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asimgasimzade's review against another edition
3.0
I heard that Heinlein is a "hit-or-miss" author, this must be one of the misses. Probably it isn't the best book to get introduced to the author. There were some ideas that gripped my attention, especially at the first half where we followed the few characters from Howard families.
The second half of the book that contains a haphazard random space adventure, is a complete change of pace from the first part with years of time being passed between every chapter.
I felt that the world was poorly built and characters lacked motivation and development (I didn't even remember the names of the characters as I read, except the main one).
Another frustrating thing is the lengthy descriptions of made up science using pseudo-scientific mumbo -jumbo. Heinlein does it very often throughout the book.
And don't even get me started on the ideology being promoted here.
Overall, it is a book with a few good ideas, cardboard characters, and a plot that doesn't make a lot of sense, that aged very badly.
The second half of the book that contains a haphazard random space adventure, is a complete change of pace from the first part with years of time being passed between every chapter.
I felt that the world was poorly built and characters lacked motivation and development (I didn't even remember the names of the characters as I read, except the main one).
Another frustrating thing is the lengthy descriptions of made up science using pseudo-scientific mumbo -jumbo. Heinlein does it very often throughout the book.
And don't even get me started on the ideology being promoted here.
Overall, it is a book with a few good ideas, cardboard characters, and a plot that doesn't make a lot of sense, that aged very badly.
rpbperry's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It’s classic SF. If you can separate RAH’s viewpoints in your own mind, it’s not a bad read.
ogreart's review against another edition
5.0
Reread May 1980.
Reread June 1979.
Reread April 1979.
Read June 1978.
Reread June 1979.
Reread April 1979.
Read June 1978.
cassie_grace's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it. An old fashioned space adventure.
If I had to put on my critic hat and find something to complain about I would talk about how the book starts with a female narrator and protagonist who gets sidelined as soon as LAZARUS LONG, THE OLDEST MAN shows up.
But I enjoyed the book too much to get worked up about it.
If I had to put on my critic hat and find something to complain about I would talk about how the book starts with a female narrator and protagonist who gets sidelined as soon as LAZARUS LONG, THE OLDEST MAN shows up.
But I enjoyed the book too much to get worked up about it.
loonyboi's review against another edition
3.0
Not great, by Heinlein standards but it was also originally serialized very early in his career. It's meandering, and doesn't really find its footing until late in the story. But it's not bad. Enough for me to want to continue on with [book:Time Enough for Love|353], which I hear is much better.
serialreader's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
milenabates's review against another edition
1.0
Well, I'm not really sure where to begin with this. This is my first Heinlein. Thought I should give it a shot. I didn't even like fantasy or sci-fi until maybe ten years ago when I found what I liked. I did like Brave New World but I read that before my taste and personal philosophy evolved. I'm pretty sure I would still like it a lot better than this.
There are many elements of this that are entertaining and even thought provoking. A few elements of the world building are so well thought out, they make the ridiculous naive and dear I say lazy ones (please don't shoot) stand out even more. But some maddeningly talented writers can get away with ridiculous things and make them work (Gaiman, anyone?).
From the reviews, people like Lazarus Long as a character. I found him obnoxious. It's like John Wayne walked into Star Trek (wearing a kilt). No, thanks. No character development anywhere.
There are parts that read like thinly veiled racism. On the other hand, the ableism is not even a little bit veiled. I know I know I know it was published in the 40s when some of the slurs were medical terms. It's not just the language. The fact that eugenics was presented as a positive is highly problematic (understatement). The way disabled people were written is pretty much sickening. If this doesn't feel wrong, maybe ask why and read some books written by disabled people.
I would have given it two stars if it weren't for the latter issue. As it is, one is all I have left for it. I'm glad Heinlein inspired a lot of writers. His books are not for me.
There are many elements of this that are entertaining and even thought provoking. A few elements of the world building are so well thought out, they make the ridiculous naive and dear I say lazy ones (please don't shoot) stand out even more. But some maddeningly talented writers can get away with ridiculous things and make them work (Gaiman, anyone?).
From the reviews, people like Lazarus Long as a character. I found him obnoxious. It's like John Wayne walked into Star Trek (wearing a kilt). No, thanks. No character development anywhere.
There are parts that read like thinly veiled racism. On the other hand, the ableism is not even a little bit veiled. I know I know I know it was published in the 40s when some of the slurs were medical terms. It's not just the language. The fact that eugenics was presented as a positive is highly problematic (understatement). The way disabled people were written is pretty much sickening. If this doesn't feel wrong, maybe ask why and read some books written by disabled people.
I would have given it two stars if it weren't for the latter issue. As it is, one is all I have left for it. I'm glad Heinlein inspired a lot of writers. His books are not for me.
weaselweader's review against another edition
5.0
A must read for any true sci-fi fan! Simply outstanding!
Selective breeding and carefully planned marriages with subtle financial encouragement from a secretive group called the Howard Foundation carried out over the last 150 years have resulted in a group of humans that have the extraordinary trait of extreme longevity - Lazarus Long, the patriarch of the Family, born Woodrow Wilson Smith, carries his two hundred plus years quite well! When pressed for his true age, he's either not telling or he won't admit that he truly doesn't know himself! In 2125, a series of events result in the global administration and the remainder of earth's population discovering the Family's existence. A frenzy of enraged jealousy erupts as a maddened, frustrated world seeks to discover the secret fountain of youth they are convinced the Family is guarding for their own use. Hounded by the threat of murder, torture, brainwashing and ultimate extinction by their shorter lived neighbours, the Family flees earth on an untested starship. The discovery of two planets and alien races that pose threats and challenges even more imposing than those from which they fled plus an overwhelming loneliness for the way of life they left so far behind lead them back to earth for a second try.
In METHUSELAH'S CHILDREN, Heinlein has crafted an exciting novel, a message, a screenplay and the movie script all at once. Descriptive passages, while compelling and very cleverly written are sparse and infrequent and the plot is almost exclusively driven by razor-sharp dialogue. Heinlein's method of conveying the story through his characters' mouths has got wit; it's got dialect; it's got humour and intelligence; it's got sensible science; it's got humanity and it's got credibility. Their expressions and manner of speaking firmly place the origins of the story in the 1940s USA but somehow Heinlein has managed to inject enough charm to leave it timeless.
For those like me that frequently read for the thrill, the entertainment and the pure joy of a story without looking for any subliminal message or morality tale, Methuselah's Children succeeds in spades. Hard sci-fi runs rampant through every page and fleshes out a superb story line - "refreshers" (think Star Trek's sonic showers), private space yachts, hydroponics used for mass food production, psychometrics (no doubt, first cousin to Asimov's famous "psycho-history"), extreme enhancement of longevity through selective breeding, elimination of national boundaries and the implementation of a global administration, inter-stellar travel at relativistic speeds, super-luminal warp travel "in the dark" reached with instantaneous acceleration, cryogenics and suspended animation for long-term space faring, lunar and Venerean colonies, orbital construction of spaceships, blasters, aliens, communication in an alien language, telepathy, high speed bio-engineering, and lots more. Although Heinlein didn't use the word "replicator", he may well have been sitting on the script team for a Star Trek episode when he had Lazarus order up a customized kilt:
"He sat down in a sales booth and dialed the code for kilts. He let cloth designs flicker past in the screen while he ignored the persuasive voice of the catalogue until a pattern showed up which was distinctly unmilitary and not blue, whereupon he stopped the display and punched an order for his size. Ten minutes later he stuffed the proctor's kilt into the refuse hopper of the sales booth and left, nattily and loudly attired."
For those that wish to dig a little more deeply - don't despair - Heinlein has got much to say that will keep many a party conversation going on a variety of topics: the psychology and, oftentimes, fear of aging and death; mob psychology; prejudice and the abnormal fear of something that is different than we are; the importance of work, activity and a feeling of contributing as a part of the human condition.
This book was more than exciting - it was fun and entertaining in the bargain!
Paul Weiss
Selective breeding and carefully planned marriages with subtle financial encouragement from a secretive group called the Howard Foundation carried out over the last 150 years have resulted in a group of humans that have the extraordinary trait of extreme longevity - Lazarus Long, the patriarch of the Family, born Woodrow Wilson Smith, carries his two hundred plus years quite well! When pressed for his true age, he's either not telling or he won't admit that he truly doesn't know himself! In 2125, a series of events result in the global administration and the remainder of earth's population discovering the Family's existence. A frenzy of enraged jealousy erupts as a maddened, frustrated world seeks to discover the secret fountain of youth they are convinced the Family is guarding for their own use. Hounded by the threat of murder, torture, brainwashing and ultimate extinction by their shorter lived neighbours, the Family flees earth on an untested starship. The discovery of two planets and alien races that pose threats and challenges even more imposing than those from which they fled plus an overwhelming loneliness for the way of life they left so far behind lead them back to earth for a second try.
In METHUSELAH'S CHILDREN, Heinlein has crafted an exciting novel, a message, a screenplay and the movie script all at once. Descriptive passages, while compelling and very cleverly written are sparse and infrequent and the plot is almost exclusively driven by razor-sharp dialogue. Heinlein's method of conveying the story through his characters' mouths has got wit; it's got dialect; it's got humour and intelligence; it's got sensible science; it's got humanity and it's got credibility. Their expressions and manner of speaking firmly place the origins of the story in the 1940s USA but somehow Heinlein has managed to inject enough charm to leave it timeless.
For those like me that frequently read for the thrill, the entertainment and the pure joy of a story without looking for any subliminal message or morality tale, Methuselah's Children succeeds in spades. Hard sci-fi runs rampant through every page and fleshes out a superb story line - "refreshers" (think Star Trek's sonic showers), private space yachts, hydroponics used for mass food production, psychometrics (no doubt, first cousin to Asimov's famous "psycho-history"), extreme enhancement of longevity through selective breeding, elimination of national boundaries and the implementation of a global administration, inter-stellar travel at relativistic speeds, super-luminal warp travel "in the dark" reached with instantaneous acceleration, cryogenics and suspended animation for long-term space faring, lunar and Venerean colonies, orbital construction of spaceships, blasters, aliens, communication in an alien language, telepathy, high speed bio-engineering, and lots more. Although Heinlein didn't use the word "replicator", he may well have been sitting on the script team for a Star Trek episode when he had Lazarus order up a customized kilt:
"He sat down in a sales booth and dialed the code for kilts. He let cloth designs flicker past in the screen while he ignored the persuasive voice of the catalogue until a pattern showed up which was distinctly unmilitary and not blue, whereupon he stopped the display and punched an order for his size. Ten minutes later he stuffed the proctor's kilt into the refuse hopper of the sales booth and left, nattily and loudly attired."
For those that wish to dig a little more deeply - don't despair - Heinlein has got much to say that will keep many a party conversation going on a variety of topics: the psychology and, oftentimes, fear of aging and death; mob psychology; prejudice and the abnormal fear of something that is different than we are; the importance of work, activity and a feeling of contributing as a part of the human condition.
This book was more than exciting - it was fun and entertaining in the bargain!
Paul Weiss