Between Planets

Between Planets (1951) is the fifth SF novel in the Juvenile series, following Farmer in the Sky. Like most of the author's SF, it is set within the Future History universe. Much of the story occurs on Venus, which is the home of an alien species and many disgruntled humans. In this novel, Don Harvey is a boy of several worlds. His father was born on Earth and his mother was a Venusian colonist. His papers declare him a citizen of the Federation. Don is attending school on a ranch in New Mexico. While out riding his pony Lazy, he gets a mobile call from the headmaster. He has received a radiogram from his mother, so he immediately returns to the ranch. The message informs him that passage has been booked for his flight to Mars, where his parents are investigating the remains of the First Empire. Don is puzzled, but the headmaster tells him that his parents are probably worried about the threat of war. They don't want him to stay in the warzone. In this story, Don calls Dr. Dudley Jefferson -- a friend of the family -- after reaching New Chicago and is invited over to the apartment. When he arrives, Dr. Jefferson makes polite talk, but asks him about a package sent to him at the ranch. Don hasn't received it, but the package is mentioned more than once during the evening. Dr. Jefferson takes him out to an expensive nightclub, which opens Don's eyes in more than one way. But he is puzzled by the presence of someone that he had seen earlier that day. A man sitting in the club looks like a security policeman who had stared at Don when he was conversing with a Venusian dragon. The security police later confront Don and Dr. Jefferson. Don knows nothing and security lets him catch his flight. Then he is told that Dr. Jefferson had died of heart failure. In a sense, everyone dies of heart failure. Don encounters the dragon -- Sir Isaac Newton -- once again on his flight up to the space station Circum-Terra. Don has a pleasant talk with the dragon and interprets for him when his voder fails. Then he discovers that Circum-Terra has been captured by Venusian forces, so he now has the choice of returning to Earth, going to Venus, or being blown to atoms. Don decides to go to Venus. After all, he does have Venusian citizenship. Maybe he can catch another ship to Mars somehow or the other. This tale is about a displaced person during a major war. With the conflict between Venus and Earth going on, he has to support himself on Venus without any relations or resources. He gets a job washing dishes for the Two Worlds Dining Room. Eventually he finds himself in the military. This edition has an Introduction by William H. Patterson and an afterword by Travis S. Taylor. Any fan of the author will enjoy these notes about the story and the man who wrote it. Take it from Taylor, the author really knew the science and technology of his period. You also might find out a bit about the Martians and Venusians in the tale. This work is a c

Say 'yes' to one and let the other one ride? Did you ever have to finally decide?" BETWEEN PLANETS (1951) predates this Loving Spoonfuls hit by many years but the questions asked are very much on young Don Harvey's mind. As the book opens he is enjoying an early morning ride near his New Mexico boarding school but his ride is cut short when he is summoned back to school. His parents have sent an urgent message for him to return immediately home to Mars. Don is surprised to say the least, he was after all just weeks from graduation. His second surprise came when he realized that the talk of war between earth and her colony worlds was not just idle talk, and that due to his family situation could be considered a citizen of each side. His loyalties were called into question by his headmaster and tested when he realized that his best friend could soon be fighting on the other side. Don considered this situation as he began his long journey home. His problems increased when he discovered that he had become a 'person of interest' to the police who were convinced that he had something they wanted badly enough to kill for. As his journey continued he found himself stranded, penniless, on Venus. All along the way Don was forced to question and requestion his own loyalties until he finally had to make up his mind. This is a very typical RAH juvenile novel. The hero is thrust into a situation where he holds the power to change the course of history. Also typical of RAH's work of this time is a rather unrealistic idea of the conditions of Mars and Venus, a firm belief that alien races will be both advanced and benevolent, and that females take a purely supportive role. It is also, like most of RAH's work, an enjoyable and exciting read that will force the reader to re-examine their own long cherished truths. This would be a good place for someone unfamiliar to RAH's work to begin but is a special treat for fans. Here we see Venus dragons, and fragile Martians who will return in later works. One of RAH's favorite themes, that military service separates the men from the boys is also explored.

Between Planets is yet another suberb Heinlein classic, one that doesn't leave you hanging in the middle as much as some of his works. The technological ideas are a little outdated, of course, but the storyline itself is masterful. Heinlein had a perfect grasp as to what motivates humans to make the decisions that they do in times of crisis. A definite recommended read for all Heinlein fans, in my opinion.

Just for the record, before I launch into this, I have absolutely no problem with Heinlein's depiction of whether there was life on Venus (or Mars) or whether people could safety live on either. I don't know if Heinlein actually believed that back then (as a lot of folks did, we're talking the days before satellites, kids) or he just figured the cardinal rule of fun writing: don't let science get in the way of a good story. And he sure doesn't, Heinlein draws us into a pure SF adventure story that rockets around the solar system, as seen through the eyes of one Don Harvey, who really only wants to get back to Mars to see his parents. In the process he gets accosted by an irate Earth government (and Heinlein's depiction of an almost authoritarian Earth was probably a social comment that went way above the heads of his target audience . . . but then this is the guy who thought Starship Troopers was a childrens book), winds up on Venus and gets involved in the revolution (Viva!). It's mostly nonstop action and the settings are fun, if you can suspend your disbelief and take yourself back to a time where it was possible that there was life on Venus and we might one day wind up there, and I don't see why you can't, you'll find yourself enjoying this despite everything. Harvey is hilariously stubborn when it comes to just about everything, the aliens are interesting in a nonscience way, plot twists abound, and a grand time is had by all. Sure, Heinlein sticks in some of his usual "the army makes a man out of you and it's the only good life" stuff that eventually became the central concept of Starship Troopers (not that I didn't enjoy that book, mind you), by and by, this is optimistic endearing science fiction with some pointed messages but nothing too deep or heavy. It's just an enjoyably fun way to spend two hundred pages.

A strong, unified plot - the entire book is about Don Harvey's quest to reach his parents on Mars. A believable politics of the future. A sympathetic but not at all perfect hero and some good minor characters. An atmospheric vision of Venus as it should have been, a world of swamps inhabited by a few human colonies and a race of intelligent (and friendly!) dinosuaroid that communicate by whistling. What more could you ask?