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geeklet 's review for:
Double Star
by Robert A. Heinlein
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
TL;DR: Straight up loved it. 5 stars!
Book three of my Hugo & Nebula Best Novel challenge down and this is my favorite so far!
The Great Lorenzo is having a bit of a problem. He's clearly a very talented actor but he just isn't getting the jobs that his talent needs. Or any jobs really. Quite frankly, he's absolutely broke. Thankfully for him, he's just the perfect actor for a once-in-a-lifetime role. He is hired to take on a secret job impersonating someone. He later learns that he's not just impersonating a regular guy, he's going to have to impersonate Expansionist leader John Joseph Bonforte. Mr. Bonforte has gotten kidnapped and it's up to our man Lorenzo Smythe/Lawrence Smith to convincely step into Bonforte's shoes.
Positives:
I pretty much loved everything about this book. The entire book is written in first person through the eyes of Lorenzo. I found Lorenzo to be extremely likable, at least for a narcissistic washed-up actor. This book is extremely fast paced. Lorenzo is basically just tossed from situation to situation where he must challenge himself to achieve incredible performances. As the story moves along, I found Heinlein's commentary about politicians to be hilarious. The book also doesn't really feel *that* dated. I can tell it's an older story but it reads really well. The book is short and doesn't waste a lot of time describing technology. This helps the book feel less dated. The book also doesn't really have any true villains. All of the characters are incredibly competent, even our man Lorenzo.
Negatives:
The story is incredibly implausible. It didn't really bother me because I read the book as a comedy but there's no real way that Lorenzo could have pulled off everything in the book. There's only one female character and she's stuck in a secretary role. She's pretty important though and she's obviously really intelligent. As usual for this time period, she's in love with her boss but whatever. Power is sexy, I get it. If you're into world building, there's not much to be found here.
I don't really think this is a book that you absolutely must read but it's absolutely worth your time if you stumble onto it. I had a great time reading it. It's a funny and quick read.
Book three of my Hugo & Nebula Best Novel challenge down and this is my favorite so far!
The Great Lorenzo is having a bit of a problem. He's clearly a very talented actor but he just isn't getting the jobs that his talent needs. Or any jobs really. Quite frankly, he's absolutely broke. Thankfully for him, he's just the perfect actor for a once-in-a-lifetime role. He is hired to take on a secret job impersonating someone. He later learns that he's not just impersonating a regular guy, he's going to have to impersonate Expansionist leader John Joseph Bonforte. Mr. Bonforte has gotten kidnapped and it's up to our man Lorenzo Smythe/Lawrence Smith to convincely step into Bonforte's shoes.
Positives:
I pretty much loved everything about this book. The entire book is written in first person through the eyes of Lorenzo. I found Lorenzo to be extremely likable, at least for a narcissistic washed-up actor. This book is extremely fast paced. Lorenzo is basically just tossed from situation to situation where he must challenge himself to achieve incredible performances. As the story moves along, I found Heinlein's commentary about politicians to be hilarious. The book also doesn't really feel *that* dated. I can tell it's an older story but it reads really well. The book is short and doesn't waste a lot of time describing technology. This helps the book feel less dated. The book also doesn't really have any true villains. All of the characters are incredibly competent, even our man Lorenzo.
Negatives:
The story is incredibly implausible. It didn't really bother me because I read the book as a comedy but there's no real way that Lorenzo could have pulled off everything in the book. There's only one female character and she's stuck in a secretary role. She's pretty important though and she's obviously really intelligent. As usual for this time period, she's in love with her boss but whatever. Power is sexy, I get it. If you're into world building, there's not much to be found here.
I don't really think this is a book that you absolutely must read but it's absolutely worth your time if you stumble onto it. I had a great time reading it. It's a funny and quick read.