The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

Rating:
Summary: ANARCHY ON THE MOON
Review: Much like Heinlein's "Starship Troopers," "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is not so much the sci-fi adventure yarn the cover copy promotes as a thoughtful, resonant novel of socio-political commentary. But whereas the former novel is underdeveloped and somewhat disappointing, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is a well-plotted and mostly interesting example of what sci-fi can do in the right hands.

Set in 2076, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" tells the story of a lunar colony's bid for independence from an exploitative Earth which regards the "Loonies" as celestial fodder. Slowly but surely the seeds of revolution are sown by a determined clique of conspirators: Wyoh, the spirited and beautiful heart of the cabal; Mike, the virtually omniscient supercomputer struggling with his own self-awareness; Prof, the conspiracy's mastermind to whom revolution is just another cerebral exercise; and Manuel, a computer repairman and the story's narrator, whose unique gifts and commitment to the cause ultimately make him the revolt's most important member.

Heinlein does stack the deck. The powers-that-be on Earth are not only barely developed caricatures but inept fighters to boot, while the Lunar revolutionaries benefit from some extraordinary strokes of good luck. Even so, the plot rarely flags and much remains in doubt to the last page.

While perhaps not the unqualified masterpiece cited by some of my fellow reviewers, this is a highly notable book of much insight, wit, and literary power. The case for libertarianism is well-made, and many of Heinlein's political points are dead-on--and even those that aren't help make for a very worthwile read. Recommended to anyone interested in sci-fi or political theory.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent plot, poor story
Review: The plot of this book is excellent but the overall story fell short. Theres alot of uninformative pages in this book that could have been pulled to move the story along faster and more smoothly but because they are there it makes the book appear to be unstructured. There is no punch line or climax to this book. When it ends it just ends and your sorta left with, "oh?"
I will definetely read another Heinlein, from what im told Heinlein admirers give five stars no matter what. Worth the read but leaves you wanting more.

Rating:
Summary: Viva La Revolution!
Review: It's 2076 and the inhabitants of the moon (loonies) are planning rebellion from their Terran masters. Similar to Australia the Moon started as a penal colony, but because the gravitational difference makes returning to the earth very difficult physiologically, any sentence is a life sentence. And not just the prisoners; workers and children born there also cannot live on the earth. For them the Moon is home and the Earth just a blue sphere in the sky. As a result the loonies have developed their own unique culture, and with the help of a sentient computer, hope to gain their independence from Earth.
Another good effort from Heinlein, with the usual recipe of sociological and political musings mixed with a solid helping of engineering. Heinlein's creation of a lunar culture is excellent, and his ideas on revolution very fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: This may be the best SF book ever written
Review: Now, how to defend that sweeping statement? It's kind of hard to pin down WHY I like this so much.

Is it the story of a horribly oppressed people rising up against the whole world, and winning? Maybe.

Is it the fact that 3 of the characters (Professor De La Cruz, Wyoming Knott and Mycroft Holmes) are among the most memorable in all of SF? Maybe.

Is it the whole-cloth realization of the Libertarian ideal without being overbearing, pedantic or intrusive? Maybe.

Is it that Heinlein manages to have hit the sweet spot of his "it's not the plot, it's the gestalt fabric of the story" method of writing? Maybe.

Is it that he pulls this off with a dialect that appears to be English transliterated from Russian (no definite articles are used). Maybe.

Can't really say. But I've re-read this more than any other book I own, and I read maybe 5,000.

Oh, sure, there's "Ender's Game" and "Dune" and "Snow Crash", not to mention Heinlein's own quiet masterpiece "Double Star." But for some reason, I can't put any of them above this one.

Note that I'm writing this about 3 years after my last reading, and it's all still fresh in my mind. Maybe that's it. Certainly not a lot of books I can say that about.

Rating:
Summary: How to Run a revoloution, Loonie Style
Review: Set in a future penile colony on the moon, this book details the events in the life of a computer technitian, Mannie, who befreinds Mike, a computer just waking up to self-awareness. Mike is a well done AI charachter, as are all the charachters, but only a few know of him. He is the key to success of the plan to get rid of the controlling prison corperation who is in controll of life on Luna.

While I usually don't like books written in first person from one charachters point of view, I did not find it difficult at all because it is so well done. Heinlein has a talent for writing which can cover any style, even local vernacular, as this one is. I found myself typing in 'loonie' speak several times in the last week while re-reading this book.

This book also shows the intense study Heinlen put into social and political study before writing this book. There are many details of politics, negotiation, government, and human nature discussed, mostly from the point of view of 'Prof', a pivitol charachter who has monumental influence on the freeing of Luna.

Such social concepts as different forms of marriage such a polyandaries, group marriages, and line marriages are commonplace on Luna due to the different kinds of social and finantial dynamics in the prison colony. The main characher is part of a line marriage, which I found to be an intriguing concept.

This book is a classic of sience fiction. This riviting book will make you laugh, cry, and empathise with the people within. Highly recomended.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best -- period.
Review: This book is one of the best sci-fi reads period. Many of the reviews dive deep into the political analysis. I will only add that the book also has Heinlein's touch for humor and a wonderful characterization in a computer that has become self-aware. Stranger in a Strange Land may perhaps be more well-known to mainstream readers, but this novel is right up there as Heinlein's finest work (I have read more than 15 of his novels). The story will stay with you.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Sci-Fi I have ever read !
Review: This book has all the right and wrongs of human society...
First put a penalty colony on the moon, let the population grow and expect their children born there to be prisoners too... an underground movement and a rebellion against earth authority in inevitable. Using the brilliant AI that runs the moon facilities and suddenly wants to help too, the conspirators teach us how a good revolt is done. The politics, and the weird characters Heinlein produces are unforgettable. The events and technology involved makes you feel like it can really happen, as you are part of the events that lead the reader to the just and rightful end of this novel.
It's a must read for every sci-fi.
Even though I have read it almost 3 years ago, I remember it clearly and it's still one of my three favorites...

Rating:
Summary: Seems dated now. Strictly for junior high/high school age.
Review: I decided to purchase and read the new soft cover edition recently. After not reading Heinlein for over twenty years. I stopped after halfway through, simply because the story seemed "old hat." Heinlein is good the first time around, especially if you were new to SF like I was, all those years ago. Trying to read it again, after so long, was a chore...

Rating:
Summary: Some interesting ideas, bad story
Review: Heinlein's book is considered a classic of sci-fi. It shouldn't be. His interesting libertarian and sociological ideas notwithstanding, the book has flat characters and a predictable plot. Everything goes wonderfully for the freedom fighters from start to finish, and the villains are bumbling idiots who never understand who they are up against. The good guys are too good, unwavering, and simple. The bad guys are too stupid and incompetent.

I kept wishing the plot or the characters would turn into something interesting. They didn't. Sadly, this book suffers from the malady that separates science fiction from literature or even good fiction: substituting a fascinating view of the future for good writing.

Rating:
Summary: Heinlein -- the great Libertarian
Review: For me, this book is an exploration of libertarianism and the origins of social stability. Why, and how, does Luna work, when the legal system is almost non-existent? Do harsh circumstances make stable social relations harder or easier to sustain?

There are other interesting questions regarding libertariansism that Heinlein asks. The biggest is, why shouldn't other types of marriage contracts -- not just one woman and one man -- be permissible (and even socially acceptable)?

Oh yeah, the story is pretty interesting, too; especially if you are like artificial intelligence themes.