Starship Troopers

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Summary: This Book Is Better and more detailed than the show and movi
Review: This book is great....It is Way better detailed than the movie and better than the show....Heinlein's writing is like no other writing i have ever read. I suggest this to everybody. Especially teens. This book is a great read and i hope it makes a difference in your life as it did mine

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Summary: No greater love hath a man ...
Review: than this, that he shall lay down his life for his brother.

This is probably my favorite book, which is why my review is so long. The story is a darn good read - we meet Rico and his pals, see that their world is much like our own, except they've solved the problem of much of civilization - you want to run the show - be in charge? Then first you put society ahead of yourself; sacrifice, sometimes your life. If you live, then you can vote and have a say in how the country's run.

Its a shame that Heinlein never revisited the civilization he had built, to more fully explore the facets of law, government, the tantalizing references to historical moments and battles. Its a moral story, with heroes who have doubts and fears, many of which are common to young men and women - Am I good enough? Will I fail? Will others die because of me?

I first read Starship Troopers back in the '60s as a young man, and was very impressed by the idea of serving the greater good. I grew up in the South where patriotism was common and military service was not something to avoid or sneer at, so when I was drafted, it wasn't a big deal. I remember thinking about Rico's experiences a few times while in basic training in '72, usually while doing push-ups or other physical training for some infraction that had annoyed my Drill Sergeant, and although our boot camp cannot compare to the training he and his comrades went through, it was close enough for me. I've read and reread my old paperback edition so much that it's held together with 100 mph tape, but I wouldn't throw it away. Its been to Japan, Korea, Germany, and all points in between, quite a few times in my ruck.

Throughout my 28 year career in the Army, curious civilians have often asked me "Why?" I think that if you've served, you understand why.

It is because of the Americans I've been privileged to serve with - men and women, who have set aside their lives and desires to serve their country, and sacrifice, and stand watch, on the seas, in the air, and on the ground.

Much like Rico and his pals, whether on pass in Seattle or in combat, we depend on one another, and we don't let one another down. We fight for each other when it counts, whether in the barracks or the battlefield, and fight each other to blow off steam. We like beer, women, and staying away from the NCOs, like a good joke and don't gripe when we lend a pal a few bucks til the next payday.

It may not be true for everyone, but if you've never served in the military, I doubt you'll understand the point Heinlein makes in his book.

Rating:
Summary: I was bored out of my mind!
Review: The first and last thirty pages were as eventful as the movie, but nothing happened in the middle.

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Summary: Four decades old and still in near-mint condition
Review: I read most of Heinlein's classic books back in the Sixties while still in high school, and I consider myself a fan of his. However, for some reason I have waited until my late forties to read what is arguably his best-known and most commented-on novel, STARSHIP TROOPERS. I think maybe I put off this book because I had heard it was a "juvenile." In fact, while I do highly recommend it for young readers, there is nothing juvenile about it.

Simply put, this is a political-social philosophy in novel form. While war action is depicted, this is a minor part of the book. Despite what one may have seen in Paul Verhoeven's 1997 film version, there is no graphic violence in the modern sense of the word, and there is no sex at all. The action is framed against the backdrop of an interstellar war between humans and an intelligent insectile alien species, but Heinlein doesn't bother to go into the whys and wherefores of the war. He shows it from the point of view of the grunt soldier unconcerned with large-scale strategy. A very large proportion of the story deals with the training of the protagonist, Juan Rico, as a recruit in the Mobile Infantry. This provides the framework around Heinlein's thematic approach to the nature of citizenship and leadership.

It is Heinlein's thoughts on these issues that have engendered controversy over the years, but I think it's important to set the record straight against the remonstrations of his detractors. The biggest hit he takes is that he is a "fascist," presumably in the sense that fascism promotes the welfare of the state above that of its citizens. In fact, all that Heinlein says is that public service is expected of all citizens--no public service, no franchise (and, if you read closely, the public service does not need to be military). It seems to me that this is exactly what some modern democratic states, such as Israel, have been doing for a long time: public service is the obligation of all citizens. Heinlein even veers into surprising modernity on some points:

1. He was into "diversity" before diversity was cool. Can you guess the ethnicity of the protagonist? He doesn't drop in on you until near the end of the book, and you'll be surprised.

2. He shows his strong aversion to sexual harrassment in the way he sets up how the sexes deal respectfully with each other in the military he envisions.

3. He does not consider the buck private to be sacrificial cannon fodder. Adumbrating the hi-tech infantryman of today, Heinlein has every foot soldier trained to exquisite expertise and outfitted with the best of combat and safety equipment.

4. His universal service for all citizens is completely ADA-compliant; he has a valued place for any willing citizen, regardless of disability. One of the highly regarded instructors in his officer candidate school is blind, in fact.

I think Heinlein's admittedly idealistic views make great reading for teenagers, and any parents interested in inculcating a sense of responsibility and duty in their youngsters could do worse than to give them a copy of STARSHIP TROOPERS--after first reading it themselves.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Top Sci-Fi Novels Ever
Review: I have read this book probably 8+ times. It ranks up there as one of my favorites. Robert Heinlein not only is creative and well ahead of his time, he also shows that he's well read. If you've read any ancient history, you'll see that Heinlein bases his future society on the principles of Sparta. All "citizens" are soldiers, all soldiers fight, and education of the younger generation is done by veteran soldiers.

I like Starship Troopers MUCH better than the Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Maybe because I get a kick out of Heinlein's conversative politics, rather than Haldeman's liberalism (I mean really, the soldiers of the future smoke grass and engage in nightly orgies?) Heinlein takes things back to basics-- capital punishment, public floggings, and NO LIBERAL WHINING! Read Starship Troopers.

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Summary: A poor man's "Forever War"
Review: I received the book while participating in a book swap years ago, but never got around to reading it, although I was familiar with other books by Heinlein. When I saw the movie, I thought, "Yep. This is one of Heinlein's stories." I dug out the book, and was very disappointed. It is a pretty good book in its own right, but having read "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman previously - and considering it one of my all-time favorites - I felt this pales by comparison.

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Summary: Good, But I Prefered STRANGER
Review: What we have here is basically an entertaining boy's adventure story with a healthy side-helping of Heinlein's typically iconoclastic socio-political spew. His ideas are always well thought-out & intellegent (with the exception of his absurdly Skinnerian solution for juvenile delinquency), though he seems to have trouble integrating them into the narritive. Still, Heinlein keeps the story moving along briskly, & anyone who enjoys a good SF yarn should give this a shot. Better yet, pick up his STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND - a much more mature & artful book.

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Summary: Forget the Movie...
Review: The book is a definite contrast to the movie. While the movie is an adrenaline-filled battle, the book mainly focuses on Rico's life in the military and the social environment of the world he lives in. If you like sci-fi, you'll like this one.

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Summary: At times interesting, but confused and boring...
Review: I probably should have read the book before watching the movie and the excellent TV series. I guess it's my fault...but I still found a lot of problems with the book that I probably would have noticed anyway.

First, there's not much character development. You think that maybe, just maybe, Heinlein might give us a set of characters which to identify with, but no -- he kills off (or simply forgets about) friends/acquaintances of the main character, Johnnie Rico, before they get a chance to develop into story "regulars."

Secondly, Heinlein's writing style is confusing here. Or, perhaps, it wouldn't have SEEMED so confusing if he had kept the ENDLESS "battle" scenes interesting. I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to keep focus when I'm bored or bogged down by endless details. One minute Heinlein will take the story one direction, then he'll retract and go back on it. I just don't understand it.

Also, there isn't much of a storyline to begin with. While Heinlein, naturally, is a very inviting writer (the only redeeming value is the way he makes you feel as if he were conversing with you personally), there is no concrete plot here, and almost no frame of reference -- oh, and did I mention he threw a massive bug war in there somewhere? You would hardly be able to tell. Aparently Heinlein doesn't know that story comes first, lectures and political views second (not the other way around). This book doesn't seem like an attempt to tell a story, rather an excuse for R.A.H. to share his ideas with us. Again, story first, political views second. To see a decent example of a good way to write a story, look at any work or horror author Stephen King -- sure, he throws his political views in, and as much as I disagree with his liberal standpoints, I admire him for making the plot top priority. If R.A.H. had this knowledge of proper story structure, he clearly hasn't displayed it here.

On the upside, as I said earlier, Heinlein's natural narrative is inviting and interesting despite aforementioned negatives. His future world is valid and interesting, as are his political views. This is the saving grace of the book -- Mr. Heinlein makes some valid points here. If you're a liberal and afraid of the truth, you may not like this book at all. But if you want some interesting insight into the mind of an obviously conservative writer and his ideas, read on. Just be prepared for some incoherence.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best!
Review: Starship Troopers is one of the all time great Sci-Fi/Military novels ever written, in my opinion. The depiction of military life and the true insight into DUTY will touch anyone who reads it. The theory of service for citizenship is intriguing as well, I wonder what percentage of today's youth would volunteer for service under those conditions...