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Summary: Pioneer days of the future on one of Jupiter's moons
Review: This book is about a boy and his father who get to head out to the frontier of one of Jupiter's moons to be farmers. Lured by stories of no rationing, land of thier own they take off with bright hopes of a good comfortable living as farmers. After a trip on a crowded spaceship and some unexpected excitement to break up the boredom of the long trip they arrive in the promised land.As the old saying goes "If it sounds too good to be true...." Father and son settle into local life. The brochures were right about one thing....they have plenty of food, no rationing, and they get to have some land. But, it's not what was expected. Hard work and the help of some good neighbors help them settle in and set up thier farm, but life is still fraught with dangers. Not as good as some of Heinlein's other books, but it's still a good book, fun to read, and gives food for thought.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best.
Review: This book is fantastic. Although it was written many years ago, it holds up through the ages. Heinlein gives us a rich tale of man's explorer's spirit. You find yourself wanting to emigrate to Ganymede along with the Lermers, and wishing that YOU were living in the futuristic setting... It's a terrific read for everyone, kids to adults.
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Summary: 40 years old but still a fun read
Review: This novel was written with a "juvenile" audience in mind but I (as a 30-year-old) still found it enjoyable, even though I enjoy sophisticated fiction. The story is one of a family that emigrates from California to Ganymede, one of Jupiter's moons, as one of the early waves of settlers there. This is hardly the most sophisticated story out there, and there are occasional dated references (in at least two stories, including this, Heinlein figured slide rules would still be in use!) but Heinlein made at least one interesting prediction - that Jupiter had narrow rings (this was not known until the 1980s). An enjoyable read for sci-fi fans.
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Summary: Enjoyable early Heinlein
Review: Though not famous - and infamous - for such controversial adult science fiction masterpieces as Starship Troopers, Stranger In A Strange Land, and Time Enough for Love, Robert A. Heinlein initially reached fame as a writer of "juvies" - science fiction novels with young adults as its target audience. This is one of the first of such books. Consequently, it is not as polished and immaculate as later works, but it is enjoyable, and shows the distinct writing style that would come to characterize his later and better works. This is the work of a writer that showed promise - and is still very readable and quite enjoyable today, 50 years on. The plot of the book involves a subject that was one of Heinlein's chief literary concerns: the population problem of planet Earth. It is the future, Earth is overcrowded, and food is given out on rations. One family decides they've had enough and move to Ganymede. Now, this is a very basic and, indeed, extremely straight-forward plot for a science fiction book - particularly a Heinlein one. Still, as always with Heinlein, it is not the plot, or even the point (though his books always invariably contain a definite and usually obvious moral) that keeps you reading the book: it's the sheer enjoyability of his writing style. Though his prose is neither as polished or as refined and witty as later works would be - you can tell that this was an early novel from Heinlein - but his ultra smooth and intelligent dialogue is ever-present here as always, and is a joy to read. This is not his best "juvie" - it has some strange points: odd plot twists; an odd relationship between the father and son that I was never quite able to make out - but it is good Heinlein. All of his books are in the end worth reading - purely for the delectability of the dialogue (much like Oscar Wilde in that respect), if for nothing else. This shouldn't be one of your first Heinlein reads; however, if you've dipped your toe quite far into the waters of the man's magnificent oeuvre, then you certainly can't go wrong by furthering your experiences with this delightful and enjoyable novel.
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Summary: A must-read for any Boy Scout
Review: While "Farmer in the Sky" isn't Heinlein at his absolute best, it is an exciting read for two groups: one, anybody who's ever been a Boy Scout, since that's essentially the main drive of the novel of a Boy Scout who goes to another world; and two, anybody who ever wanted to be a pioneeering farmer. The novel's emotions are driven by those two projects, and without a feeling for them, the novel isn't really going to work all that well. The plot that surrounds those two interests is minimal, as Bill goes from Earth to Ganymede, and suffers only two real problems, one minor, and one major (I won't give them away here; they're worth reading). But the novel is an early look at what settling another world would be like, even while it's heavily informed by historical examples of what happens to early colonies. Heinlein wasn't in his best environment when writing this one; he was in Hollywood, trying to prevent the suits from making his realistic look at the first moon shot, "Destination Moon," into a musical. I kid you not: they wanted the first astronauts to find dancing girls on the moon. So I don't really blame Heinlein for "Farmer in the Sky" not being his best; it's a wonder that it's as good as it is. Go start with "Star Beast" or "Tunnel in the Sky" of "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel." Then come back to this one and you'll enjoy it much more: even Heinlein on his worst days is better than almost anybody else.
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Summary: Gee Whiz! It's The Mayflower!
Review: Worried that life on Earth isn't going to make it? Ready to leave the rat race behind and head off to a virgin territory where a man can be a man and live off the land in peace? Science fiction grandmaster Robert Heinlein points to the new frontier and invites those of us who've really got the guts to leave our comfortable planet, to become Farmers in the Sky. Amoung the best of Heinlein's juveniles, this fascinating novel tells the story of young Bill Lermer, whose family chooses to leave an increasingly overcrowded earth for the ostensibly greener pastures of a growing colony on Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter. Through Bill's eyes, readers get to see the selection process, the thoughtful preparations, the wearying journey, the chaotic arrival, and finally settlement in a new home on a new world. And then things really get exciting... This book was originally serialized in "Boy's Life", the Boy Scouts of America magazine, which is why scouting finds its way into each chapter, but Heinlein makes excellent use of the concept, not only in terms of character building (which is an essential feature of this coming-of-age novel), but also as an important part of a practical education. While Bill studies for his merit badges, the reader gets to look over his shoulder and learn everything a greenhorn needs to know to survive on this untamed world, from physics to ecology. Best of all, Heinlein makes his explanations seem so reasonable that one almost wonders why we aren't out there building colonies right this minute. But despite his gung ho pioneer spirit, Heinlein isn't a Pollyanna - he isn't trying to hide the more unpleasant facts of colonial life. During the selection process and the long voyage out, Bill has ample time to observe the uglier side of human nature. At the new colony, danger is part of everyday life, and there are deaths aplenty before the story is over. The adventure with the survey expedition is a little over the top, but the philosophic discussion about the future of the human race more than makes up for it. And the characters are superb - Hank, the risk-taker, Captain Hattie, the gruff pilot, the unflappable Schultzes, Bill's father, but most of all Bill himself, whose honesty, determination, and naiveté combine to make him one of the most believable (but still lovable) characters in all of Heinlein. This book has everything a kid could want in a science fiction novel - carefully thought-out science, a thoroughly believable space journey, a revealing look at everyday life in a developing but managed ecology, settling a brave new world, mysterious alien artifacts, and one of the most engaging and personable characters ever to appear in science fiction. Adults should enjoy this book as well, although there's no hint of sex and women get pretty short shrift here. But all scouts (and would-be pioneers) are guaranteed to love it.
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Summary: It's a Scout's Life on the New Frontier
Review: Worried that life on Earth isn't going to make it? Ready to leave the rat race behind and head off to a virgin territory where a man can be a man and live off the land in peace? Science fiction grandmaster Robert Heinlein points to the new frontier and invites those of us who've really got the guts to leave our comfortable planet, to become Farmers in the Sky. Amoung the best of Heinlein's juveniles, this fascinating novel tells the story of young Bill Lermer, whose family chooses to leave an increasingly overcrowded earth for the ostensibly greener pastures of a growing colony on Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter. Through Bill's eyes, readers get to see the selection process, the thoughtful preparations, the wearying journey, the chaotic arrival, and finally settlement in a new home on a new world. And then things really get exciting... This book was originally serialized in "Boy's Life", the Boy Scouts of America magazine, which is why scouting finds its way into each chapter, but Heinlein makes excellent use of the concept, not only in terms of character building (which is an essential feature of this coming-of-age novel), but also as an important part of a practical education. While Bill studies for his merit badges, the reader gets to look over his shoulder and learn everything a greenhorn needs to know to survive on this untamed world, from physics to ecology. Best of all, Heinlein makes his explanations seem so reasonable that one almost wonders why we aren't out there building colonies right this minute. But despite his gung ho pioneer spirit, Heinlein isn't a Pollyanna - he isn't trying to hide the more unpleasant facts of colonial life. During the selection process and the long voyage out, Bill has ample time to observe the uglier side of human nature. At the new colony, danger is part of everyday life, and there are deaths aplenty before the story is over. The adventure with the survey expedition is a little over the top, but the philosophic discussion about the future of the human race more than makes up for it. And the characters are superb - Hank, the risk-taker, Captain Hattie, the gruff pilot, the unflappable Schultzes, Bill's father, but most of all Bill himself, whose honesty, determination, and naiveté combine to make him one of the most believable (but still lovable) characters in all of Heinlein. This book has everything a kid could want in a science fiction novel - carefully thought-out science, a thoroughly believable space journey, a revealing look at everyday life in a developing but managed ecology, settling a brave new world, mysterious alien artifacts, and one of the most engaging and personable characters ever to appear in science fiction. Adults should enjoy this book as well, although there's no hint of sex and women get pretty short shrift here. But all scouts (and would-be pioneers) are guaranteed to love it.
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