main characters, twins Tom and Pat. They are contracted to provide communication with Earth for their ship. The problem is that one of them will have to stay on earth and grow old while his twin travels at near the speed of light and ages much slower. Tom has a very adventurous life traveling from star to star helping his ship look for worlds that are habitable for humans. Pat stays behind and becomes a business man, raises children and grandchildren. Heinlein’s description of shipboard life in the future is captivating and draws you into the story. At the same time the technologies are often quaint and sometimes funny from a 21st century point of view. I recommend this book for science fiction readers who want to see work by one of the writers who were the foundation of today’s science fiction. - Thomas D.
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kageyama_9
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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Robert Heinlein is one of the twentieth century's most well-respected and well-known science fiction authors. He was a prolific writer, contributing a great deal to the genre. Dating back to the late 1950s, it would be easy to dismiss works such as this as being irrelevant in the context of the world we live in today. But that is where the genius of writers like Heinlein comes into its own. Yes, there are occasional references to technology that is old hat now but was cutting edge in its day. But as a whole, this story, in particular, stands up very well.

We are introduced to a planet in crisis. Overpopulation and pollution have forced humanity to seek new homes beyond the solar system, but the vast distances involved make this seem an impossible task. That is until the discovery that some twins demonstrate a form of telepathy that is not constrained by the standard rules of time and space.

That is what leads young Tom Bartlett to join the crew of the Lewis and Clark as it sets out to find earth-like planets amongst our closest neighbours.

Robert Heinlein is known for his "boys' own" style of writing, and this is very much in that vein. But there is something more going on here. Alongside the adventures and technical detail, there is a story about family ties and loyalty. Like all good sci-fi, Heinlein is a great storyteller who just happens to set his stories in the future.

Time for the Stars spans generations and vast distances. As Tom recounts the trials and tribulations of the ship, its crew and those left behind, there is no let up in pace or sense of adventure.

The story holds the reader's attention from the very beginning. It has pace and insight, as well as compassion and awareness.

A fascinating book that has stood the test of time better than many others.
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UnluckCoded
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
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Vintage Sci Fi; this is entertaining, ironic and introspective sci fi. My rating 4.25.
Space travel is a reality but there is a problem with getting communication back and forth in a timely fashion. The Long Range Foundation has discovered that twins, or more rarely other family members, can share thoughts even at a distance… through space.

Tom and Pat are identical twins who have always been close but didn’t realize the skill they have until they were tested. They are able to communicate by telepathy. This is good news for the young men and their family as their talents are sought after and will bring good pay. The only problem is that one will travel in space, barely aging, while the other will remain on Earth growing old.

Pat has always been the bit more aggressive of the twins so he steps forward to go. But Tom isn’t ready to take second place this time. All of this distresses their mother and causes some resentment in Tom. But space can be dangerous and things rarely remain the same.

The story is told in first person by Tom. Although there is some space adventure and danger, much of the story is centered on the inner thought struggles that Tom experiences through the situations. This makes it more than just a fun space tale. Although there is retrospection and self-searching the pacing is good so the text moves forward well.

I enjoyed the story. It has the science fiction irony I have come to expect and admire in the classic sci fi stories. I recommend this as a fun vintage sci fi.

Audio Notes: Barrett Whitener does a good job with the narration. The performance is not vibrant or exciting but it suits the character of Tom, especially as a good part of it is set as journal entries. I enjoyed the audio version.
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