War of the Worlds

[InzeladunMaster]

I just finished reading H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" and I thought that was a pretty darn good book, especially considering it was written at the end of the 19th century. I've never seen the movies, but I can see why people would want to make a movie from it.

I will probably go look for the original movie, but I doubt I will bother with the new one. Tom Cruise really turns me off.

Anyway, for those of you who are readers out there, I recommend the book. It was a fascinating read. Now I am reading "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Heinlein, and it is turning out to be an impressive novel too.

 

[thormagni]

I just finished reading H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" and I thought that was a pretty darn good book, especially considering it was written at the end of the 19th century. I've never seen the movies, but I can see why people would want to make a movie from it.

I will probably go look for the original movie, but I doubt I will bother with the new one. Tom Cruise really turns me off.

Anyway, for those of you who are readers out there, I recommend the book. It was a fascinating read. Now I am reading "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Heinlein, and it is turning out to be an impressive novel too.

"Job: A comedy of Justice," is my favorite Heinlein novel. Some of his older stuff bugs me, but his good stuff is very, very good.

 

[Odovacar's Ghost]

I really enjoyed "Stranger in a Strange land". My mind wants to say there are other books in this series, but, I'm probably wrong. This is indeed a must read!

 

[Bob_Probst]

Early Heinlein is mostly Young Adult Lit. I loved it when I was in JR High/High school -- very escapist: "Young Tex was a gifted teen living in the boring midwest of 2075 until his uncle asks him to take a space ride to Mars!" That kinda stuff.

I found Stranger and much of RHLs later work to be too preachy or condescending -- something. There's a few great books though:

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress was his first complete break from Juvenile fiction
Starship Troopers is just good all around fun.

I used to have a stack of his stuff but it probably went to a yardsale back in the 80s

The thing that I always appreciated about his SciFi was that it was very character centered. Instead of focusing on the fantastic he placed ordinary humans in a futuristic setting and told their exciting story.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Early Heinlein is mostly Young Adult Lit. I loved it when I was in JR High/High school -- very escapist: "Young Tex was a gifted teen living in the boring midwest of 2075 until his uncle asks him to take a space ride to Mars!" That kinda stuff.

Yeah, I remember reading "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" when I was a teenager.

I found Stranger and much of RHLs later work to be too preachy or condescending -- something.

As I get toward the end of the book I see what you mean. It certainly is heavily didactic. At first I found it to be an exciting adventure but one with a message. It was a page turner. Now that he is starting his own mystery religion (shades of L. Ron Hubbard?), the book has bogged down immensely as Heinlein (using the voice of Jubal) gets on his soapbox and talks incessently about what is on his mind. The desire to turn the page has waned considerably. Too bad he couldn't keep up the initial pacing.