Space Cadets and Starship Troopers
By Stacy Hague-Hill, Your Captain for this Journey
Sometimes, a topic comes along that’s just too big for one article.
In August, Tor will be releasing an all-new, first-ever authorized biography of a towering figure in the history of the genre: Robert A. Heinlein.
So, as our own little celebration of the man and his works, we thought it would be fun to find out just how much of an impact Heinlein’s stories and novels had on a number of our—and your—favorite sf writers. We asked them a simple question—what’s your favorite Heinlein novel?
We’ll be posting their answers once a week as we build toward publication of the biography, and I hope all of you will jump in and let us know if you have any favorites, too.
But enough about us. What’s your favorite Robert A. Heinlein novel, David Brin?
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The series continues with:
- David Drake: Starship Soldier
- David Hartwell: Double Star
- L.E. Modesitt, Jr.: Starship Troopers
- Rudy Rucker: Starman Jones, Citizen of the Galaxy, and Tunnel in the Sky
- Joan Slonczewski: Have Space Suit—Will Travel
- Charles Stross: Glory Road
- Vernor Vinge: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Related Links:
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Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century: Volume 1 (1907-1948): Learning Curve (978-0-7653-1960-9 / $29.99) will be available from Tor Books on August 17th 2010.
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From the Tor/Forge July newsletter. Sign up to receive our newsletter via email.
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More from our July newsletter:
- Roots and Story by Carrie Vaughn
- Frederik Pohl’s best friends in SF give back in Gateways! by Elizabeth Hull
- Why another vampire book? by Alex Bledsoe
- Not the Contents, Just the Box by Lee Carroll (Carol Goodman and Lee Slonimsky)
Excellent!
Both the soon-to-be extended biography and the wonderful idea of asking contemporary writers about Heinlein’s influence on them interesting.
I just read Brin’s reply to the question, and, as expected, it was very well stated.
I certainly hope that Heinlein’s biography will e available for my B&N nook…
Tom
Heinlein’s SF certainly had a profound impact on me. I think my interest in computers stems from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (my favorite Heinlein story). I think Heinlein would be horrified by the current US conservative movement, although of course he’d be horrified by a lot, but I think he’d find a lot to like as well about where America has moved.
Oh, probably The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
I’m also quite unreasonably fond of The Rolling Stones, and have certainly read it more often than TMiaHM.
My favorite Heinlein adult novel is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. My favorite juvenile is a tie between Tunnel in the Sky and Between Planets. Looking forward to the bio.
Fave RAH novel? Probably one of those he never wrote, about the regime of the First Prophet … either The Sound of His Wings or The Stone Pillow.
Really, though, I liked JOB the best, taking a theme of James Branch Cabell’s and running with it.