I am reading Andy Weirs wonderful novel The Martian. How good is it? Well, in my opinion it approaches my idol Robert Heinleins excellence. There are clearly some similarities-- the breezy language, the clear technical explanations, the plot twists, and most importantly the verisimilitude-- the plausibility and authenticity of a fictional story. The earliest novels I read as a child were the so-called juveniles by Heinlein. Books such as Have Space Suit, Will Travel and the Green Hills of Earth made space travel seem real even before it happened. I read Stranger in a Strange Land when I was 15 and it confused me (for good reason!). Not being shy, I wrote a fan letter to Robert Heinlein asking him about Stranger and about his background. I was surprised weeks later to get this December 4, 1965 postcard from the Grand Master himself. He wisely told me to put away Stranger for 10 years (I put it away, but not that long!) . He also referred me to Sam Moskowitzs book of biographies of SF writers. Heinlein set a high bar for science fiction. The Martian is in that league, and I hope Andy Weir continues to write.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 00:36:46 +0000