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This used to be a five-star book for me, until the ending really hit me. In the face. With a two-by-four. I cannot believe the censors allowed it to get through in a juvenile novel. Did the censors justify it or explain it away because Tom and Vicky were distantly related? So his 'dirty old man' factor crept in sooner than I realized [i.e. - the comment in 'Citizens of the Galaxy' where a woman lived so long she married her grandson]. Despite the 'ick factor' at the end, I still really enjoyed the book.
I cannot help but wonder if most of the script for 'variable star' turned into this novel [or if parts of 'variable star' were split up between this novel, 'citizen of the galaxy,' and 'door into summer']. People communicate via telepathy between the starship and Earth in 'variable star' and this novel [primarily through twins]. Both books discuss the time dilation as the respective vessels move away from Earth. Civil unrest and wars breaking out on Earth are mentioned. The hero leaves a woman behind on Earth and 'falls in love' with somebody onboard their respective vessels; those relationships do not last. New stardrives are designed that allow time and space to become irrelevant in terms of interstellar travel. A shrink is required to help the hero deal with some kind of internalized problem[s]; in TFTS, the hero is forced to come to terms with how much he actually abhors his twin brother, which allows him to begin to actually LIKE his brother whereas in VS, the hero is forced to recognize how much he loathes himself and to come to terms with internalized issues in order to feel good about himself. Both books are diaries written by the heroes about their respective experiences. In each book, the hero marries somebody they knew as a child who is now their 'physical age' [in terms of time onboard the starship] due to the time dilation of interstellar travel.
Overall, I still enjoyed reading the book. I think this was my second or third Heinlein book I read in novelized from ['Between Planets' being the first novel I read, but it was in a serialized-comic book format]. There did seem to be more females in this book that played a relatively important part [i.e. - the telepath teams], but they were still peripheral characters. Not too many strong female characters in lead roles in this book. It moved at a good pace. I enjoyed reading how the boys discovered they were telepaths. It still held my interest throughout the entire book. It's funny, but I kept getting Tom's uncle mixed up with Sam from 'Starman Jones' in my mind as I read this book. Not sure why [except that they seemed similar in terms of character].
I felt the character development in the book was well-done, overall. I found myself caring about the various characters in this book and I hated how many of them died before the end of the book. I realize I did not get to know all two hundred crew members, but it was still disheartening to read how many died after landing at Constance, followed by the eradication of the crew at Beta Ceti. I realize the crew had to return to Earth so that Tom could meet Vicky and Heinlein could wrap this novel up, but it was still SO HARSH as the crew could have been saved had they known about the new stardrives .
It was interesting to read how the ship was described as being a flat wavefront because it was moving so fast. I also enjoyed the comment about how time and space do not exist, how the crew of the Lewis and Clark and the Elsie herself were nothing more than mathematical abstractions. Not sure why, but I found it hilarious.
I also liked Tom's discussion with Janet about the approach of the Serendipity. That was when Tom finally realized / understood the new LRF vessels were using an irrelevancy drive. Janet was funny. Actually, Tom and Janet were funny in their interactions in the book [in my opinion] because at one point Tom is discussing how he finds her attractive-yet-not-attractive and cannot see himself getting too serious with he when she tells him that she does not mind being older than Tom, but she cannot see them ever getting married because Janet believed the man should be smarter than the woman and she could never respect Tom enough to consider marrying him. That just struck me as hilarious, 'cuz here was Tom judging a woman in terms of marital options and he never realized she was doing the same to him! I also enjoyed their discussion about the Serendipity and the new irrelevant drives powering the new starships as they waited for the arrival of their rescue vessel .
I never realized how much population control plays in his juvenile books. It seems like he is constantly raising the specter of overpopulation in his 'future stories' for juveniles.
The creatures on Elysia reminded me of the creatures from the movie 'the abyss.' Not sure why. Maybe it was because they could manipulate water like the creatures in 'the abyss' could. At the same time, I can only wonder what it would be like to see intelligent creatures that resemble amphibious whales attacking your landing party and threatening your vessel. Fer-REEE-eeky! This is always the hardest chapter of the book for me to read, because I SO want Tom's uncle and everybody else to escape, AND THEY DON'T!!!! The amphibious denizens of Elysia kill the entire landing party. It's so horrific, because everybody who survives is so helpless to be able to help save their crewmates. Poor Percy! What a horrible way to go! Eaten alive. So sad. This chapter, more than any others, makes the book so bittersweet to read, because it highlights how ineffectual and helpless man can be in the face of the unknown despite all of his vaunted technology.
Overall, I still enjoyed reading the book. I am sure some of it was nostalgia from enjoying it so much as a young adult, but I still enjoyed it despite it's being so bittersweet.
I cannot help but wonder if most of the script for 'variable star' turned into this novel [or if parts of 'variable star' were split up between this novel, 'citizen of the galaxy,' and 'door into summer']. People communicate via telepathy between the starship and Earth in 'variable star' and this novel [primarily through twins]. Both books discuss the time dilation as the respective vessels move away from Earth. Civil unrest and wars breaking out on Earth are mentioned. The hero leaves a woman behind on Earth and 'falls in love' with somebody onboard their respective vessels; those relationships do not last. New stardrives are designed that allow time and space to become irrelevant in terms of interstellar travel. A shrink is required to help the hero deal with some kind of internalized problem[s]; in TFTS, the hero is forced to come to terms with how much he actually abhors his twin brother, which allows him to begin to actually LIKE his brother whereas in VS, the hero is forced to recognize how much he loathes himself and to come to terms with internalized issues in order to feel good about himself. Both books are diaries written by the heroes about their respective experiences. In each book, the hero marries somebody they knew as a child who is now their 'physical age' [in terms of time onboard the starship] due to the time dilation of interstellar travel.
Overall, I still enjoyed reading the book. I think this was my second or third Heinlein book I read in novelized from ['Between Planets' being the first novel I read, but it was in a serialized-comic book format]. There did seem to be more females in this book that played a relatively important part [i.e. - the telepath teams], but they were still peripheral characters. Not too many strong female characters in lead roles in this book. It moved at a good pace. I enjoyed reading how the boys discovered they were telepaths. It still held my interest throughout the entire book. It's funny, but I kept getting Tom's uncle mixed up with Sam from 'Starman Jones' in my mind as I read this book. Not sure why [except that they seemed similar in terms of character].
I felt the character development in the book was well-done, overall. I found myself caring about the various characters in this book and I hated how many of them died before the end of the book. I realize I did not get to know all two hundred crew members, but it was still disheartening to read how many died after landing at Constance, followed by the eradication of the crew at Beta Ceti. I realize the crew had to return to Earth so that Tom could meet Vicky and Heinlein could wrap this novel up, but it was still SO HARSH as the crew could have been saved had they known about the new stardrives .
It was interesting to read how the ship was described as being a flat wavefront because it was moving so fast. I also enjoyed the comment about how time and space do not exist, how the crew of the Lewis and Clark and the Elsie herself were nothing more than mathematical abstractions. Not sure why, but I found it hilarious.
I also liked Tom's discussion with Janet about the approach of the Serendipity. That was when Tom finally realized / understood the new LRF vessels were using an irrelevancy drive. Janet was funny. Actually, Tom and Janet were funny in their interactions in the book [in my opinion] because at one point Tom is discussing how he finds her attractive-yet-not-attractive and cannot see himself getting too serious with he when she tells him that she does not mind being older than Tom, but she cannot see them ever getting married because Janet believed the man should be smarter than the woman and she could never respect Tom enough to consider marrying him. That just struck me as hilarious, 'cuz here was Tom judging a woman in terms of marital options and he never realized she was doing the same to him! I also enjoyed their discussion about the Serendipity and the new irrelevant drives powering the new starships as they waited for the arrival of their rescue vessel .
I never realized how much population control plays in his juvenile books. It seems like he is constantly raising the specter of overpopulation in his 'future stories' for juveniles.
The creatures on Elysia reminded me of the creatures from the movie 'the abyss.' Not sure why. Maybe it was because they could manipulate water like the creatures in 'the abyss' could. At the same time, I can only wonder what it would be like to see intelligent creatures that resemble amphibious whales attacking your landing party and threatening your vessel. Fer-REEE-eeky! This is always the hardest chapter of the book for me to read, because I SO want Tom's uncle and everybody else to escape, AND THEY DON'T!!!! The amphibious denizens of Elysia kill the entire landing party. It's so horrific, because everybody who survives is so helpless to be able to help save their crewmates. Poor Percy! What a horrible way to go! Eaten alive. So sad. This chapter, more than any others, makes the book so bittersweet to read, because it highlights how ineffectual and helpless man can be in the face of the unknown despite all of his vaunted technology.
Overall, I still enjoyed reading the book. I am sure some of it was nostalgia from enjoying it so much as a young adult, but I still enjoyed it despite it's being so bittersweet.
