The Number of the Beast [Mass Market Paperback]

The gadget is the product of mathematics professor Jacob Burroughs, who invites one Zebadiah Carter to a university party under the mistaken impression that Zeb is one of the few other men in the world who can understand his mathematics (actually Zeb's cousin is the mathematical genius). Zeb meets Jacob's daughter D.T. (Deety) at the party, falls in love with her, and is in the process of leaving the party in order to marry her, along with her father and the party's host, Hilda Corners, when Jacob's duo-car explodes. Thus is formed the group that is the focus of this novel, two couples that are highly intelligent, resourceful, independent, and on the run from whomever (or whatever) blew up the car. They fix up Zeb's car (Gay Deceiver - a remarkable invention in her own right) with Jacob's whiz-bang gadget, and suddenly find themselves on a journey to some truly strange (and not so strange) places - as one of the time axes is the entry to all those universes that are created by fabulists (writers). Baum's Oz, Burrough's Barsoom (and Pelucidar), Niven's Ringworld, Smith's Lensman, Asimov's "Nightfall", and most especially Heinlein's own Time Enough for Love are all included, along with many others.

But besides traveling to all these strange worlds, this is a story of character, as each of the four end up taking turns leading the group - and in so doing expose some radically different traits. There are some who have criticized Heinlein for only have one character type. This book explodes that myth. He has also been criticized for not writing very believable female characters, which is true to some degree (and especially in his early work), but the two women of this book should do much to dispel the notion that he couldn't write good women. He has also been excoriated as something of misogynist. Once again, this book should disabuse the critics of this idea, as there are some clear thoughts and ideas expressed here from both sides of the gender rift that put both women and men into their 'proper' place (sometimes hilariously so).

The mathematics presented here is solid. Those who flunked their geometry and trigonometry classes need not feel threatened, as this material is safely skippable, but it is nice to have a novel that gets these kinds of details correct and doesn't assume that the reader is a dunce. And if I could ever get my hands on a vehicle even half as good as Gay Deceiver, I'd probably die of delight.

But perhaps most important is the look this book takes at the idea of solipsism, a prime ingredient here where everything must be considered, in some fashion, a fantasy (one person's reality being nothing more than a writer's dream in another universe), and within this framework a working out of what makes life worth living (what does it matter if you're only a figment of someone else's imagination?). The last chapter of this book has confused many people (including at least one famous critic), but it makes good sense when you really look at all the various 'shadow' character names (hint: anagrams and Robert Anson Heinlein).

Throughout this book, there is a sense of fun and adventure (amidst all the heavy conversation), of kudos being paid to other authors (and it does help if the reader is familiar with the works cited here), of a recognition of the entire science fiction community and the fans that have added so much to the field. No, it doesn't have a definitive ending in the sense that most novels do, but merely points the way towards the further adventures of all sentient beings - and the rest of the World as Myth books.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

With a guest appearance by every Heinlein fan's favourite character - Lazarus Long - this story is an lively romp through the universes accessible by just such a time machine. One of my favourite books, this is a must for any science fiction fan with a sense of adventure (and survival!).

The first 100 pages or so are mainly filled up with sexual banter between the four main characters. The dialogue is disjointed, unconvincing, tedious, often only semi-comprehensible, and at times so heavily laden with American colloquialisms as to be incoherent.

The next 150 pages are more of the same, except that the subject of sex is replaced with pseudo-technical babble. We are treated to a delightful quarter-page discussing the precise Martian day-length, and whether of not "twenty four and a half hours" is ever an adequate approximation, a half-page solution to a simple trigonometry problem, several discussions about the assignment of code-words to trigger response from a computer, and seeming interminable arguments about the captaincy of the space/time ship Gay Deceiver.

The story then picks up (in the sense that one actually emerges); our four protagonists visit Oz, Lilliput, and several other fictional universes. The willing suspension of disbelief necessary to enjoy so much of Heinlein's work is no longer adequate here.

We then reach the real meat of the novel -- A trip to the universe of Lazarus Long, and the rescue of Maureen Johnson. This section bridges 'Time Enough for Love' and 'To Sail Beyond the Sunset', but doesn't add anything essential.

Finally we are subjected to a ridiculous convention, hosted by Lazarus Long, and attended by numerous authors and fictional characters, including many from Heinlein's own works.

Definately missable.