Dan > Recent Status Updates

Can’t get over how ‘50s this is. The boys just risked their lives to save a ship all the people had already been evacuated from, but the only reason they even alluded to was that the ship is worth five million credits. They sure loved capitalism back then.

Everything the boys succeed at feels underserved. We don’t see them go to class and only see studying at the last minute, but they got the highest score ever on the exam. Never saw a game of mercuryball till the semifinals, and they won the tournament even though Roger was being a shit the final game. They need to fail at something.

Definitely intended for a younger audience than Heinlein’s Space Cadet—seems like we’re headed toward a boys-have-adventures-in-space vibe rather than the actually military academy feeling Heinlein’s had.

I finished Heinlein’s Space Cadet and wanted more and discovered here’s an entire series! A very clear ripoff of Heinlein’s, and more childish so far—makes me wonder if I should bump Space Cadet from kids to YA—but still fun.

Also if this is Heinlein’s actual view of Navy vs. Marines, I really hope he got his ass kicked by the Marine-option midshipmen when he was at Annapolis

I like this a lot. Very traditional school story even though it takes place in space, and the way Wong describes the patrol is pretty clear influence for Starfleet.

Jake describing what happens when the Yeerk is getting ahold of your brain is just what happens to you when you’re having a low blood sugar attack.

I like Hoodie so far, and it’s always great to get books about observant Jews. Anna-Marie offering to shake Hoodie’s hand was a clunky way to introduce shomer negiah, though, because teenagers don’t do that. Also don’t like that he didn’t capitalize Reform Judaism and called Reform Jews secular.

We’re about here if I divide by total number of days.

Not a very good book so far, but these Hardy Boys–types never are; it’s part of their charm.

I still like these later books in the series a lot, but I’m starting to get sick of all the boy drama.

No way we’re not at least this far done with it.

Some dude in the street is preaching anti-Halloween stuff at the kids, but instead of quoting Matthew or John or whatever, he’s talking about “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Weird to see language straight from the Amidah used in this way.