- Hardcover: 223 pages
- Publisher: Tor Classics (29 Nov 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0765314509
- ISBN-13: 978-0765314505
- Product Dimensions: 21 x 14.4 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,077,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Golden-Age Dross,
By Author Bill Peschel "Writers Gone Wild" (Hershey, PA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Space Cadet (Hardcover)
This boys' adventure, republished by Tor in a hardbound edition, was published in 1948 and was one of Robert Heinlein's first books. Set several hundred years into the future, the solar system has been colonized on one of Jupiter's moons and on Venus, where beneath the clouds the air is breathable and intelligent life was discovered. Keeping the peace is the Solar Patrol, whose atomic bombs circle the earth while its members continue exploring the planets, moons and asteroids. "Space Cadet" follows the journey of Matthew Brooks of Des Moines, Iowa, and his friends Tex, Oscar and Pierre (from Texas, Venus and Jupiter's moon), through their education at the Space Academy, finishing up with an adventure when their ship runs into trouble during a mission to Venus. Heinlein spends the first hundred pages moving them through this world — the patrol bears significant resemblance to the U.S. Navy — then puts them onboard a ship for about the next 50 pages before bringing in a story. There are a couple sections that shows themes Heinlein will explore in future novels. There's the wide gulf between the civilian and military worlds, that Matt discovers when he tries to explain how the atomic bombs circling the earth — ready to be dropped down the gravity well on any city that gets uppity — are maintained. This leads to some bizarre lines such as "Now, Catherine, you can't imagine Matt bombing Des Moines, now can you? And that is what it amounts to. Tell her, Matt." So far adult readers, "Space Cadet" brings with it the charm of "Golden Age" science-fiction: the finned rockets, the elite space organization and a few aliens thrown into the mix. Heinlein nails portable phones, but computers are room-sized and rockets land on their tail. In his perfectly run Solar Patrol, he includes officers from all races (even a black officer is mentioned, but not seen), and yet the patrol is firmly phallocentric. As for children, "Space Cadet" is pretty bland stuff. To children brought up on Harry Potter, video games and anime, "Space Cadet" is more likely to induce eye-rolling than a sense of wonder.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews) 40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book got me through Calculus,
By OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Space Cadet (Hardcover)
_I have heard this book dismissed as "just another space cadet story." Check the date of publication (1948), this is THE first space cadet story. It started the genre. I've also heard it dismissed as a "kid's book." A "kid's book" would not have stuck in my memory for four decades now and provided me with inspiration and a model when I most needed it. A "kid's book" wouldn't have inspired me to stick out high school and college physics and mathematics instead of just throwing in the towel. It was remembering the example of this book, and _Starman Jones_, that got me through Calculus. I just wish the rest of the world would have lived up to the high ideals expressed in these books....
_I recently reread this tale after many years. I was amazed at how "nondated" it was. Heinlein has a perfect description of cell phones and cell towers. Something else finally hit me too- this is where Gene Roddenbury got most of his ideas for Star Trek. Heinlein actuallly uses the term "the Federation." His Interplanetary Patrol is obviously the inspiration for Star Fleet with it's noble ideals, multi-cultural make-up (in 1948), it's commitment to keeping the peace, and it's 100 year record of keeping the peace (a phrase right out of Trek.) The importance of the Academy and its naval style of organization came from Heinlein, the Annapolis graduate. The way that the organization is entirely composed of officers and officers in training- that's also pure Star Trek. Heinlein wrote of all this almost 20 years before the television show aired.... _It used to bother me that the Heinlein that wrote this book and the Heinlein that wrote _Stranger in a Strange Land_ and all that came afterward seemed like two different men. I now think that I understand that too. 10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless military SciFi,
By E. M. Van Court "Van, emvc (at) lycos.com" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Space Cadet (Hardcover)
In 1948, Heinlein wrote a book based on his (limited) military experience that pinpointed underlying cultural issues in the U.S. military that are still plaguing the Dept. of Defense after sixty years (despite the current lack of space-based Marines). No spoilers, but I'm refering to the discussion of the Space Patrol Academy's curriculum.
If a writer can identify an underlying issue that cannot be fixed even after 60 years, and offer visionary (still) solutions, I have to think he's earned the title "master". "Space Cadet" offers inspiration and an element of hope while acknowledging that human nature is innately flawed. It speaks to the interrelationship between technology and humans, making it clear that technology should serve people, not people serving technology. It sketches out what looks like a viable organizational structure for an arm of the military that the U.S. will eventually need (and despite their claims to the contrary, the Air Force's belief that their culture can be adapted to extended spaceflight with crews of more than 4-5 people lacks plausibility). The emphasis on the need for cultural studies and language skills in his fiction rings true as the U.S. services realize that these are at least as important as vehicles and weapons. In all, brilliant. Only four stars because it is not Heinlein's best work (though superior to 95% or more of the fiction in any bookstore today), and it was written for the adolescent market, when these concepts and the story line could have supported twice as much book as we have here. Still, I'll probably read it again, and I would recommend it to any youngling who was considering the military (along with Starship Troopers). E.M. Van Court 7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The master of sci-fi will never stop being reprinted!,
By Detra Fitch - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Space Cadet (Paperback)
Follow young Matt Dodson as he enters the academy in hopes of becoming a Space Cadet. Matt makes friends with Tex, who always has amusing tales about his Uncle Bodie, and a few others, as lessons are learned ... usually the hard way.
Space Cadets are the elite guard of the solar system. They accept missions others fear, take risks no others dare, and uphold the peace of the solar system for the benefit of all. (Much like the Jedi Order!) This novel will take you from Earth, to Mars, to Venus, and beyond. Matt and his friends are tested in the most severe and extraordinary ways that will change them forever, but still not prepare them for the alien treacheries that await. **** If you have never read a novel by Robert A. Heinlein, then please keep in mind that this was written in the year 1948. The author renewed the copyright in 1975. I stress this because even though the story begins in July 2075, there are a few references to events that supposably happened in OUR past, such as the notation of the person who created the Patrol's Tradition who lived 1969 - 1996. The fact that Robert A. Heinlein's novels are still being published today clearly expresses how outstanding readers find his science fiction novels. Once you read this, or any other novel by Heinlein, you will have no doubt as to how the man came about being crowned "The Master of Science Fiction". **** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews. |
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