Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
SKYJACKED!
One minute Kip Russell is walking around his own backyard, testing out an old space suit and dreaming about going to the moon–the next he is the captive of a space pirate and on his way to the very place he had been dreaming of. At first, the events are so unreal he thinks he might be having a nightmare . . . but when he discovers other prisoners aboard the spaceship he knows the ordeal is all too real. Kip and his fellow abductees, the daughter of a world-renowned scientist and a beautiful creature from an alien planet, have been skyjacked by a monstrous extraterrestrial who is flying them to the moon–on a journey toward a fate worse than death. . . .
Have Space Suit–Will Travel is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
One minute Kip Russell is walking around his own backyard, testing out an old space suit and dreaming about going to the moon–the next he is the captive of a space pirate and on his way to the very place he had been dreaming of. At first, the events are so unreal he thinks he might be having a nightmare . . . but when he discovers other prisoners aboard the spaceship he knows the ordeal is all too real. Kip and his fellow abductees, the daughter of a world-renowned scientist and a beautiful creature from an alien planet, have been skyjacked by a monstrous extraterrestrial who is flying them to the moon–on a journey toward a fate worse than death. . . .
Have Space Suit–Will Travel is the newest addition to the Del Rey Imagine program, which offers the best in classic fantasy and science fiction for readers 12 and up. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:School & Library Binding
This was my very first foray into science fiction as an eight year old - it delighted me and catalysed my interest in the genre and in literature in general. Nearly 30 years later, I still hold a fondness for this story and for Heinlein's easy and smile-worthy eloquence, I would recommend it for adults or childrenm but especially for reluctant young readers who will likely find the author's style captivating and irresistable.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Have Space Suit--Will Travel represents Heinlein at his storytelling best. Free of the esoteric themes that would appear in his later writings, this book is pure science fiction seemingly written solely for the enjoyment of the reader. Originally published in 1958, the story stands up well even today and will surely be read and enjoyed by untold generations to come. I am sure that many a young person read this book and yearned to reach the moon in the decade before the Eagle finally landed.
This is generally classified as one of Heinlein's juvenile books, but Heinlein's writing is for all ages. I am sure the book appeals to many young people because its protagonists are themselves young people: Kip is a high school senior, and Peewee is a girl of about twelve. Kip develops an overpowering urge to go to the moon, and he is lucky enough to win a real space suit in a contest. Heinlein's description of the many different features of the suit is fascinating. Resigning himself to selling the suit for college tuition money, Kip goes for one last walk; somewhat playfully calling out on the radio, he is surprised to hear an answer to his call. He is amazed when a space ship soon lands in his backyard and a decidedly alien creature comes out and collapses. A second ship lands, an entity gets out and conks Kip on the head, and the next thing Kip knows he is trapped inside a space ship on his way to the moon, suddenly in the company of a little girl. His captors are "Wormfaces," a species of alien that has been in hiding on the moon, looking at the earth with evil intentions. Peewee introduces Kip to the "Mother thing," a Vegan entity (and interstellar policeman) who radiates love and warmth, effectively communicates with the pair in a bird song type of speech, and inspires undying love and devotion. The book revolves around the youngsters' attempt to rescue the Mother Thing from the Wormfaces and eventually return to earth. Along the way, they endure captivity on Pluto, stare death in the face a few times, and ultimately find themselves representing Earth in an interstellar courtroom, the very future of earth shakily balanced in their own young hands.
There are juvenile elements here, such as Kip's tendency to hold back-and-forth conversations with his space suit (whom he dubs "Oscar"), but Robert Heinlein does throw in several sections full of mathematical formulas, high-level theorizing, and advanced scientific concepts. I dare say that these areas of tecnospeak will turn off some young readers and may well stymie a good number of adults. Aside from the mathematics of the thing, Heinlein can make any kind of scientific notion sound feasible and believable, and that is part of his magic and effectiveness. Most of all, though, Heinlein presents vividly real characters doing exceedingly interesting, heroic things. Heinlein's couple of technical forays may be literary speedbumps, but young readers will revel in and be inspired by this book. Adults who have not yet lost all of their imagination will also relate to the main characters well and delight in a good story line which takes the reader from the earth to the moon to Pluto to another galaxy and back again.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Like many of the others here, I read this about the third grade. It was my first SF book and I've been hooked ever since. For the young person (or any age, I supose) it grandly illustrates the values of determination and preparedness. As one of the characters stated, "luck" is something that happens to people who prepare for it. Because Kip had a spacesuit, he was able to go to the moon, Pluto, and even another galaxy. I've seriously thought of getting my own space suit, to be ready for a similar opportunity!
Though written for the young reader, I enjoy this book as much at 40 as I did at 8. Highly recommended for any age, but especially for young folks.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Be Prepared! (And Who Knows What Will Happen)
This, along with Tunnel in the Sky, gets my vote as the best of the juvenile (YA) books that Heinlein wrote. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2009 by Patrick Shepherd
A wonderful Bed-time Story for both reader and listener
I first came across this in the library when I was young, later bought a paperback and have treasured it ever since. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by R. F. Stevens
Save the world
Probably aimed at a young audience, this still incorporates typical Heinlein philosophies of self-determination, ie the hero has to pay his own way, and violence - the baddies get... Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2003
Its full of detail
its full of detail and i thought it was one of the best books i read
Published on 21 April 1999
great book
This was the first science fiction book I ever read, I found it in the public library when I was 12 years old, was intrigued by the title and took it home to read. Read more
Published on 28 Mar 1999
TIMELESS CLASSIC
This is a perfect novel written in a unique way to appeal to youngsters and adults alike. I recall reading it many many years ago as a young teenager and being totally enthralled... Read more
Published on 8 Jan 1999
A multi-generational read.
I read this book as a youth. When my son was young, my wife and I read it to him. It was his favorite book and probably responsible for his learning to read early so he could... Read more
Published on 25 Dec 1998
excellant & brilliant book of scifi fantasy realm
I truly think that this book was an excellant choice to read when I was 11.Now I'm thinking of reading this book AGAIN because I loved it so much the first time. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 1998
What ever happened to those "essay" contests anyway?
In a novella where the main character can win a space-suit by writing a slogan for soap in one of those "Box-top" contests and the story not end up being cheesier than... Read more
Published on 24 Aug 1998
Even after 40 years, still one of the best SF stories.
I first read this book almost 40 years ago and I still enjoy revisiting Kip, Peewee and the Mother Thing every few years. Read more
Published on 9 July 1998
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
