Skip to main content
Starship TroopersStarship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not as action-orientated as I thought it would be, but it's definitely a thought-provoking work about military service, structure, operations, and command. To a lesser extent it was about politics and warfare.

My only negative criticism of this work is that the amount of dialogue, especially in the second half of the book, took away from potential action and suspense.

I know what to expect when I approach a work by Robert A. Heinlein, just as I would for Isaac Asimov or Arthur C. Clarke. If I want a sci-fi read which is military and/or action-orientated, I will go with Heinlein. If I want a sci-fi read which is more contemplative or intellectual, I will choose Asimov, Clarke, or Ted Chiang. Additionally, to approach a work by Heinlein expecting it to be attune to current cultural sensitivities is folly, plain and simple. If I read a book by Heinlein is that going to make me Heinlein? No!

I did not see this work as indoctrinating. I'll add that being a military "brat" for most of my formative years, I resided at and spent much time on military installations. Some civilians would be surprised to learn that unlike many political leaders who haven't served in the military (during war or peace time), the majority of military personnel are not pro-war. In contrast, it is considered a last resort. If you don't believe me, ask a service member or veteran.


View all my reviews

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Flowers for Algernon

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very immersive and thought-provoking story Why did I give this book 5 stars? What can I write about it? Well, I floated between 4 and 5 stars. What made me tip the scale was my immediate feeling that I was an observer in the story, not solely a reader. I found the transformation of the protagonist, Charlie Gordon - as illustrated by his writing in his progress reports - to be an especially effective narrative device. The story was so organic and straight-forward, that I felt transported to another time and place. Perhaps that result was also due to my empathy with the protagonist Charlie Gordon and my identification with the academic environment, where most of the narrative took place. Some members of my extended family are mentally challenged. I couldn't help but think of them when I read about Charlie. Also, my dad worked with mentally challenged young adults at a clinic when he was...
2 comments
Read more

(The Two Towers of?) Eureka Springs Arkansas

A few weeks ago my wife and I took a trip to Eureka Springs Arkansas. I hadn't visited there in approximately 30 years, but it still seemed the same, at least according to my mind's eye. I'm sure that the city being placed on the National Register of Historic Places is a big reason for the sameness over the past four decades. We stayed at the Oak Crest Cottages in a pleasant Monet's Garden themed cabin . There is a uniqueness and authenticity to Eureka Springs that I haven't experienced at very many other locations in the States. Much of Eureka Springs feels like being transported to a time past, especially at turn-of-the-century landmarks such as the Crescent Hotel, the Carnegie Public Library , and the former Roxy Theater.   My wife thought that a visit to Eureka Springs wouldn't be complete without taking one of the advertised "ghost tours" at one of the local haunts (I know, very bad pun), and I was game to visit one of the old hotels. Anyway, w...
1 comment
Read more

Plastic models going the way of BETA?

The other day my family and I were at Toys R Us and I happened to notice one model kit in the entire store. The model was a snap together Tie Fighter . I asked one of the associates where the rest of their model section was and he responded that the Tie Fighter was all that remained. Over the past three years or so I noticed that WalMart and Target were seriously reducing their inventory of plastic model kits, but I had no idea that they would disappear from their shelves altogether! I can't even find model glue or paint at WalMart! My son told me that models have been replaced by Legos (at least for children). I'm only an occasional modeler, and I know that models are still available at hobby stores, but this strikes me as a very sad pattern.
1 comment
Read more