Starman Jones (1953)

It's interesting how far off the mark some of the classic sci fi novels turn out to be.
In this, there's computers with no data storage. Computers with no ability to actually calculate - all formula have to be worked out by hand prior to entering them. Computers can't even work out logarithms; they have to be looked up in a table. In fact, the results to any formula and instructions to the computer have to be entered in binary!

It a good, lighthearted adventure story. A bit simple for my tastes, but it's a decent vacation read and luckily, vacation is exactly where I read it. ( )

Books read in the past:

I think of this as the exemplar of Heinlein's writing in this period. The hero is a sympathetic lad with special talents, the mentor is old but not a lecherous coot, the plot complications involve interpersonal tension as well as external problems, the problems are both technical and alien-mediated, and the solutions require the protagonist to shoulder responsibilities and become a man. This is a fine young adult novel and one of two science fiction novels (the other being [b:Farmer in the Sky|50851|Farmer in the Sky|Robert A. Heinlein|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170372013s/50851.jpg|2422376]) that my father and I both read in adolescence. ( )

This is one of Heinlein's "juveniles"--that is, what we now call young adult. I tend to prefer quite a few of those to his adult novels such as Stranger in a Strange Land. I wouldn't count this among his best in that category though--of which my favorite is Citizen of the Galaxy. I'd say it's only about average for Heinlein--which still means it's very good indeed. This is the coming of age tale of a boy who goes from dirt between the toes farm boy to the stars.
Yes, some aspects are dated--social aspects such as the relations between the sexes and the technology, especially computer tech seems...quaint. But hey, this was published in 1953, and I'm willing to make allowances--regardless it's still a very entertaining story. ( )

I enjoyed Starman Jones. It is a young adult science fiction novel that is quite out of date, from a technology standpoint. It was entertaining to read, and the lessons in it were bssic but still valid. Worthwhile reading for people of any age and enjoyable. More sophisticated young readers may be either amused or disdainful of the technology, but hopefully they enjoy the message. ( )

NIL