Red Planet

Red Planet is one of Heinlein's most enjoyable, best selling, and important juvenile novels. It's hard to think of it as juvenile fiction, though, because it is a fantastically fun read which introduces thought-provoking ideas on sociological and otherwise adult subjects. Of course, this was not always the case. Alice Dalgliesh, Heinlein's editor at Scriber's, objected to several themes and ideas in the original manuscript, much to Heinlein's justified consternation. He eventually gave in and removed several sections, including a couple of pages about the legal use of guns by the young boys in his Martian world and a section centering on the production of eggs by the fuzzy little bouncer Willis--she eliminated every mention of sex in the book, despite the fact that each such mention was beyond innocuous. Heinlein floated the idea of listing her as the co-author, wanting her to take some of the blame for a novel that he himself felt no pride for, fearing that Dalgliesh's hatchet job had produced a story that would harm his reputation. It actually became a fan favorite, and now we can read it complete and unedited, the way RAH originally intended it to be read.Jim Marlowe is a youngster living on Mars, and he has a "pet"-friend named Willis. Willis is a "bouncer," a furry little guy of some intelligence whose most amazing quality is an innate capability to reproduce exactly anything he hears. Jim takes Willis with him when he and his friend Frank go off to school. The new headmaster makes life miserable for all the boys with his military discipline, and he has the audacity to take Willis away from Jim and lock him away in his office. A bold rescue attempt by the brave lads manages to recover Willis before the headmaster sells him off to the London Zoo, but the friends' joy soon turns to surprise when Willis plays back a conversation he overheard about the Company putting an end to the seasonal migrations on Mars. This means that Jim's family in the South will be forced to remain where they are all winter, where the temperature easily falls below one hundred degrees freezing. Now it is up to the boys to escape from the school and somehow find their way back home (hundreds of miles away) and inform their families of the Company's intentions. Only their bravery and a little help from Mars' unique native inhabitants give them a chance to save the day. The Martians are fascinating in and of themselves; needless to say, they are something entirely different from little green men.This is speculative fiction. It doesn't really matter that we now know that Mars is totally unlike the Mars of Heinlein's story. This is just a riveting adventure of two brave boys and their unusual friend. The story could work in any number of settings. The science is there to build the framework, but Heinlein never indulges in any significant scientific pontifications. I have no problem enjoying Heinlein's juvenile fiction, largely because the pace of the narr

In all fairness to Kim Stanley Robinson's beyond excellent Mars trilogy and all the other fine writers who have tackled Mars in a realist fashion, there's that little Golden Age part of me that prefers romps like this one, where the story isn't as much as slave to science and fun rules the day. In Heinlein's day nobody really knew anything about Mars so a story like this where Mars is fairly run over with creatures (including the adorable ball of fur Willis) didn't cause anyone to bat an eye. And it shouldn't cause today's readers to put it aside either, its a fun and fast read that hits all the right notes and will entertain you throughout. Young adult Jim is going to school on Mars with his pet Willis when they discover something that might harm his fellow colonists back home, he and his friend Frank go through what seems like a million adventures, each one more fantastic than the last, before eventually saving the day. Yes, it's a book for the young adult in you, but Heinlein sticks plenty of stuff in here to appeal to us older folk. Granted he also loves to stick in his politics, there's plenty of "Guns make you a man" arguments running around (which I can stomach here moreso than the "letting the army kick the crap out of you makes you a man" argument in later novels) along with other issues like that but they don't get in the way of the book at all. The good guys are good the bad guys are bad and Heinlein's imagination is in full force, even the obligatory cutesy alien that winds up being far more than a cutesy alien is used to good effect here and while Jim indulges in that overly breezy dialogue we've come to know and love, none of the characters strike me as annoying (unlike the Star Beast where they all annoyed me), which is a good thing. The Martians are extremely well done, coming off as both human and alien at the same time, blessed with a culture we can barely strike the tip of. The cover of my edition trumpets that it's the "complete, uncut novel" and while that may have had some relevance for Stranger in a Strange Land, what the heck could they have cut out, it's not that long a book in the first place. Those looking for sophisticated examinations of complex issues aren't going to find that here but those who just want a fun time and a good read can do worse with this, that's for sure. There's a reason why people considered him a master before Stranger in a Strange Land.

Heinlein wrote a number of "juvenile" science fiction novels before he started on the "more serious" work of his later years. "Red Planet" can be thought of as a prequel to Heinlein's first "serious" work, "Stranger in a Strange Land". The Martian society of "Red Planet" is one and the same as the Martian society of "Stranger in a Strange Land". Heinlein's earlier "juvenile" work is far, far better than his later "serious" writings with their turgid stories, pseudo-philosophical musings, and disturbing moral views. Stick to the juveniles: "Red Planet", "Citizen of the Galaxy", "Starman Jones", "Tunnel in the Sky", "Have Spacesuit Will Travel", etc.

When I was in fourth grade, a few years ago(I'm 11, just out of sixth grade), one of my freinds told me I should read Starship Troopers. I loved it so much that I looked for as many other books as I could find. A few I didn't read, because they looked like romance. The others, including Red Planet, I read. Red Planet was my favorite. It was so good, I read it in two days.(Mind you I was in fourth grade)I loved the Willis so much, everything on the web(e-mail,web page, etc.) that is mine, is named after him. You'll love the book. The best I've ever read.

Three weeks prior to my writing this, I was given an assignment in my English class. We were supposed to choose an "outside reading book" and we could choose from a romance, western, science fiction, or a mystery. I naturally headed for the mystery section, but couldn't find a thing. I tried numerous books the next day, but none were appealing until I started "Red Planet". I was captivated and continued reading. I found the book to be "comfortable", and I felt as if part of the plot. I finished the book within a matter of days, and then asked my mom where she had gotten the it. To my shock and disappointment, she told me that it was a library discard that she rescued from a give-away box. Take this from a picky reader: Give this a try. You will fall in love with Jim, Frank, Doc MacRae, and especially, Willis. Don't be afraid to try something new, especially Robert Heinlein's "Red Planet"!