Citizen Of The Galaxy

Rating:
Summary: One of Heinlein's best.
Review: Capsule Description: A young orphan with no memory of his past is sold as a slave, and becomes embroiled in more and more complex situations while travelling from world to world. One of Heinlein's "Juveniles", possibly the best of that category, and a fun read.

Review: Often described as a space-age version of "Kim", Citizen of the Galaxy introduces us to the already world-weary and cynical, animalistically-paranoid Thorby, a boy of maybe ten years of age, who is being put on the auction block and sold. Through an odd sequence of events, the boy ends up being purchased by a beggar... who may be more than he appears. Subsequent events end up propelling him through the Galaxy as a number of things -- refugee, trader, military man -- while searching for the truth behind his unknown past.

Heinlein wrote several "juvenile" books, ones targeted at what today would be called the Young Adult market (mostly teenagers), but despite the label his stories were always written in a mature manner that assumed his readers were as intelligent as he was. This is one of the very best of the juveniles, all of which were good SF reads. An excellent "starter" book for a young person who'd like to try some classic SF but is daunted by the prospect of either larger books or ones so old that the language itself becomes a barrier.

Rating:
Summary: A border book between Heinlein's juvenile and adult fiction
Review: Heinlein wrote a number of juvenile novels, meant to appeal to the barely-teenager set. Citizen of the Galaxy is often listed as a juvenile by his fans (as is Starship Troopers occasionally), but I would not consider it so. The book's interest is not in its one-dimensional characters. The interest is sustained in the number of new social and political entities that Heinlein invents, all of which are plausible. The hero, Thorby, starts the book on a planet with three "castes" - the nobility, the poor but free non-nobles, and slaves (which is how Thorby starts out). He then moves into the Free Trader society where all members of a trade ship are related (in name, at least) and have both a military rank and a familial hierarchy that is painfully exclusive. Finally, Thorby ends up on Earth ("Terra"), which is not as well developed fictionally; it is revered as the birthplace of mankind with where day-to-day life similar to our own.

Naturally, these societies are painted with Heinlein's broad brush. There are a number of things that make you scratch your head, especially since it was written in 1957. While there are strong female characters, including the leader of the Free Trader ship, there's still that underlying Heinlein chauvenism ("You know women - they have no head for business"). Perhaps these statements are tongue-in-cheek, but it doesn't sound like it. More disturbing is his pessimism about slavery - numerous times he mentions the "inevitability" of slavery - and his apparent glorification of tribalism (the Traders call themselves "people" and everyone else are untermenschen). His condemnation of slavery and glorification of racism are incompatible to a modern ear, but it is thought-provoking and brings the story out of its potential mundacity.

Flashes of Heinlein's future are included as well - Thorby's lawyer on Terra is eerily similar to Jubal Harshaw of "Stranger in a Strange Land". So, overall, I enjoyed the book. It was thought-provoking, interesting for its depiction of possible future civilisations, and you didn't know what was going to happen next so wanted to keep reading.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Amazing
Review: I first read this book when I was 15, and ever since I have remembered it as one of the best books I had ever read. I recently moved and unpacked my copy. Curious, I reread it and found that the passing time has not dimmed it at all. I still believe it is one of the best books I have ever read. This breaks from the stereotypical pattern of Robert Heinlein and all science fiction. It covers such borad topics as racism, slavery, corporate corruption, and the people who are willing to sacrifice everything they have to change the world.

The book opens at a slave auction,in a far away galaxy, where a young boy is up for sale. It doesn't take long for the reader to get caught up in the many twists and turns this story takes. Not one of the characters in this book is who he first appears to be. Thorby (the boy for sale) is bought by an old, crippled beggar man and ends up travelling throughout the universe. His observations on life are truly insightful. This may just change the way you see the world around you.

Rating:
Summary: Best First Book by Heinlein to Read.
Review: If you have never read a Book by Robert A. Heinlein and have heard about him and want to try him out. Then this is the book I recommend you start with. IMHO this is his greatest book.

I say this knowing that other people think that Starship Troopers is his best. But I do not think this is a great book to discover Heinlein by. In Starship Troopers he was making some blantant political statements, so people might be put off because of this. In Citizen of the Galaxy his messages are more subtle, without being obtuse.

I first read it as a young teenager and the worlds it transported me to, still in thrall me.

The main characters are typical Heinlein strong individualists, this is typical for both the males and females.

I have reread this book many times and the rich texture of the prose always transports me from the smell at the slave markets. To the sizzling power in the board rooms on Earth.

A must read, page turner.

Rating:
Summary: This is why Heinlein is THE MASTER!!!
Review: This book is the epitome of Heinlein's adventure novels. It reminds we humans that we are not truly civilized beings. He points out clearly that slavery is one of the most awful things we can entrap our fellow beings in, and also points out that there are more types of slavery than actual enslavement. Humans can be trapped by family, friends, work, and, as Heinlein shows near the end of this novel, by money. Humans do not have never known any true freedom, even though we tend to feel that capitalism or socialism are ways for us to achieve freedom. Heinlein points out that none of these systems will make us free. I also really enjoy the fact that Thorby never really cares about his past; he only wants to live in the now, the way humans should. This is an easy book to read even though its plot is like some sort of roller-coaster. Even though somewhat deep ideas are expressed in this book, I think it would be best suited for teenage readers.

Rating:
Summary: Citizen of the Galaxy
Review: This was a very fast-moving, exciting book. It is well written, and it makes you think. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes science fiction.

Rating:
Summary: Citizen of the Galaxy
Review: Without a doubt, this book helped shape my life as an adult. I first read this book as a young teen, and imagined myself in the roll of Thorby. As I grew I realized just how important a roll model and father Baslim was to Thorby. While taking Thorby into his life, by purchasing him as a slave, Baslim always treated him as a son. Teaching him right from wrong and impressing his values upon him. Baslim gave his life for his son and in doing so, set him free.

Thorby was again adopted by the Captain of a free trader ship, the Sisu. While there he grew and matured, becoming part of another larger family. But a message that Thorby carried from his father, delivered to the Captain required that Thorby be delivered to the Hegemonic Guard. Baslim's hope is that they could identify Thorby and deliver him to his real family. Little known to anyone that Thorby is really the only survivor of one of Earth's richest most powerful families.

When identified he is returned to Earth, only to find that he is more a slave there than he was as a child living with Baslim... Thor(by) now realizes that his own company is deeply involved in the slave trade and works undercover with the Guard to help distroy the slave trade, all the while becoming a slave to his company, power and wealth.