Puppet Masters

Rating:
Summary: A Cold War classic for all time
Review: "The Puppet Masters," in its fully restored version, is one of the best science fiction novels of the fifties. Fast-paced, exciting, and chilling, the novel whips us through the alien infestation of Earth, while creating a running commentary on the Cold War mentality of the fifties. Today, it may be hard to understand why everyone was so frightened of the Communists; what with the Soviet Union's collapse and the chumminess we seem intent on pursuing with other so-called Communist governments. But reading this novel makes a reader feel the genuine terror of a species that robs humanity of their free will and liberty, which is precisely what the totalitarian government tried to do in the Soviet Union. Along with George Orwell's "1984," this book needs to be read as a constant reminder of what can be lost if we do not stand vigilant against those who would rule us. Heinlein, as always, drives us with his plotting and narrative surprises; as always, when we're done with one of his works, we have ideas buzzing around our heads for weeks and years afterwards.

Rating:
Summary: another Excelent heinlein novel
Review: At first, the story of aliens parasites invading earth and seizing power by controlling human hosts may sound trite, with movies such as the 1956 classic "invasion of the body snatchers" up to the more recent "the faculty", but Heinlein a visionary as always did it first, and without a doubt did it best.

As with many of Heinlein's books this was a bit slow getting started. But within the first 60 pages I found I could not put it down (not that I could if I wanted too, because I only had 48 hours to read the book and do a report on it). Once the story gets started the excitement doesn't slow down until the very end. The ending, for that matter is very un-characteristically upbeat, not that Heinlein is notorious for sad endings, but many of his books just sort of end and the characters move on.

Now, a few reasons why I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. When compared to books by any other author I would without hesitation give this book 5 stars, but when compared to Heinlein's own works, by which I mean the classics, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", "stranger in a strange land", "Starship Troopers", etc., in some aspects it just doesn't match up. If you haven't read any other novels by Heinlein, I strongly suggest that you do not start with this one. at first the concept of "future history" can be a bit hard to grasp. The story is written 1951 looking back on a war that happened in the early 21st century. This concept is made all the more confusing by the fact that it is no longer future history, but more present history. Its just kind of hard to wrap your mind around, and it would be a pity to waste such a great story trying to understand when everything is going on.

All in all I thought this book was an excellent read. Thought I know all the others copiers followed Heinlein's example, I was exposed to their versions first, and thus the story does seem a bit tired by the time you read the original. "Imitated, but never copied" I believe is how the saying goes, and this more than holds true for this book, any imitators could never have copied Heinlein's quick wit, and subtle socio-political preaching's, all Heinlein fans have come to know and love.

Rating:
Summary: Another sci-fi classic from RAH
Review: Heinlein once again proves his complete mastery of the science-fiction genre in Puppet Masters. Alien invasion, intrigue, suspense, even nepotism combine into a compelling story; so compelling, in fact, that Hollywood has tried several times to put it on film. I have not seen any of the movies based on this book, nor will I, as they could never live up to Heinlein's prose.

While it is true that this book does not have as much philosophy and political science in the storyline as does The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, the story packs a moral punch nonetheless. Puppet Masters is an excellent read in its own right, and would serve well as an introduction to Heinlein for those few unfortunate enough never to have read his work.

Rating:
Summary: Heinlein-One of the BEST Sci-Fi Writers ever!
Review: I was about 13 years old when I read this book in its' first issued paperback form in the late 1950's. The original book cost 35 cents and the cover showed a man making a call from a phone booth while on the background behind him was a flying saucer that had landed. To this day I consider it one of the best science fiction books written. So many concepts were introduced in it, including organ donor banks (which are now reality). The plot built up nicely and held your interest and attention. The characters in it were quite believable and the action exciting. For some reason the "Pass Christian Saucer" line always stuck in my head. Probably since I didn't know where it was until I looked it up. To sum it up briefly, it's a GOOD read!

Rating:
Summary: Narrator Killed the Audio Book
Review: Let me make one thing perfectly clear. This is a review of the AUDIO version narrated by Lloyd James. As far as the book is concerned - it's rather hokey. It's early Heinlein and it's along the lines of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You can even say that Heinlein was still trying to "find his voice" as he sounds like a Dashell Hammet imitator throughout. I very much hope to READ the book one of these days. I listen to audio books when I work boring jobs and need to listen to something besides music.

In that vein - this is one of the worst audio books I've encountered solely based on the narrator. The main character in this book is a gumshoe. He's the kind of guy you found in noir detective fiction of Mickey Spillane or Raymond Chandler - sexist, urbane and thinks nothing of calling women skirts or babes while punching out assorted thugs. So if you want any enjoyment out of this book whatsoever you would think that a Humphrey Bogart imitator would suffice. Or any actor that played Sam Spade or Mike Hammer (even Eliot Gould).

Instead you got a guy that sounds like he is in a huff over not getting called back for a role in cats and is taking it out on you because you had the misfortune of choosing to listen to this book. If you go to the restaurant where he's waiting tables and order white wine with steak he'd give you less attitude. He reads everything as if he's embarrassed for the author, the reader and himself for needing to take this job. Even worse, his throat is full of phlegm. Maybe they make them read the entire book at once - but couldn't someone have let him clear his throat?

One doesn't require great actors to read these books. In fact none of the authors that read their own works are acting. But a competetant professional would be nice - and someone that sounds remotely like the voice a reader might have in his head reading the book. If this guy had narrated Brett Easton Ellis book full of yuppies doing bad things it would have worked. While this isn't Anne HEche reading The Green Mile in awfulness levels, it is pretty wretched.

THis is a pity because it sounds like it's a good book. But the narration kills all enjoyment. Until they replace Lloyd James as narrator, stick to reading Heinlein. There are plenty of better audio books for your jogging, driving or data entry time.

Rating:
Summary: Are you sure he is a friend?
Review: Robert A. Heinlein was one of my favorite authors when I was a teenager. Time had passed by, but still I love some of his books. "The Puppet Masters" is one of them.

This book was published in 1951 with the Cold War raging and that cultural background influence the story. As I pointed out in other reviews, books and films of the period allude the frightful issue of: "They are LIKE us but they are NOT us. They are DANGEROUS to us", as in the films "The Thing from another World" (1951), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) or "I Married a Monster from Outer Space" (1958).

The story focuses on an alien invasion that expands all around the world with unimaginable speed. Sam and Mary are agents of an ultra secret Security Agency under the control of the Old Man who have a direct link to the President. Both agents go to investigate and after discovering what's up, a fast paced adventure starts.
Alien parasites take control of human beings by the expedient of attaching themselves to the back of the host. The first frightful issue to overcome is how to distinguish friend from foes. Then, the Government has to implement some defense against them, that include a "bare backs" politic. Finally our heroes try to find the source and origin of the invasion.

At this time of his career, Heinlein was more centered in the action than in political or social speculation, as he develop in later books, with uneven achievement.
I recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers and those who enjoy adrenalin charged adventures.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Rating:
Summary: Are you sure he is a friend?
Review: Robert A. Heinlein was one of my favorite authors when I was a teenager. Time had passed by, but still I love some of his books. "The Puppet Masters" is one of them.

This book was published in 1951 with the Cold War raging and that cultural background influence the story. As I pointed out in other reviews, books and films of the period allude the frightful issue of: "They are LIKE us but they are NOT us. They are DANGEROUS to us", as in the films "The Thing from another World" (1951), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) or "I Married a Monster from Outer Space" (1958).

The story focuses on an alien invasion that expands all around the world with unimaginable speed. Sam and Mary are agents of an ultra secret Security Agency under the control of the Old Man who have a direct link to the President. Both agents go to investigate and after discovering what's up, a fast paced adventure starts.
Alien parasites take control of human beings by the expedient of attaching themselves to the back of the host. The first frightful issue to overcome is how to distinguish friend from foes. Then, the Government has to implement some defense against them, that include a "bare backs" politic. Finally our heroes try to find the source and origin of the invasion.

At this time of his career, Heinlein was more centered in the action than in political or social speculation, as he develop in later books, with uneven achievement.
I recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers and those who enjoy adrenalin charged adventures.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Rating:
Summary: The best alien-invasion novel out there!
Review: The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein has to be my favourite book on the planet, which is quite something, considering I read a lot and don't particularly like the other Robet Heinlein stuff that much (it's okay, better than most, but nothing compares to *this*!) TPM is a book that keeps you thinking, long after you've read it. The characters are well-developed and engaging, and stretch the gamut from black to white. There are no Satans in this book, and likewise, there are no saints. Everyone (or thing) has it's faults. I love the style of writing... descriptive and fluid. Overall, this book is extremely realistic. There are some creations that have yet to be created (such as the plane cars) but Heinlein doesn't so much write about them as possibilities... rather, he states that they exist, and weaves his words so well that you come away looking for the yellow pages in order to look up the nearest plane-car dealership. The aliens (both the Titans and their *masters*) are awesome, like the title of this review states. The Titans (those cruel, slimy little buggers that attach themselves to human backs and penetrate into the spinal cords with long whip-like tentacles) evoke a sense of dread in the reader that can't be compared to any other monster. Dracula, Werewolves and 'gray' aliens with probes fall miserably short of developing the same sense of thready-pulsed fear.

The plot is basic... in a nutshell, an alien ship crashes in a forest in the states in the year 2007 and people begin to act 'odd'. Of course, no one knows what is happening, save for a small, motely group of survivalists bent on overcoming the invasion of this hostile ET organism. Because the creature is 60% brain mass, and doesn't have any eyes or ears, or any viable means of ambulating itself, it attaches itself to human 'hosts'... who it then disposes of when it's finished with. On a scarier note, these little buggers seem to share a 'collective' brain, and their understanding of our species increases in leaps and bounds, while the human understanding of this strange nemesis slows to a trickle. Canny and manipulative, what scared me most about the Titans was the way they almost seemed to take pleasure in 'destroying' the hosts... *shudder*

The main character is Elihu Nivens (Sam Cavanaugh until well into the book), a young man who is struggling with keeping a bold face for his cagey, bitingly cruel father, and the new partner he's been set up with... Mary. Mary is a cool, collected, intelligent red head who keeps Sam's hormones pumping and may be the driving force that keeps him alive when the alien invasion heats up. But this isn't no 'knight in shining armor' tale. Sam and Mary have their moments... from funny, to downright... painful. *winces* In fact, their frequent interactions are SO realistic, one can't help but wonder if Heinlein had real-life models to work with. The closest example I can think of is the first or second season relationship between Mulder and Scully of "The X-Files".

Towards the climax of this novel, my heart was *pounding* violently (I'm seriously not joking) and my eyes were, to use a cliche, glued to the pages. I took it to school, and got snapped at by more than a few teachers for not paying attention to the garbage they were 'teaching'.

I haven't read this book since age 12 (five years ago) but I *still* love every single crafted page. I expect to find it under the tree this year, and I can't wait until Saturday morning, for that reason alone. I can't recommend this book enough. It's possibly the best thing to hit the sci fi genre since it's inception. It's gorgeous, inventive, scary, nostalgic (in a weird way the reader yearns for the fictional world Heinlein has created, even in the midst of such chaos and horror), original, chalk-full-of-ideas and one crucible of a tale. When it's all over, and the alien's are defeated, the tale boils down to showcase the surviving nature of the homo sapien species. In one word: AWESOME!

A book so great, it almost reads itself.

Rating:
Summary: Arguably, Heinlein's most enjoyable novel
Review: The Puppet Masters is one of Heinlein's most entertaining novels. A fairly quick read, it provides a wealth of enjoyment for both young and old alike. The earth is being invaded by hostile alien forces, but few people recognize this fact or choose to believe it for this is no typical invasion. These extraterrestrials are slugs who attach themselves to human hosts, thereby controlling them and giving the appearance of normalcy to those around them (and, more importantly, to typically slow-witted politicians). Our protagonists, mysterious agents of some murky, top-secret government agency in the early 21st century, enter the fray when a flying saucer supposedly lands in Iowa and is quickly proclaimed a hoax. They are soon able to figure out what is actually going on, though, and they manage to convince a reluctant President of the seriousness of the matter. Soon Schedule Bare Back is in force, requiring all citizens to wear nothing (or next to nothing in the case of women) above their waists--slug-invaded hosts bear a discernible hump on their backs where the aliens imbed themselves. These aliens are smart, though, and the government is typically naïve and slow to respond, so eventually the fate of the nation depends on the work of our three heroes.

The protagonists are typically peculiar Heinlein characters. The hard to read Old Man runs the show, while "Sam" and "Mary" conduct much of the field and security work, Mary is a beautiful, mysterious female agent, and naturally Sam immediately falls head over heels in love with her. Together, they identify the means by which the slugs propagate, eventually developing first-hand knowledge of the slugs despite their best intentions and precautions. As compelling as the slug crisis is, the interrelationships between the Old Man, Sam, and Mary are even more interesting. One never truly knows a Heinlein character, and there are some surprising twists and turns in the evolution and past histories of the important ones here.

The tidbits we are given about life in the 21st century and the recent past history of America are slipped in rather slyly; America did win World War III, we learn, but did not escape a limited nuclear attack; the defeated yet unbowed Soviets remain Communists (drawing a perfectly legitimate question in the mind of Sam as to how much difference it would make for the Soviets to fall victim to slug control), and marriage has become a business contract available for periods of six months up to the old-fashioned yet rarely selected lifetime commitment.

This is basically an action-packed alien invasion story of an unusual sort, driven along unflaggingly by Heinlein. The science of this science fiction is present but by no means takes away from or slows down the story whatsoever. Even as incredible wartime events unfold rapidly, we are continually treated to a character study of sorts of our heroes. This is not sociological science fiction, yet there is much in that vein to draw one's eye. Certainly, a Cold War influence can be felt in these pages, especially early on when it seems all but impossible to tell who is an enemy and who is not. The issue of civil liberties is brought up when the government basically demands all citizens to live and work essentially nude (because that is the only way to tell whether Joe Schmo is walking around with a slug or not) The novel is not politicized however, with the exception of allusions to government's predictable weaknesses and failures. The bare-bones skeleton of the tale is rather common fare, despite the unusual nature of the aliens here, but Heinlein's incredible characterization, subtle references to psychological and sociological issues, and unique manner of telling a story make this a thoroughly enjoyable novel.

Rating:
Summary: One of Heinlein's best
Review: There have been many alien invasion novels, but this one retains a sense of uniqueness. The aliens are not powerful, superintelligent, or warlike. I won't describe them, as that gives away an integral piece of the story. Review-wise, this book is very well-written, coherent, fast-paced but not action-laden, loaded with tension, and creative. And, it is downright chilling. It leaves the reader wondering how, and if, we could handle an invasion like this.