Rating: 
Summary: The best SF starter book ever written
Review: I read this book for the first time more than thirty years ago. It is the one novel that got me hooked on Heinlein and Science Fiction in general. If any young people out there think that Star Wars and Star Trek are the definitive Space Operas then read this. You won't be disappointed
Rating:
Summary: What's not to like?
Review: I wish I could start off with something suitably self important sounding like "Heinlein is yet to be fully appreciated" or somesuch nonsense that tries to encapsulate someone's career in a few pitiful words. But, alas, Heinlein has mostly received his due over the years and as more and more people discover SF, they realize what the grand majority of us already knew: this Heinlein guy knew what he was doing. Even a novel like this, which Heinlein probably could have churned out in his sleep, stands head and shoulders over just about everything that went on in those days. Even today it remains a solidly entertaining read, with enough elements to keep adults interested while managing to capture the attention of the young adult set. Here we have Max in the "wide eyed naive boy" mode, starting from nothing with only his dream to go into space and become a astrogator. There's nothing utterly ground breaking about this novel but Heinlein keeps everything moving smoothly, mixing his mostly one note characters well, the dialogue breezes along and everyone gets some good lines in. He depicts ship life in a way that Star Trek would be hard pressed to copy fifteen years later and throws in enough other wacky stuff to keep the plot spinning nicely, even the left field stuff doesn't feel as jarring as it can sometimes get. The entire package as a whole is very satisifying and while this is Heinlein treading water a bit and working his formula, it was a formula that worked and if you've run out of truly essential Heinlein books to work through, you can't do worse than this. In fact I would take this any day over I Will Fear No Evil or Friday . . . and I mean that. Don't believe me? Read these and then read this and try to tell me otherwise. A fine example of the master in his prime.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: It is to be regretted that some of the other reviewers on Amazon.com gave away spoilers. It is also unfortunate that Heinlein has received a lot of press for some of the worst things he wrote for an adult audience, such as _Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land_. His genius was in his "juvenile novels" -- the stories he wrote for serialization in boy scout magazines, later published as books.Max Jones dropped out of high school to support his lazy irresponsible stepmother by working on their farm, which has few amenities that would not have been commonplace in 1850. But he dreams of becoming an astrogator aboard a starship like his late Uncle Chet who instructed him in that profession. When his stepmother marries a man who is uneducated and cannot appreciate his ambition, Max leaves. The world being badly mismanaged, he must hitchhike to the city of Earthport to find out whether he has been appointed his uncle's professional heir. What happens over the ensuing chapters I will not divulge. Heinlein was a graduate of the Naval Academy, where he learned some of the laws in force aboard ships. While Max is serving aboard a ship that has become lost and set down on an unknown planet, with no realistic hope of finding its way home, the First Officer explains to the passengers and crew certain legal rights and obligations that apply in such an emergency. A passenger objects: "There are no laws HERE." The First Officer corrects him, saying the law goes where the ship goes. That sets the context for a climax several chapters later, involving legal, moral, political, and psychological aspects of leadership in an emergency. The book dramatizes the role of intelligent purposefulness in human life. A scene occupying about the first four pages of the second chapter is a beautiful example: Max is alone facing difficulties and using his head. The book has various readily identifiable flaws, which it would be easy for me to list. Those don't matter at all.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: It is to be regretted that some of the other reviewers on Amazon.com gave away spoilers. It is also unfortunate that Heinlein has received a lot of press for some of the worst things he wrote for an adult audience, such as _Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land_. His genius was in his "juvenile novels" -- the stories he wrote for serialization in boy scout magazines, later published as books. Max Jones dropped out of high school to support his lazy irresponsible stepmother by working on their farm, which has few amenities that would not have been commonplace in 1850. But he dreams of becoming an astrogator aboard a starship like his late Uncle Chet who instructed him in that profession. When his stepmother marries a man who is uneducated and cannot appreciate his ambition, Max leaves. The world being badly mismanaged, he must hitchhike to the city of Earthport to find out whether he has been appointed his uncle's professional heir. What happens over the ensuing chapters I will not divulge. Heinlein was a graduate of the Naval Academy, where he learned some of the laws in force aboard ships. While Max is serving aboard a ship that has become lost and set down on an unknown planet, with no realistic hope of finding its way home, the First Officer explains to the passengers and crew certain legal rights and obligations that apply in such an emergency. A passenger objects: "There are no laws HERE." The First Officer corrects him, saying the law goes where the ship goes. That sets the context for a climax several chapters later, involving legal, moral, political, and psychological aspects of leadership in an emergency. The book dramatizes the role of intelligent purposefulness in human life. A scene occupying about the first four pages of the second chapter is a beautiful example: Max is alone facing difficulties and using his head. The book has various readily identifiable flaws, which it would be easy for me to list. Those don't matter at all.
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best, but still great
Review: Many people still maintain - even today - that the legendary Robert A. Heinlein's best works remain his "juvies" - the books he wrote for teenagers during the 1950's. And they definitely do have a point. The books may have been written with that demographic in mind, but they can be enjoyed by anybody. They're universal. Although there is nothing ground-breaking in this novel - and it is even, for Heinlein, arguably formulatic - it is still a fun read. Heinlein's writing style is such that anything - and I mean ANYTHING - he writes is worth reading, and furthermore, will be entertaining. His dialogue is always top-notch - some of the cleverest writing since the heyday of Oscar Wilde - and it makes all of his books breezy and fun to read through. This is no exception. Although I would not say that this is one of his best juvies, it is still quite a good one. I think it IS a good book for a young science fiction fan to start out on, too, especially; it portrays a normal, everyday kid - indeed, a hillbilly - who fulfills his dream of going out into space. It has a good moral, and there's a heart - a solid foundation - to the book. Coupled with Heinlein's always engaging dialogue and sheer narrative drive, this book is a wonderful read for all ages.
Rating:
Summary: Caught between a Rock and a Hard Place
Review: Max Jones is blessed with an eidetic memory and dreams of becoming an "astrogator" (Heinlein's neologism for "starship navigator"). Every evening he watches the ballistic train streak by his property, bound for Earthport, the launching facility for the big ships, and wishes that he could go there. But Max is committed to supporting his father's widow by working their Ozark farm, and the requirements for getting into the Astrogators' Guild are strict; most slots are inherited from previous guild members. One evening, Max's stepmother comes home with a new husband, a shiftless, drunken lout who announces that he has sold the farm and threatens to beat Max up when he protests. Max has no recourse but to gather up his reference books on astrogation (left to him by his deceased uncle Chet, an astrogator), and flee for Earthport. But when he presents himself at the Astrogators' Guild hall, he is told that his uncle Chet never nominated Max to the guild before he died, and the reference books are confiscated to "protect trade secrets." Max is in a pickle. Written in 1953, Starman Jones is a solid work of craftsmanship, of interest both to adults and children. It outlines a crowded Earth in which satisfying, interesting work is truly scarce, locked into a strict system of guilds. Faced with that barrier, what is an ambitious, talented boy like Max to do? The book deals in large part with the ethical dilemmas created by this situation, and by Max's subsequent forgery of documents enabling him to land a position aboard the starship Asgard. In the mysterious, wily old starship crewman, Sam, Heinlein creates a memorable, complex character, much in keeping with the Swope Park hobo/hero Heinlein mentions several times in speeches and writing (A good account of this story can be found in Expanded Universe). All in all, Starman Jones is a fast-moving, yet weighty read.
Rating:
Summary: Max Jones runs away to escape an abusive stepfather
Review: Max Jones runs away from home to escape an abusive stepfather. He wants to join the Astrogators' Guild and go into space but there's one problem: The Guild's membership is hereditary: Son following father. Max's only connection is an uncle who'd served in the merchant service 100 years earlier. On his way to the Guild head- quarters, he meets Sam, a space marine who takes his uncle's books and returns them to Guild. When he arrives, the president of the Guild rejects him for membership. He stows away on a ship headed for another planet. He meets Ellie and her pet.Sam, the retired space marine, buys the farm on a hostile primitive planet and the captain of the ship dies of a heart attack. Max becomes acting captain and brings the ship safely back to Earth. Blair Colquhoun @cybertours.com
Rating:
Summary: Heinlein Reaches for the Stars
Review: Starman Jones is a 5-star selection for young readers of science fiction, but mature readers will also find plenty to cheer about in this upbeat novel. Heinlein recounts the rags-to-riches story of Maxwell Jones, born to a poor dirt farmer, but destined to pilot the glorious vessels that travel the stars. Leaving behind his callous stepfather and uncaring stepmother, Max hooks up with a world-wise drifter whose conniving gets them work aboard a spaceship. The series of events that follow make for a fascinating story as Max ponders his options: should he climb the ranks while hiding his secret past, or plan his escape to a new life on a new planet? Meanwhile, Heinlein introduces us to the ship's memorable company, and describes the ship's organization with captivating detail. While working as a steward's mate, Max befriends a wealthy passenger named Ellie, who is attracted by his honesty and naiveté. Ellie is a fairly typical Heinlein grrl: cute, friendly, but tougher than she looks, used to getting her own way, and disinclined to let others know just how smart she really is. Ellie uses her wealth and position to get Max a chance at a promotion, and his natural gifts take him the rest of the way. While Max's rise from farmer to steward's mate to chartsman, etc. may seem excessive, and certainly fraught with coincidences, Heinlein wants to show an example of how persistence, hard work, and a willingness to take risks can pay big dividends. Moreover, when Max breaks the rules, he winds up paying for it, and becomes a man in the process, just as Sam winds up paying dearly for his mistakes. Max and Sam play off each other wonderfully, and keep the reader interested in their story. There are some exciting adventures on an uncharted planet, and plenty of suspense involving the science of astrogation. The science in this novel hasn't aged very well--Heinlein puts astrogational computers on board, but still requires human beings to do most of the mathematics -- but his knowledge of ship's hierarchy and routine give this book a closeness to life that many such novels lack. Above all, Heinlein is telling a morality tale, and the very skill with which he recounts his story makes it convincing.
Rating:
Summary: One of Heinlein's very best.
Review: Starman Jones is one of Heinlein's best, along with Space Cadet, Tunnel in the Sky, Citizen of the Galaxy...well it's one of his top ten best. The enthralling account of an orphan escaping abusive step parents by stowing away on a starship kept me reading and thinking and dreaming which continued the second and third time through. Recommended for young readers along with any other Heinlein novel written in the 1950s. Rocketship Galileo, Time for the Stars, Between Planets...
Rating:
Summary: A worthy read, but don't make it your first Heinlein
Review: Starman Jones isn't one that I'd recommend for the sci-fi primer; if you're new to the genre there are just too many good books to read, and a lot of them are other Heinlein novels. But for a person who's past that point and is just looking for more good books, this one's worth it. I guess I'd call Starman Jones a "formula" Heinlein novel. Its main character is a boy who dreams of becoming an astrogator, who gets his chance the hard way. It's full of a lot of the same types of characters, including father/mentor types like the ship's captain, and has those same hard life lessons and idealism that exemplify his other books. Still like every book Heinlein wrote, there is a uniqueness to the story of this one that makes it worth reading. Like other Heinleins, there are a few dated elements. In Starman Jones, his habit of consistently writing computers as big, clunky things incapable of more than simple calculations pops up in force because it becomes an important element of the story. Still that dating gives it some charm and adds a little sense of what-if to the tale. As a Heinlein fan I find it easy to forgive his few misses at foresight and squint past the rougher spots to read the story for what it is. But that's why I say this shouldn't be a first Heinlein for anyone; it's not a good introduction to his work and won't be as fully appreciated by someone who hasn't read and enjoyed his more classic books. This book will satisfy younger readers (and older ones) well, but I'd still recommend "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress", "Have Space Suit--Will Travel", "The Rolling Stones", and "Tunnel In The Sky" (all by Heinlein) before this one to anyone who hasn't read them yet. People who have read and appreciate those books will find this one more enjoyable for it.
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