Have Space Suit, Will Travel

Have Space Suit--Will Travel represents Heinlein at his storytelling best. Free of the esoteric themes that would appear in his later writings, this book is pure science fiction seemingly written solely for the enjoyment of the reader. Originally published in 1958, the story stands up well even today and will surely be read and enjoyed by untold generations to come. I am sure that many a young person read this book and yearned to reach the moon in the decade before the Eagle finally landed. This is generally classified as one of Heinlein's juvenile books, but Heinlein's writing is for all ages. I am sure the book appeals to many young people because its protagonists are themselves young people: Kip is a high school senior, and Peewee is a girl of about twelve. Kip develops an overpowering urge to go to the moon, and he is lucky enough to win a real space suit in a contest. Heinlein's description of the many different features of the suit is fascinating. Resigning himself to selling the suit for college tuition money, Kip goes for one last walk; somewhat playfully calling out on the radio, he is surprised to hear an answer to his call. He is amazed when a space ship soon lands in his backyard and a decidedly alien creature comes out and collapses. A second ship lands, an entity gets out and conks Kip on the head, and the next thing Kip knows he is trapped inside a space ship on his way to the moon, suddenly in the company of a little girl. His captors are "Wormfaces," a species of alien that has been in hiding on the moon, looking at the earth with evil intentions. Peewee introduces Kip to the "Mother thing," a Vegan entity (and interstellar policeman) who radiates love and warmth, effectively communicates with the pair in a bird song type of speech, and inspires undying love and devotion. The book revolves around the youngsters' attempt to rescue the Mother Thing from the Wormfaces and eventually return to earth. Along the way, they endure captivity on Pluto, stare death in the face a few times, and ultimately find themselves representing Earth in an interstellar courtroom, the very future of earth shakily balanced in their own young hands.There are juvenile elements here, such as Kip's tendency to hold back-and-forth conversations with his space suit (whom he dubs "Oscar"), but Robert Heinlein does throw in several sections full of mathematical formulas, high-level theorizing, and advanced scientific concepts. I dare say that these areas of tecnospeak will turn off some young readers and may well stymie a good number of adults. Aside from the mathematics of the thing, Heinlein can make any kind of scientific notion sound feasible and believable, and that is part of his magic and effectiveness. Most of all, though, Heinlein presents vividly real characters doing exceedingly interesting, heroic things. Heinlein's couple of technical forays may be literary speedbumps, but young readers will revel in and be inspired by this book.

This book is good reading for anyone. I reccommend it especially to young science fiction fans, or younger readers who want a good first taste of sci-fi. However, this book is excellent no matter who you are. I am an experienced science fiction reader, and I put this book right up there with anything else by Heinlein. Sure, it doesn't have the free love bits and controversial stuff of RAH's later works, but that's not why you started reading Heinlein in the first place anyway, is it?This book is a science fiction classic, period.

At the beginning of Have Spacesuit Will Travel, Kip is just an ordinary boy who'd like to go into space. The story is placed in the near future when the moon has a colony and tourists. The nearest Kip thinks he can get to the moon is by winning an old spacesuit in a contest. The whole opening of the book is his cleverness and resourcefulness in figuring how to win the spacesuit and then in repairing the old spacesuit. Heinlein has a lot to say here about the importance of independence, resourcefulness and initiative. The lesson the book gives is that if you want something, go for it. Heinlein gets in some real swipes at the public school system that are as valid today as when it was written. His solution, if you feel you're not being educated in school, continue to attend school but educate yourself. Read, look up information. This doesn't mean the book is dull. All I've mentioned only begins the adventure. Having fixed up his spacesuit to the point that it's spaceworthy, Kip one night wears his spacesuit and turns on its radio, intercepts a call for help, tries to rescue a kidnapped girl who is fleeing her captors, gets kidnapped himself, gets his wish to go into space in a way he never dreamed of and suddenly the rest of the book is non-stop action. The scope of the book suddenly takes a giant leap out into the universe, a universe filled with alien races who frankly don't think much of the humans from earth. In a very moving scene, it's up to Kip to present a defense of the human race, with his life and the life of humanity hanging in the balance. It's a wonderful story and as good today as when it was written. If you have preteens who are ready to "graduate" from reading Harry Potter, this is the perfect book.

I read this book at an early age, and it introduced me to a whole new way of thinking. Kip's rugged individualism and determination inspired me like nothing else in my life. This book also served as a springboard to other Science Fiction books and authors. Kip, a "typical" teen, wants to go to the Moon. Following his father's advice, he eventually wins an old space suit, which he meticulously rebuilds and eventually tests in his back yard. Then a space ship lands on him. Captured by space pirates and their alien master, Kip meets Peewee, the daughter of a famous Princeton thinker, and her Vegan companion, the "Mother Thing". After adventures and defeat on the Moon, the action shifts to Pluto, where escape seems impossible, and death inevitable. The "Mother Thing", however, proves to be more than a match for the alien "Wormfaces" who are intent on conquoring the Earth. After a stay on Vega, the story culminates with a trip to the Lesser Megallanic Clouds, where Kip and Peewee must stand trial in the name of all mankind. I recomend children of all ages read this book. It is filled with wonder and adventure that nobody should miss.

Let's get this straight right off the bat. This is not one of Heinlein's most radical books, it is not brimming with abstract speculation on the human condition and how our current paths shall take us only to ruin and destruction. There is no future prediction, no hard science showcasing something new and possible. It is merely a science-fiction adventure novel. It is also one of the best science-fiction novels ever written. While it may not have all that was stated above, it does have one thing: humor, a brisk sense of fun, and a rapid pace that makes this book fly all too quickly. This is one of those rare science-fiction tales that, like a good cartoon, can be easily read by a child, but there is enough to keep adults interested also. Also, this book is probably one of the greatest of Heinlein's wish fulfillments ever. Kip might have to go through heck in this novel, but everything works out perfect in the end, and who wouldn't want a life like that? Ah, the temptations of fiction! And, as a final aside, I think the last couple of pages is one of the most classic endings of any science-fiction novels, just on sheer wit alone. Heinlein outdid himself on this one