Variable Star: A Novel

Robert A. Heinlein · Spider Robinson

Dec 2010 · Macmillan + ORM

About this ebook

A never-before-published masterpiece from science fiction's greatest writer, rediscovered after more than half a century.

When Joel Johnston first met Jinny Hamilton, it seemed like a dream come true. And when she finally agreed to marry him, he felt like the luckiest man in the universe.

There was just one small problem. He was broke. His only goal in life was to become a composer, and he knew it would take years before he was earning enough to support a family.

But Jinny wasn't willing to wait. And when Joel asked her what they were going to do for money, she gave him a most unexpected answer. She told him that her name wasn't really Jinny Hamilton---it was Jinny Conrad, and she was the granddaughter of Richard Conrad, the wealthiest man in the solar system.

And now that she was sure that Joel loved her for herself, not for her wealth, she revealed her family's plans for him---he would be groomed for a place in the vast Conrad empire and sire a dynasty to carry on the family business.

Most men would have jumped at the opportunity. But Joel Johnston wasn't most men. To Jinny's surprise, and even his own, he turned down her generous offer and then set off on the mother of all benders. And woke up on a colony ship heading out into space, torn between regret over his rash decision and his determination to forget Jinny and make a life for himself among the stars.

He was on his way to succeeding when his plans--and the plans of billions of others--were shattered by a cosmic cataclysm so devastating it would take all of humanity's strength and ingenuity just to survive.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Ratings and reviews

I decided to read this to see what 'ole Heinlein left us with. Having read a number of his other books, I am familiar with his style. I couldn't call this one outstanding, however. The main character could have used more development. It seemed to read like a youth book. Judgments about people were drawn too quickly. The "happy ending female relationship" came too easy. Here's a tech thing that really bothered me: When the earth got blown up, the energy wave radiated outward. They were running from this wave acting as if the wave would kill them. There is NO WAY that the concentration of energy would stay the same light years away. It would diminish more and more the farther away from the source point you traveled.

Spider did a great job writing. I am sad to say though that it's not classic Heinlein. And I know a cover band writing originals sounds bad. Despite that comment, I did enjoy this book. In a few places it got too wordy. It's probably true to the outline, but I feel it focused too much on the back story. And then it ended a bit too abruptly. Still, like I said, a good read. I'd recommend it to any sci-fi fan, not just Heinlein fans.

Well worth the read. Spider Robinson upholds the Heinlein style with this story about some of Heinlein's usual themes - various types of love, dictators getting into things they shouldn't, and thoughts on a better life for humanity in general, wrapped in a nice melding of space age tech and down home common sense. Mr. Robinson does branch into the mystical a bit more than I personally would like, but telling you where he goes with that would spoil some parts of the story. If you enjoy Heinlein's other works, you'll most likely enjoy this.

About the author

Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) won four Hugo Awards for Best Novels and three of his novels were given Retrospective Hugos fifty years after publication. He won Science Fiction Writers of America's first Grand Master Award. His many influential novels include Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.

Spider Robinson, winner of three Hugos and a Nebula, worked as a folksinger and journalist before publishing his first story in Analog in 1973. Eleven of his 31 books are set in Callahan's Place, a fabulous tavern founded by a time traveler, where puns flow as freely as beer, and smell far worse.