[.ca] Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (ISBN 0450002314)

From Amazon.com:
Tom Clancy has said of Robert A. Heinlein, "We proceed down the path marked by his ideas. He shows us where the future is." Nowhere is this more true than in Heinlein's gripping tale of revolution on the moon in 2076, where "Loonies" are kept poor and oppressed by an Earth-based Authority that turns huge profits at their expense. A small band of dissidents, including a one-armed computer jock, a radical young woman, a past-his-prime academic and a nearly omnipotent computer named Mike, ignite the fires of revolution despite the near certainty of failure and death.

Revolutionary SF:
With over 35 years of SF culture between us and this novel, it is difficult to see it for the ground breaking work that it is. Through books and film we've since been exploring new worlds, galaxies and even dimensions for almost 4 decades. Thus a very human story of revolution on our little neighbor may not be that thrilling to the seasoned reader. Although the story takes place in 2076 the idealism and cynicism of the 1960s is ever present in the background. And even though we're now a third of the way closer to that date than when the novel was written I am amazed at how well the science in this fiction has held up. The story presents a logical and somewhat predictable pathway for "the liberation of the moon" yet I was in suspense as to the success or failure of the venture until the final pages. Heinlein held my attention throughout and weeks later I have to admit I still miss Mike.

Cast the first stone:
I am not much of a science fiction reader or film watcher but when my friend bought THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS for my birthday, it instantly became one of my favorite books. Not one of my favorite science fiction books, one of my favorite books period. And what makes it such is its sturdy character development and plot development. All the characters are believeable and likeable. This includes Mike the computer. His desire to understand humor and humans must have been revolutionary for the time the book was written. I have heard of Heinlein's political leanings and how they affected his writing. However, I did not sense that the novel was a veiled attempt at spewing a manifesto. The story is simply about humans wanting to be treated as such, and having to fight for that treatment. Mike's suggestion to "throw rocks" at the oppressors was absolutely brilliant. It made me think of the Biblical line: "Let he who is without sin throw the first stone". Maybe there's a link, maybe not. I'm sure there are dozens of master's theses out there on this subject. In any event, this is a brilliant work of fiction of any kind! Read it!

Well written if somewhat dated...:
Although originally written in the 60's, this book was still interesting to read even in 2004. Obviously, some of the technology seems a little out dated - but the book is mostly about politics, and politics never really change.

Timeless Lunacy:
The science is dated. It doesn't matter. The plot is straightforward without a lot of unexpected twists. It doesn't matter. People talk funny. It doesn't matter. What matters is that this book is a compelling study of applied political science that uses the unforgiving locale of the moon and its limited resources, suffering under gross mismanagement, to explore the anatomy of revolution. Heinlein peaked with this novel. "Stranger" and all subsequent work got more twisted, more cranky, more obsessive, and ultimately more senile. This one presents many of Heinlein's later ideas in lean and supple forms, without the flab and flapdoodle that made Lazarus seem so Long.

Heinlein's Best:
To say that The Moon is a Harsh Mistress was prophetic would be quite the understatement, but it's not just Heinlein's brilliant depiction of a near-future Earth and Moon that shines so brightly but his sensitively-structured portrayal of the characters, from rebels to machine intelligences. The political structure is both a revealing and entertaining parallel to the colonial system during the American revolution and makes for a fascinating glimpse into the future. Race relations, sexual relations and economic systems are all interwoven into a rich human narrative that speaks to every one of our emotions and ideals, and the story never flags, alternating between tranquil moments of negotiations and scheming to brutal military engagements and desperate fights, leaving you breathless (and with perhaps a tear in your eye) until the last moments. A beacon of a novel for sci-fi writers, and deservedly so.