Waldo and Magic, Inc. [Hardcover]

Heinlein was in many ways ahead of his time. This book, actually two novels have finally come into their own in the first part of the 21st century. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised at some of the reader's comments as to the tepid nature of the Waldo story, and the "Fantasy" aspect of the latter Magic, Inc.

To begin it must be pointed out that one thing nobody mentioned is the term "Waldo", used to refer to those mechanical arms so prevalent in 50/60's science fiction. Today we see endless mechanical devices used in games, in television & movies, especially the Japanese Manga. On a serious note congress recently authorized millions in appropriations to fund development of remote manipulator robots for the modern battlefield... and lets not forget those little robots busily wandering the surface of mars, if they do find Life, you can bet that the entire effort at exploration will remain out of possible harms way, with the 21st century version of a Waldo.
Now as to magic? Two words, Nano & Femto technology.
These areas are currently cutting edge, and both will provide just such a "magical" backdrop for the commerce conducted in the 21st century. Doors that talk, devices that morph into other things, spoken commands, and the NECESSITY of a well trained group of "wizards" to control them, (when was the last time you really knew how that talking watch worked, did you really care? NO! It just worked) and to repair them when they stop working.
Heinlein was correct when he penned stories with people (or Person with Disability, in Waldo's case) confronting, and overcoming difficulties. Real life is now catching up to him... and the situations, and personalities of the people involved are very much true to life. (The founder of the Independent Living Movement, Ed Roberts, was very much like Waldo)
Good books... worth a read in these modern times.

Both of the stories in this book are a departure from Heinlein's usual work, and neither are entirely successful. Heinlein was never one for truly "hard" science fiction, but the two stories here are distinctly fantasy. The first, Waldo, is the better and far more imaginative of the two. The plot and premise is highly original, and the character of Waldo is an interesting one. However, this is one of Heinlein's earliest stories and the writing style present in it pales in comparison to later efforts, and may be disappointing to those who have read a significant portion of his later work. The same goes also for Magic Inc., although here the premise is less interesting. Not a bad book by any means, but Heinlein has better. Only hard-core fans need apply here, for the newcomer to RAH he has much better to offer.

Two of Heinlein's early foray's into fantasy are packaged together in this book. Of the two, "Waldo", with its unique blending of science fiction and fantasy, is much the stronger. The title character, Waldo Farthingwaite-Jones, is a misanthropic young genius who lives in an isolated, gravity-free environment, which he has specially designed to help him overcome his physical challenges. Heinlein makes Waldo's residence and the myriad gadgets in it both believable and fascinating. Almost as interesting is the development of Waldo's personality, as he changes from a rude, temperamental victim, to a strong, self-confident performer. All this by itself might have made for a first-rate science fiction story, but Heinlein has other ideas. His main plot device is a very typical science fiction ploy: Waldo has to fix a problem with some recalcitrant machinery. But the solution Waldo finds is supernatural rather than mechanical, and so the story strays into the realm of fantasy. Of course Heinlein has a very good reason for this; the whole point of his story is to dramatize one of his favorite themes, to wit, that when one's deepest-held convictions don't agree with the facts, one must have the courage to change those convictions. This might be referred to as the Engineer's Creed, and it shows up frequently in Heinlein's work, but this is one of few stories based on it specifically. In this instance, Waldo manages to accept that the impossible is true, and not only solve the technical problem, but solve his personal problems, too. Unfortunately, his answers are so easy that they counteract any emotional impact that the story might have had. From a conceptual standpoint, Heinlein's meld of science fiction and fantasy may have a valid purpose, but in practice, the average reader may find the story's resolution disappointing, while fans of hard science fiction may feel cheated by a problem that has no reasonable solution. "Magic, Inc." is less ambitious, being nothing more than a total fantasy. Heinlein describes a world where magic is a commonly used commodity, although still the province of specialists, and the no-nonsense businessman who narrates the tale gives a breezy reality to magic's various economic, legal, and political ramifications. Other than that, however, the story seems to have little enough to recommend it. Characters come and go with no real development, and many of them are so close to being ethnic and/or racial stereotypes that some of today's reader might take offense. Overall, both stories are pleasant little diversions, but fans of fantasy should not expect any great revelations, while science fiction fans will find relatively little substance. Fans of Heinlein's fantasy may like this one, but other readers aren't really missing much.