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From: MDC.JANICE%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Heinlein (more flaming)
Message-ID: <3947@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 7-Aug-83 22:08:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3947
Posted: Sun Aug  7 22:08:00 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Aug-83 21:12:49 EDT
Lines: 25


	I thought NUMBER OF THE BEAST was horrible.  I struggled through
the whole thing hoping the ending would at least clear the plot up, but
it just left me more bewildered.  Not only the plot, but the characters
drove me crazy.  Heinlein hasn't the vaguest idea how to write a believable
female viewpoint character.  (It can be done by a male author; for a fine
example, see WORLDS by Joe Haldeman.)
	I actually liked TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE a whole lot (yes, I'll admit 
it).  I consider it one of the most fun books I've ever read.  Heinlein was
enjoying himself, and it came through.  (He carried it too far in NotB, to
the point where he enjoyed himself, but no one else did.)  FRIDAY I considered
okay, but in need of the services of a good editor, and certainly not up to
Heinlein's Future History tales.
	The book of his I disliked most was STARSHIP TROOPERS.  Not because of
faults of plot, etc., but because of the continual lecturing.  The worst
part of it was I could pick up flaws in his arguments, but I couldn't answer
them!  I was gritting my teeth half the time, wanting to say, "But...but..."
	I'm not one of those who condemn Heinlein's writing because I don't
agree with many of his opinions.  When those opinions, however, are expressed
so obtrusively (often by having a teacher as a character, to provide an excuse
to lecture), they get in the way of the story.

					Janice Eisen

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