Reviews

Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein

kittykhan's review

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

kikuchiyo90's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

grayjay's review

3.0

Heinlein's first Hugo award winning novel is about an actor hired to play an important polititian when that man is kidnapped. While nominally science fiction, the setting is fairly minor—the is could have been a contemporary political novel. The mains ideas Heinlein seemed to be driving were how political ideologies can shift as people gain real experience with the relevant issues, as well as the role of the politician in guiding a political movement.

It was entertaining and only had a few sexist moments that gave away it's having been written in 1950s. In fact, it was quite a bit easier to stomach than Stranger in a Strange Land which was published five years later and actually was more about sex and gender dynamics.

andrew_j_r's review against another edition

4.0

It's a crap reason for buying a book, but I bought this simply because I wanted something short to read for a couple of hours in the cinema foyer before a movie, and I had forgotten the book I was in the middle of!
It's an interesting story - the first half seems a little unreal - it's the formation of the deception that the tale is about. But as it goes on, you are horribly aware that one of two things is going to happen - either the person our lead character is impersonating (whilst he is temporarily incapacitated) is going to die or someone is going to work out the truth.
I won't spoil the book by saying which, but the end does leave you feeling for our hero. I started the book as a cynic - the style and content was not promising, but by the end it won me over. Which is in interesting parallel with the story being told.

jacoblay's review

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Charming story by Heinlein, the narrator in audible Bronson Pinchot absolutely elevates it in his performance 

yoolka05's review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.5

greaydean's review against another edition

4.0

This puts the nail in the coffin. I am a die hard Heinlein fan. Another fabulous book. Quite fun. Sci-fi is really just a setting for this excellent character study.

ophelia_wears_black's review

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

olityr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This had the humorous feel of some of his YA works but with more of the depth of his more mature works. More fun than Starship Troopers or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress but with more depth than The Rolling Stones or Podkayne of Mars. 

This won him his first of his 12 Hugo awards, though there was supposedly some controversy about it that caused him to dislike the Hugos the rest of his like.

moreilly1917's review

adventurous hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0