heinleinblog

Dr. Robert James, who wrote the afterward for “– For Us The Living –,” reported in the alt.fan.heinlein newsgroup that he has been given permission to discuss some details of the novel, which will be published in mid-to-late November. He says that while it isn’t as polished as RAH’s later novels, it has frank discussion of sexuality that we didn’t see until “Stranger in a Strange Land.”

Some have speculated that the novel went unpublished because it was “substandard” Heinlein, but it may simply have been ahead of its time.

I am awaiting permission from Dr. James before I post his brief plot synopsis.

UPDATE: The good doctor says that the publisher wants as much publicity as possible, so here goes:

“Basic plot of the novel: young naval aviator is killed in 1939, wakes up in another body in the future, wherein he meets a beautiful young dancer — and
has to cope with all the major changes of the future, including (but not limited to) a completely different set of social and sexual mores, and a
radically different economy.

“Many of Heinlein’s more famous stories can be traced directly to this book, including ‘If This Goes On’, ‘Coventry’, ‘Roads Must Roll’, ‘Beyond This
Horizon’, and ‘Starship Troopers.’

“I enjoyed the book greatly, although it isn’t as polished as his later work — but as I say in my afterword, you might think of this as the first step on the
moon.

“Or the future.”

Another alt.fan.heinlein member asked Dr. James if one of the reasons this novel was considered “unpublishable” was its sexual content. He replied:

“Yes, that’s absolutely correct — one of the really eye-opening things about the novel is the degree to which the RAH of Stranger and the later novels was present from the very beginning. The book reads like late Heinlein in many ways — one of which is his advocacy of sexual openness and freedom, in the
context of love.

“Jealousy, as always, is the enemy in his work.

“I want to be careful not to spoil anybody’s enjoyment of the novel — two people have already posted saying they don’t want to know any more about the
book.

“I surely understand that — so I will avoid spoilers.

“That said, let’s just say that there’s a scene in the novel that would not have
been publishable until a good 20 years later.”

And again:

“I don’t think it’s sub-standard at all — but it is quite different from anything that would be published today, and it is quite different from
commercial fiction then and now.

“It’s a very unique work that will force a considerable amount of realignment in our perception of the arc of RAH’s career.

“And bring on numerous discussions of his work in its context.”

Another poster commented that it is ironic that Scribner’s is publishing the novel, since it rejected “Starship Troopers.”