Lost Legacy

by Robert A. Heinlein, Lyle Monroe (Pseudonym)

Contents:
Jerry Was a Man (1947) - novelette
Lost Legacy (1941) - novella

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Novella

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often posed provocative situations which challenged conventional social mores. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.
Heinlein used his science fiction as a way to explore provocative social and political ideas and to speculate how progress in science and engineering might shape the future of politics, race, religion, and sex. Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought. He also speculated on the influence of space travel on human cultural practices.
Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.
Also wrote under Pen names: Anson McDonald, Lyle Monroe, Caleb Saunders, John Riverside and Simon York.

Reviews

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, any story that features Ambrose Bierce is gonna get two thumbs WAY up on the Lyn scale of SF stories.

Lost Legacy was first published by Bob “the Nudist” Heinlein way back in the September 1941 issue of Super Science Stories and it is a gem of an early story.

The 34 year old took a page from James Hilton’s playbook and his 1933 Lost Horizon and describes a sort of Shangri-La (in Heinlein’s story the village of super people is on Mount Shasta). I was also reminded of Ayn Rand’s obnoxious, virulent and long-winded swill published in 1957.

Sharing the “humanity has some growing to do" gestalt ideas championed by Sir Arthur C. Clarke, Theodore Sturgeon and Poul Anderson, RAH spins a TASTY tale of spiritual and psychonormal development.

This early short work also highlights Heinlein’s adept delivery of this medium. he would grow increasingly long-winded as he got older, but here he punches out a terse but narratively rich, lean and mean SF story.

Very good.

[Kübra Bakırcı Acar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaybolan Miras benim Heinlein'den okuduğum ikinci kitap. Okuduğum diğer kitabına göre bambaşka bir Heinlein'la karşılaştım bu kitapta. Öyle ki yazara bu kitapla başlamış bir okur nasıl bu adam bilimkurgunun en büyük isimlerinden birisi dahi diyebilir ama tabi Kayıp Miras'ın yazarın İlk dönem kitaplarından birisi olduğu ve Heinlein'ın çokça kitabı bulunduğu unutulmamalıdır. İlk bölümler dikkat çekici olmakla birlikte ilerledikçe, kitapta bahsi geçen konular üzerinde yazarın bir kitap yazmak istediği, konunun orijinalliğiyle ve üslubuyla bir dereceye kadar da kotardığı ama son olayları artık bir şekilde bağlayayım da bitsin, ben amacıma ulaştım dediğini düşündüren bir okuma oldu benim için. İnsan beyninin sınırlarının ortadan kaldırılması, beynin tam kapasite kullanılmasıyla insanın ulaşabileceği yetenek ve içsel beceriler üzerine güzel bir çıkış yakalanmış. Telepati, telekinezi, levitasyon gibi ilginç konulara eğilmiş bir kitap ama karakterlerin ve konunun işlenişi yönünden büyük sıkıntılar da var bir taraftan. Kısa bir kitap olmasına rağmen uzun bir sürede bitirdim ve üzerine rahat 10 kitap okumuşumdur. Elim gitmedi genelde okumaya ve ikinci yarıya geldiğimde tam kendimi kaptırmıştım ki fazla oldu bittiye gelen tatminkârlıktan uzak bir finalle sonlandı kitap.

Söylemeden geçemeyeceğim ben hep bilimkurgunun üç büyük ustası için Heinlein'ın yerine PKD'nin olması gerektiğini düşünürüm.

[Jeff Yoak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early in his life, Heinlein was very interested in para-psychological phenomena, and even went to the extent of running (not carefully controlled) experiments attempting to validate the existence of such phenomena. Though, unsurprisingly, he never found any evidence for such, and was honest enough to admit that, the idea creeps into his stories, with telepathy in particular showing up again and again through the future history and in other places.

In Lost Legacy, Heinlein creates a group of supermen who have unlocked the brain's potential. Our heroes were, like Heinlein, groping around trying to explain seeming cases of such phenomena, and are spurred on by seeing one of their strongest cases having his ability disrupted by injury and surgery on a part of the brain with "no known function." They eventually develop talents and find the others like themselves. Like many at a great awakening, they long to show the world, only to find out that the world is not universally excited to be shown.

[Kayıp Rıhtım]

Heinlein’in henüz Heinlein olmadığı zamanlarda yazdığı, ilk dönem eserlerinden...

Heinlein, bu romanında bir insanın beyninin tamamını kontrol edebilmesi sonucunda neler yapabileceğini kurgulamış. Öyküde, bahsi geçen yeteneklere sahip insanlar zamanla azalmış ve yok olmuşlardır. İşte Heinlein bu yetenekleri “kaybolan miras” olarak adlandırıyor ve kitabın ikinci yarısında ise bunların tekrar keşfedilebilmesi için uğraşıyor. Karakterlerin altı tam olarak doldurulmadığı için, bu da yine kitapta havada kalan kısımlardan biri olarak öne çıkıyor.

Özet olarak, Kaybolan Miras’ın kötü bir kitap olmadığını belirtmek isterim. Eğer Heinlein bu eserinin üzerinde daha fazla çalışmış ve altını yeterince doldurmayı başarabilmiş olsaydı, günümüzde bir klasik olabilirdi. Heinlein okumaya başka bir kitaptan başlamanız daha iyi olacaktır.

- Bahri Doğukan ŞAHİN

İncelemenin tamamı için: http://www.kayiprihtim.org/portal/inc...

[Brett Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first Heinlein book I ever read. I still have dreams of flying a la these characters.

[Hamid Babayev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Əhfinizə sığınaraq Elmi-Fantastikanın 3 böyük atasından birinin kitabını 3 ulduzla qiymətləndirəcəm.

Bu "yaxşı ideya, bərbad qurğu" olan kitabdı. Ümumən deyəsən, Heinleina elə də maraqlı deyil gələcəkdə nələr baş verir. Onun üçün fikirləri və ideyaları maraqlıdı. Bu kitab si-fi deyildi, 3ci sinif bir parapsixologiya, mifologiya qarışımı idi. 1 ulduzu kitabın demək olar ki, heç bir kurgu tərkibi daşımadığına görə itirdi. Digər bir ulduzu isə kitabsakı "şər" anlayışının yavanlığından. 3 ulduzu isə tam tamına aldı fikirlərinin, insanlığa və onun sərhədlərinə dair ideyası barədə.

[Ali Berk Çetinbudaklar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heinlein'dan yine farklı bir tarz bk kitabı okumuş oldum.Galiba bk kitaplarına biraz politika katmayı seviyor.

Yazar beyin,irade, bunların kontrolü ve ne kadar verimli kullanabildiğimiz üzerine gitmiş.Sınırları kaldırabildiğimiz ölçüde gelişimimizi sınırsız kılabilceğimizi söylemiş.Ama bir yerde de dediği gibi aşırı zeki/sıradanlıktan sıyrılmış insanlar o okadar zekidirler ki göz önünde bulunup diğer insanlar tarafından alaşağı edilmekten kendilerini sakınırlar ama bu da hayatta birçok değişimin önünü tıkar.Bu hikayede de, tam olarak bunun zıttına giden kahramanlarımızın, dünyayı büyük bir değişime sokma çabasını konu alıyor.

[Tuuce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kitaba başladığımda ilk bölümün konusundan ötürü oldukça ilgimi çekmişti. Bir beyin cerrahı ve psikiyatristin beynin işlevleri hakkında bilimsel sohbetleri ile başlıyordu. Ancak zamanla olaylar çok hızlı ve boşluklu bir şekilde ilerlemeye başladı. Çok fazla insanüstü öğe ortaya çıktı ve bunların hiçbirine tatminkar bir açıklama mevcut değil. Daha da ilerledikçe bir takım dini-mitolojik eliştiriler ortaya çıktı ancak onlar da çok kısa ve etkisizdi. Finali de yeterince başarılı olmadığı için kitabı yetersiz buldum.

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q:
HAD THE PLACE ON MOUNT SHASTA been a university and possessed a catalog (which it did not), the courses offered therein might have included the following;
TELEPATHY. Basic course required of all students not qualified by examination. Practical instruction up to and including rapport. Prerequisite in all departments. Laboratory.
RATIOCINATION, I, II, III, IV. R.I. Memory. R.II. Perception; clairvoyance, clairaudience, discretion of mass, -time, -and-space, non-mathematical relation, order, and structure, harmonic form and interval. R.III. Dual and parallel thought processes. Detachment. R.IV. Meditation (seminar)
AUTOKINETICS. Discrete kinesthesia. Endocrine control with esp. application to the affective senses and to suppression of fatigue, regeneration, transformation (clinical aspects of lycanthropy), sex determination, inversion, autoanaesthesia, rejuvenation.
TELEKINETICS. Life-mass-space-time continua. Prerequisite; autokinetics. Teleportation and general action at a distance. Projection. Dynamics. Statics. Orientation.
HISTORY. Courses by arrangement. Special discussions of psychometry with reference to telepathic records, and of metempsychosis. Evaluation is a prerequisite for all courses in this department. HUMAN
ESTHETICS. Seminar. Autokinetics and technique of telepathic recording (psychometry) a prerequisite.
HUMAN ETHICS. Seminar. Given concurrently with all other courses. Consult with instructor.
Perhaps some of the value of the instruction would have been lost had it been broken up into disjointed courses as outlined above. (c)

[Austin Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty rough read. Written in 1941, it predated John Wyndam's the Crysalids by 14 years. Both books deal with the persecutions of psychics who try to organize. Though Crysalids was way better.

Read up on Mount Shasta and Ambrose Bierce first, before reading this book.

"Assignment in Eternity" is a 4-story collection released in 1953. "Lost Legacy" is one of the four stories within.

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple-minded saps rave about Heinlein’s wireless phone reference in “Space Cadet” which they assume was a cellular phone, though no clue was given. The wireless phone had already been invented in the 1920’s in Germany (Where else?), so it was no prognostication. But a pocket phone as described in this story really was one… Ozian flying monkeys become loquacious. Brinkley = Biden and the nameless horror = his master Soros? I would have given it 5 stars except for the Darwinian dumbness. I mean, really, Darwinism has been obsolete since 1865.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

1941 novella by author Robert A. Heinlein, writing as Lyle Monroe. This is one of RAH's early stories exploring extra-sensory powers as the untapped potential of the mind.

[Jerad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Concepts only slightly more interesting than most of the wooden characters. Very pulpy story.

[Joshua Buhs · Rating 2 out of 5]

More interesting as a historical tidbit than a story in itself.

Robert Heinlein published this in 1941 under the pseudonym Lyle Monroe. It is the story of three friends--two men and a woman--who discover that psychic powers are latent in humanity, make them patent in themselves, discover a community of adepts on Mt. Shasta who have mastered these powers to even a greater extent, try to teach the world, and finally are involved in a battle with evil masters of psychic powers, the winning of which will lead to the transcendence of the human species.

It is all told very lightly, and very forced. Just seeing the plot summary one realizes how much ground Heinlein has to cover in what is essentially a novella. There are some grace notes--playing solitaire to prove the powers is nice--but too much of it just seems silly. There are so many new assumptions revealed as the story goes on; the three main characters take everything in stride; indeed, there is hardly any tension at all in the first 4/5ths of the story: everybody gets along, likes everything, and is hardly astounded by their discoveries.

One sees, though, the outlines of Heinlein's later, more solipsistic fiction. There's the hints at a menage a trois, but he would not put such things into print much later; there's the psychic powers and transcendence of the human condition of Stranger in Strange Land but also To Sail Beyond the Sunset and all those books from the 70s and 80s. So seeing him work with these ideas, even in rudimentary form, decades earlier is interesting, but only for someone who has read a fair bit of Heinlein.

Otherwise, it is that extreme Heinleinian sin: boring.

[Ümit Mutlu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pek BK gibi değil, ama bilimkurguyla tamamen ilgisi yok demek de doğru olmaz. Hatta, Fringe dizisi ne kadar bilimkurguysa, bu kitap da o kadar bilimkurgudur. Zira tıpkı Fringe gibi, metafiziksel olayları bilimsel bir tabana oturtma gayretini taşıyor. Bu iyi.

Ama iyi olmayan şey, bunu yaparken izlediği yolu tamamen esgeçmesi. Yani kahramanlarımız birdenbire her şeyi öğrenmiş oluyor. Ce-ee gibi bir durum. O hiç olmamış tabi. Pekâlâ daha ayrıntılı anlatılabilirmiş birçok şey. İçindeki sosyopolitik başkaldırı durumu ise çok yüzeysel.

[Old Man Aries · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published in Super Science Stories, November 1941, as Lost Legion by Lyle Monroe.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and outstanding inspiration for Mage: The Awakening. So awesome!

[Jonathan Harbour · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella is a precursor to Stranger in a Strange Land, filled with paranormal mysticism about the power of the human mind. Fascinating stuff and a MUST for any fan of Stranger (which includes most baby boomer hippies). I'm no hippie, nor a boomer (thank Jubal!) but i like Stranger and acquired a TPB copy of the uncut edition, plan to read it soon. I've only read the original edition on Kindle.