The five volume Future History;
the generation ship idea in the Future History;
his twelve Scribner Juveniles;
three "first men in the moon stories" - in the Future History, a Scribner Juvenile and a film;
three amazing circular causality paradox stories;
magic as technology in "Magic, Inc.";
the idea of the waldo in "Waldo";
the controversial Stranger In A Strange Land;
the divisive-within-the-sf-community Starship Troopers (filmed);
imaginative aliens;
a vast output.
And what does Anderson have going for him? This whole blog answers that question. Anderson follows Heinlein in:
future histories;
a generation ship story;
juvenile sf;
accounts of space travel;
time travel - both paradoxes and other aspects;
magic as technology;
military sf;
imaginative aliens;
a vaster output -
- surpasses Heinlein in most of these areas and tackles several other genres that Heinlein did not.
Before Heinlein or Anderson, there was HG Wells with The Time Machine and The Shape Of Things To Come. However, Heinlein changed the future history model from a fictitious historical text book to a series of short stories and novels and Anderson followed Heinlein in this respect.
10 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
As a writer, I think Heinlein will be best remembered for his Future History, the Scribner juveniles (comprising some of his best SF), and works meant for adults such as SIXTH COLUMN, DOUBLE STAR, and THE PUPPET MASTERS, etc. Plus, of course, the idea of magic as a scientific technology.
I've never quite understood why STARSHIP TROOPERS should be controversial at all. We see Heinlein in that book expounding quite ordinary libertarian leaning ideas. Was it controversial because he used the idea that before anyone could be a citizen and vote he first needed to have done a stint doing some kind of public service for the Terran Federation? Whether in or out of the military.
Alas, beginning with STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, Heinlein rapidly declined as a writer. His wearisome obsessions with sex and incest ruined most of his later works, such as I WILL FEAR NO EVIL. He had a truly fascinating idea or premise for that book but ruined it with his endless monologues about sex. I read I WILL FEAR NO EVIL twice before I finally gave up on it as a tedious bore.
The only one of his later books I would SOMEWHAT recommend is Heinlein's THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS. He kept his boring ramblings about sex under some control in that book and focused on an interesting plot, including use of strong AI ideas.
And I agree with what you said about Poul Anderson, in both the quality and quantity of his works.
Sean
Sean,
Whatever the reason, STARSHIP TROOPERS gets sf fans arguing with each other a lot.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
It still seems rather odd, the way some fuss over STARSHIP TROOPERS. I would have thought SIXTH COLUMN, DOUBLE STAR, and THE PUPPET MASTERS more interesting!
Sean
Sean,
STARSHIP TROOPERS has a limited franchise, flogging in the military and "...the everlasting glory of the infantry..." I agree that other Heinlein works are more interesting.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
As I've already said, as regards the first two items you listed, I can think of reasonable arguments in their favor. And Poul Anderson himself was inclined to favor corporal punishments for certain types of crimes (after first making sure a person convicted to, say, 15 lashes, was strong enough to take it). See my "Crime And Punishment In The Terran Empire" article.
And that last was quoted from a military SONG, and such things are meant to enhance and strengthen morale and esprit d'corps. I'm sure the UK and US military has very similar songs. Nor do I think such things to be bad.
Sean
Sean,
But they ARE controversial!
Paul.
By the way, one of the main differences between early and late Heinlein is that early Heinlein is -heavily edited- Heinlein. His manuscripts got a lot of blue-pencil work, and he was told to rewrite fairly often and quite extensively. Much of the rambling feel of his later books is due to the fact that nobody is pulling him up when he gets a bee in his bonnet.
Mr Stirling,
That explains a lot. What a shame.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
The idea of corporal punishments for certain crimes can be controversial. Military songs, no.
Sean
Dear Mr. Stirling,
I agree! I recall reading in GRUMBLES FROM THE GRAVE, a collection of some of RAH's letters how he often griped about the criticisms he got from his early editors. It was precisely because they argued with Heinlein that his best works remain his early books.
Sean
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