Rating: 
Summary: Daring!
Review: Every once in a while you read a novel that is remarkable. A novel can be remarkable in two ways. One way is personal acclaim and another is public acclaim. "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is remarkable in both accounts. Widely acknowledged as a marquee novel of its genre the novel made a very personal affect on me as well.This was one of my favorite novels of late. The real pleasure of reading a novel of an accomplished story teller, as Heinlein without a doubt was, is that you don't have the distractions that poor writing add to an otherwise enjoyable novel. The novel is primarily written, as has been noted by others, in the pidgin dialect of the residents of the moon in the future Heinlein envisions. At first this awkward dialect seems an inconvenience but rapidly the reader sees it as the asset that it is. The dialect adds to the tale and helps to set mood and distinguish whom the statements are for. The novel is one of revolution and in some ways is a blueprint of how to revolt created from a patchwork of historical models. As if this isn't a big enough subject to tackle the novel also addresses the concept of artificial intelligence, mortality, polygamy, religion and a host of other subjects. The novel is written in a way that really ties the reader to the characters and creates an emotional bond. Heinlein very much succeeded in this novel. There really is very little to complain about the book. The only reason I can see for rating this novel negative in any way would be due to being offended by the tale or content therein, not the storytelling itself. This is a very good novel. I don't know if I necessarily rate it as my favorite Heinlein novel but it is without a doubt his most daring.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Heinlein's very best.
Review: Writing a review about a Robert Heinlein novel is a difficult and daunting task. His works are enjoyed by a wide variety of people who otherwise have very little in common. There is plenty in his politics to offend both liberals and conservatives. His sexual mores were, shall we say, liberated in the extreme. But coupled with those mores was a passionate devotion to children and the family concept that would give the "free love" crowd great pause. His works range from classic 1930's era pulp Sci-fi, to the bizarre, to well thought-out political and social commentary, laced with believable science and engineering. "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" falls into the third category. It is a well reasoned, fast paced book about a time in the not all too distant future when the Moon, (like Australia of a couple centuries past) is used as a penal colony. By the time of the story, there are an abundance of free people on the Moon -- either convicts who have discharged their sentences, or descendents of previous "residents" -- and these people begin a revolt not unlike our own American Revolution. Throughout the novel, Heinlein comments (strongly, at times) on matters of law, justice, social equality, personal responsibility, and sex. I could not put this book down.
Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's first, last, and only GREAT novel
Review: If you're looking for just one Heinlein novel, this is the one to read. Unmarred by the sort of sick stuff that started creeping in around the time of FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD and STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, this is just a whomping good tale of a political revolution on the Moon. Recapitulating parts of various earlier revolutions including the American one, Heinlein also throws in some powerful economics and politics, as well as the first (and by far the best) in an eventually tiresome series of sentient computers. (The later ones all want to become flesh-and-blood humans so they can have sex with everybody. There's none of that nonsense here.) And the entire tale is told from start to finish in "Loonie" dialogue, a sort of mostly-English pidgin language that relies on a stripped-down, simplified grammar and borrows heavily from other languages (especially Russian, Chinese, Japanese, a couple of Scandinavian tongues, and some Australian idioms). This is one of four Heinlein novels that won the Hugo award, and it richly deserved to do so. STRANGER was another Hugo-winner; skip that one unless you're an aging hippie with no fear of AIDS. The other two were DOUBLE STAR and STARSHIP TROOPERS; if you read those and THE DOOR INTO SUMMER, along with this one, you've exhausted the best Heinlein had to offer. And THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS is far and away the cream of that crop.
Rating:
Summary: Great election year reading
Review: TANSTAAFL--words to remember in this election year or any year. In science, science fiction or politics, the ultimate truism--There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch--provides the theme for this wonderful book, Heinlein's best that I have read. For those interested in real science fiction and the politics of individual responsibility/worth, this book is required reading. This is the story of men and women who, through their duty to themselves, had greatness thrust upon them. In addition to being a first-rate adventure, this book leads the reader to great insights on AI and technology's general relationship with individual freedom. Having said that, the reader never has the feeling of being bogged down in syrupy fantasy. This is a real book about real people (and real Dinkum Thinkums!) Recommended for readers of all ages, especially those who haven't enjoyed SF before.
Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's best. That simple.
Review: In The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein achieves the perfect blend of SF and social commentary. The plot is tight, the characters are gripping, and the society is well-thought-out and intersting. The moon has been used as a slave colony for generations - sufficient that our hero, Manuel, was born free. But even though many of the citizens are technically free, the society is not; everything is run by the Warden, on the moon, and the Lunar Authority back on Earth. Manuel gets caught up in the planning and enacting of a revolution to free the moon. The characters are simply incredible. Heinlein's early work had entirely one-dimensional characters, but in Moon, he's created three excellent main characters, one decent main character, and a solid supporting cast. The real powerhouse character is Mike, the sentient computer who is the secret weapon in the lunar revolution - he's as believeable as an AI character can get. Not only is the plot great, not only are the characters wonderful, but the background and setting of the novel are worth a look. Heinlein has done very good work creating a history and society on the moon, and it is both interesting, unlike some of his earlier societies, and believeable, unlike some of his later ones. He's even done a very nice job of creating vernacular and slang for lunar speech. In short, this is a stellar book. There are few books this good in the SF cannon, and anyone with any interest in the genre must read it. (If you've missed it, I envy you - what a wonderful ride you have in store.)
Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's best...in THIS cobber's opinion!
Review: When I read this book, I can't help imagine the great pains Heinlein must have taken to properly research the material. To relate the scope of "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," Heinlein had to be political scientist, physicist, computer scientist, marketeer and soldier, just to name a few. The characters are engaging and interesting with Mannie, the weathered tech, Prof, I suspect the voice of Heinlein himself and Mike, the computer with curious motivations. Rarely have I felt so attached to a group of characters and I can hardly believe Heinlein had me rooting for the Loonies to whip our Terran butts! If you've read Heinlein before, you're in for a treat. This is his best work. If you haven't, get ready for a fascinating and highly possible near-future story. 'Mistress' will make you rethink the world and the society in which we live.
Rating:
Summary: **100 STARS** My favorite book of all time
Review: I'm proud to be the 97th reviewer of this, my favorite book of all time. This is Heinlein's, the master story teller, greatest work. The moon is a penal colony. A computer becomes self-aware. A society without formal rules has developed informal ones. Russian, American, and Chinese Cultures merge language. It will confuse you at first because Heinlein takes the liberty of adding Russian words to his lexicon. All this only makes the story more believable--for language changes, and what is more logical than that in the future humans will speak differently, with new slang. This is a story related by an old man looking back over his younger days in a time of revolution and strife. This is a story of the future that could happen. Buy it--Read it, Love it, Treasure it!
Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's Second-Best
Review: For Robert Heinlein, second, third, or fourth-best is still extremely good. So what if "Stranger" is even better? This book is not only thought-provoking, but it is great fun to read. It belongs in every library. The self-aware computer may still be well beyond present technology, but the character of Adam Selene is not so very far beyond what can already be done.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting to some, too breezy to get a full recomendation
Review: This book contains interesting ideas about social reform that are relevent even today. The technology aspect is solid in regards to space and physics in general, but not as strong in areas of electronics and computing. Heinlein's strengths are from-the-hip confidence and and his well informed ideas about politics, rebellion, and adapting to new environments. I was especially intrigued by the types of relationships that spring from the lunar colony having far more males than females, the line marriage is wonderfully rendered. But the book is not without weaknesses. The pacing has the energy and tempo of a high school pep band; it doesn't deviate and it doesn't hold my interest. The narrative, though told in luna-speak first person, seems distanced from the action. I don't feel PRESENT in the world, as with authors like Gibson and Herbert. The world Heinlein describes is remarkably sexist, from today's perspective. This doesn't make the book _guilty_ in some way, nor does it _necessarily_ reflect negatively on Heinlein. It is historically interesting from an analytic point of view. The sixties were sexist, and all science fiction is in the end commentary on the world it was written in, not the world it describes. I'd recomend this to sci-fi historians and those readers interested in political reform, but not the general sci-fi fan interested in a new world of imagination to lose him or herself in.
Rating:
Summary: intelligently written book
Review: I'm not a Heinlein fan. Whenever I start with a book of his, I brace myself for yet another alterego surrounded by beautiful educated females who adore him for unknown reasons, and the also inevitable stronger helper/superhuman who accompanies and teaches the protagonist. This time there was a "line marriage", again giving the protagonist any number of women he would want, and thus the opportunity to be lofty about it. But I admit readily: the line marriage is a real good idea. I hope it will be allowed on earth real soon. And yes the superbrain was there in the story too. This time in the form of a sentient supercomputer that was interesting to meet, and gave the opportunity to explore Heinleins concepts of AI. The most important reason I liked this book is because it matched an intelligent plot to fast paced action and considerable insights in the making of revolutions and the behavior of governments if they are confronted with one. If you're planning a revolution, do read this book as a starter. But if you're not: it's still a good read that as an extra resets your thoughts about the way we have structured our society now.
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