Conference noted::sf

Review: Nonspoiler


It saddens me to write this review.  I yield to no one in my love
for Heinlein's works.  I liked "Friday," and few SF fans can say
that.  I even liked "The Number of the Beast."  In fact, the only
Heinlein book I did not love at first reading was "I Will Fear No
Evil" -- and that is the only Heinlein book I've read only twice.

"Job: A Comedy of Justice" isn't a bad book.  It's well written and
the plot moves right along.  There isn't even much pontification in
it, at least not much for a Heinlein book.  The problem is that not
one thing in this book surprised me.  Heinlein freaks will spot many
"cute" lines from other books, but that really isn't a problem, either.

I guess what really bugs me is that I feel as though I could have
written 80% of the dialogue (100% of the women's dialogue) myself
-- I've heard it that many times before.


************************* Spoiler ****************************



This book starts in the middle of things -- we find one Alexander
Hergensheimer (henceforward referred to as AH) on a cruise ship
in the South Pacific.  It is clear from context that this earth is
not our earth.  The protagonist is vacationing from his job as
administrator in a fundamentalist church in the analogue of that
universe's United States.

While watching an exhibition of firewalking by some islanders,
AH finds that he has made a bet with three of his cruise companions
and soon after finds that he is walking down into a bed of red-hot
coals.  AH faints just before he finishes his walk (he's not hurt
in the least of course) and when he comes to, he finds that everyone
from the ship has left.  AH soon finds that the world has changed
around him.  He is no longer Alexander Hergensheimer but Alec Graham.
At least that's what his wallet says and that's how the rest of the
folk on the cruise ship (which has also changed) greet him when he
arrives.

AH, in his new persona, gets drunk, gets laid, and wrestles with his
conscience because this is not the sort of behavior in which fundamentalist
church administrators usually indulge.  He finds Margrethe, soon
to be the love of his life, and they both ramble through the rest of
the book loving one another.  God, is Margrethe boring.  On the other
hand, Abigail (the wife AH left behind in his "real" universe) is
portrayed as a real bitch.

The universes keep getting shuffled behind their backs, and AH begins
to feel persecuted, much as Job must have felt (surprise!).  And things
eventually work out...

JP

Actually, quite a few sf fans liked FRIDAY. In fact, I know many who, after
disliking I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE, and NUMBER OF THE BEAST,
cried hosannas that the old Heinlein was back. Me? I don't care much for
Heinlein's work in general, so I haven't read it.

--- jerry

   That's funny.  Iliked Time enough for Love and Number of the Baest but
thought that both Fear No Evil and Friday were too familiar in plot line
and tone.  (this doesn't mean I didn't like them, just that I could have liked
them more.)  Job was fun reading some of the time.  As one who likes a little
irreverance every now and then, I enjoyed the protrayal of Jehovah and Yahweh
OOPS! my mind got stuck in a loop, strike yahweh and insert Satan.
    I got a little impatient at hearing the the classic lead female's speech
about "Now, X, if you think I'm going to not show my appreciation by kissing
the hell out of Y just because your little ego can't handle it..."  for the
47th time.
    On the other hand the universe switchs and the sometimes embaressing 
consequences were new and different. (New and improved Heinlein!  Get some at
any store near you!)  
    On the whole, I found the book enjoyable but not the long hoped for 
Heinlein comeback.  Of course at this point, I doubt anything could live up
to my expactations.  Heinlein was the first SF author I ever read and I've got
him up so high on a pedestal it's a wonder he can even breath mush less write 
books to awe me any more.
 
     tlh
OP

Actually, I rather liked what I read of TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE (I didn't have
"time enough to finish it"). It always mystified me why folks in sf fandom
villified it.

--- jerry

If you didn't finish TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE, no wonder you don't understand.
The larger part of the book was a great Lazarus Long comeback.  The ending
got a bit more like I WILL FEAR NO EVIL for oddity and lack of great sense.
I didn't mind it, and I'm glad I read it -- but as I just said in another
note, I wouldn't re-read it or recommend it very strongly to someone else.
                                                         
I'm still wondering whether I should bother to try FRIDAY or JOB ...

	/dave

I finally broke down and bought "Job".  A very enjoyable read.  Great?  No,
but if I didn't already own almost everything RAH has written, I'ld go out
and buy some more on the strenth of "Job".  But I like irreverence of any
sort.

I didn't really feel "let down" because the book wasn't as good as some
he's written;  as long as I'm entertained, I'm happy.

/s/ Chuck

Maybe a comeback for RAH?  Over the past few years, I'll start his
latest by soon give it up.  I found the beginning of JOB was very
good, even impressive, but it gradually fell apart reaching absurdity
at the end.  Seems to me he's doing better than Asimov, however...

Newsgroups: rec.arts.books,rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: New Heinlein Editions
Date: 22 Jun 89 00:42:35 GMT
Reply-To: est@cs.nyu.edu (Eric S. Tiedemann)
Organization: THQ
 
    [Forwarded from CI$]
 
#: 79380 S3/Science Fiction
    19-Jun-89  13:15:39
Sb: #"New" Heinlein Coming
Fm: Michael P. Kube-McDowell 73740,15
To: [F] All
 
    Heinlein fans, students, and critics alike:
 
    Spider Robinson has passed on to me, and invited me to spread
further, some very interesting news about revised editions of three
Robert Heinlein classics. According to the report: 
 
    The next edition of RED PLANET will contain "a great deal" of new
wordage cut from the original manuscript by the original editor. 
 
    The next edition of THE PUPPET MASTERS will have both new material
and a different ending. 
 
    And the next edition of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND will have an
additional 50,000 words cut from the original against Heinlein's wishes. 
 
    Apparently (although I'm not entirely clear on the particulars),
these new editions will be appearing as a consequence of Heinlein's
death and its impact on the contract and copyright status of his
works. I don't know who will be publishing these revised editions or
what the timetable is. If I scare up any further information or
rumors, you'll see them here first. 
 
   > MPK-M
 
*** There is a reply:   79407
 
#: 79407 S3/Science Fiction
    19-Jun-89  16:52:13
Sb: #79380-#"New" Heinlein Coming
Fm: David Gerrold 70307,544
To: Michael P. Kube-McDowell 73740,15 (X)
 
    This is good news.
 
    I spoke with Ginny Heinlein and she mentioned that RAH's death
invalidates certain contractual agreements, which apparently allow her
to resell the books elsewhere.  I would assume that she and Robert
agreed on this particular plan. Next time I chat with her I'll ask her
for pub dates and more information. 
 
    dg
 
[ The new editions of THE PUPPET MASTERS and RED PLANET will be no surprise
  to those who have been following Mrs. Heinlein's comments since RAH's 
  death.  The situation with SiaSL, on the other hand, is a different
  story.  Having recently finished an essay describing some of the more
  obscure allusions in that work, I look forward to all that new material
  with delight!  --EST]

    Has any one read the NEW Heinlein that was writhen by his wife??
    I think the name of it is Be on the Grave. It isin hard back right now
    but the book store that I go to said that in about year it will be
    in paper back.

    re:.9
    
    What you are referring to is called something like GRUMBLES FROM
    THE GRAVE. It is a collection of letters to and from RAH, and it
    was put together by RAH prior to his death with the express purpose
    of having it published posthumously.
    
    --- jerry

    
    	Has anyone read the new, restored _Stranger In A Strange Land_?
    
    	It has 60K words restored, ala _The Stand_.
    
    		-rjc-

    
    
      Ah hate when they do that.
    
    Probably tied it into Laz Long, right?.  =8^}
    
    
    
    
    RichC
    

    No, they simply included all o fthe text that ended up on the "cutting
    room floor" when they chopped Heinlein's manuscript down to
    "commercial" length back in 1962 (?).  I haven't read it yet, but I
    gave the book to a friend for Christmas, and his review was:
      "Excellent. They did not improve 'Stranger...' when they edited it
    the first time. The book is more descriptive throughout and a much
    better read."
    
    I must buy another copy for myself, it seems.
    
    Max
    

    Maybe this deserves it's own note : there is a new "Heinlein" book out
    now called _Requiem_, edited by a Japanese-sounding fellow I've never
    heard of.  It is seems to be a collection of unpublished short stories,
    essays, etc along with several memorial essays by other writers.  
    
    Yes, I bought it, no I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.  
    I'll let you know if there's anything great in it.
    
    Check it out, but at $22.95 unless you're a real fan, you might want to
    wait for a sale. (Why are books so expensive nowadays, anyway?  Do they
    cost more to make, market, or what?  Or is it just demand has
    increased?  I'm ready for electronic books...)
    
    - Russ. 
                   

    re:.14
    
    Prices of books have gone up because of increased costs. The price
    of paper, especially, has risen dramatically over the last two
    decades, with no end in sight. Also, writers in general are finally
    getting to the point where they are beginning to be paid as if they
    had "real jobs".
    
    Actually, in relative terms, book prices have been slower to increase
    than other related items. Magazines and comic books are *much* more
    expensive relative to what they cost 20-30 years ago than books are.
    
    --- jerry

    My other theory is that the covers have gotten fancier. 
    
    :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
    
    - Russ