Kristjan's review

Stranger in a Strange Land Stranger in a Strange Land
by Robert A. Heinlein
716269
Kristjan's review
rating: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
bookshelves: book-club-selection, reviewed, science-fiction
status: Read in October, 2008, read count: 1

I seem to be hit-or-miss with Heinlein. I have read and enjoyed Starship Troopers and The Glory Road; however I couldn't finish Job: A Comedy of Justice and was not impressed with Stranger in a Strange Land (SISL) ... It is simply NOT good Science-Fiction (even if it is a fair piece of satire).

The book is divided into five (5) parts ...

Part One [His Maculate Origin:] was a good Sci-Fi plot that I actually enjoyed ... the premise being that of a lost human boy raised by non-humans (in this case Martians) along the lines of Tarzan of the Apes and The Jungle Book (which is thought to have been his original inspiration for the story). Next to nothing is actually revealed about Valentine Michael (Mike) Smith's time with his adoptive people, but the story keeps humming along with a little political intrigue and mystery. Unfortunately the plot begins to sink after this until it practically disappears by the end. The koolest concept here has to be the 'Fair Witness' characters ....more
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message 1: by Sandi
10/13/2008 04:11PM

811687 Wow. Kristjan, you nailed this book perfectly.

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message 2: by Shannon
10/13/2008 04:14PM

395599 He wrote Starship Troopers? Isn't that a really weird movie? (I could be confusing it with something else.)

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message 3: by Jon
10/13/2008 04:24PM

899665 Yes, Starship Troopers was written by Robert A. Heinlein. I've heard the movie is nothing like the book. I've only seen parts of the movie and haven't read the book yet so I can't verify that.

Yes, Sandi, I agree completely. Kristjan's review nailed it.

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message 4: by Terence
10/13/2008 05:31PM

1019174 Aside from the fact that Kristjan had nailed SISL, no, Shannon, "Starship Troopers" is not a "weird" movie it's a bad, bad, bad movie.

"Dune" bad; "Ishtar" bad; (unfortunately) "Bad But Not Bad Enough to be Good" bad :-)

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message 5: by Matt
10/13/2008 06:56PM

1205220 I was going to write up a review, but I'm not sure that I can nail it better than Kristjan.

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message 6: by Shannon
10/14/2008 12:10PM

395599 It was a bad movie Terence, I agree. I only saw it the once and I remember it as being a big ball of cheese, and that all the main characters get their limbs ripped off but still seem quite cheerful. Don't know if that's an accurate memory or not but it sure explains why I'd call it "Weird"!! ;)

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message 7: by Sandi (last edited 10/14/2008 04:13PM)
10/14/2008 04:13PM

811687 Part of "Starship Troopers" was filmed in our regional park. Other than getting the professional bowlers tournament in our local bowling alley, it's the biggest thing that's ever happened here.

Don't ask me which part of "Stormship Troopers" was filmed here. I've never seen it.

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message 8: by Rindis
10/14/2008 07:13PM

145461 2 stars? You're much kinder than I. :P

I think you pretty much got it spot on. My review was more limited, as I read it over a decade ago, and I see no to little point to putting myself through it again. But, everything you bring up sounds painfully familiar.

The movie Starship Bloopers is what you get when the director disagrees with the politics of the original book, without fully understanding those politics. -.-;

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