Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (1982), 221 pages
Description
A young man reports for the final tests for appointment as a cadet in the Interplanetary Patrol, survives the tests, studies in the school ship, and goes on a regular Patrol vessel and encounters danger on Venus.
User reviews
LibraryThing member kiparsky
A splendid little book, don't let yourself be kept away from it by the fact that it was written as a "juvenile" (old-speak for "young adult novel"). Heinlein's one concession to the age of his target audience is that his lead characters are, if I'm guessing right, about three to five years older
Though quite enjoyable and well-made, the plot through which these characters refine their Heinleinian virtues does not bear much scrutiny, as it is more or less a pastiche of the Three Musketeers. Suffice it to say that the plot will entertain you, just as it has been entertaining for the last two hundred years. The ideas in the book, on the other hand, are the real meat of it. Not simply the science-fiction wowie-stuff (in the first few paragraphs, we are given a cell phone and the proper etiquette of using such a device, not bad for 1948) but the constant flood of everything from ballistics and mechanics (how do you maneuver with a jet pack? how do you calculate the rate of spin of a space ship to produce one G on its outer skin?) to political philosophy (the Space Patrol has kept mankind from war for a hundred years - good or bad?) to the most basic questions of Socrates (at the Space Patrol, we believe that "a man who can think properly will necessarily behave morally" - true? or bunk?). All of this is presented in a way which requires the reader to engage with the questions in order to really engage with the novel. The result is a novel which, read by a person of even moderate intelligence, will produce a reader both smarter and more skeptical than the one who first opened the book, a real service to humanity.
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than his expected readers. Their actual ages are unstated, which is clever of the old man, but we might assume they're about 18, plus or minus 2. Beyond this, the reader is expected to be able to handle any sentence and any idea that Heinlein can come up with in the course of the novel, a refreshing change from the age-appropriate nonsense fed to children today. Though quite enjoyable and well-made, the plot through which these characters refine their Heinleinian virtues does not bear much scrutiny, as it is more or less a pastiche of the Three Musketeers. Suffice it to say that the plot will entertain you, just as it has been entertaining for the last two hundred years. The ideas in the book, on the other hand, are the real meat of it. Not simply the science-fiction wowie-stuff (in the first few paragraphs, we are given a cell phone and the proper etiquette of using such a device, not bad for 1948) but the constant flood of everything from ballistics and mechanics (how do you maneuver with a jet pack? how do you calculate the rate of spin of a space ship to produce one G on its outer skin?) to political philosophy (the Space Patrol has kept mankind from war for a hundred years - good or bad?) to the most basic questions of Socrates (at the Space Patrol, we believe that "a man who can think properly will necessarily behave morally" - true? or bunk?). All of this is presented in a way which requires the reader to engage with the questions in order to really engage with the novel. The result is a novel which, read by a person of even moderate intelligence, will produce a reader both smarter and more skeptical than the one who first opened the book, a real service to humanity.
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LibraryThing member jsnrcrny
Reading this book today, I find it pleasurable because it reflects an optimistic worldview of the 1950s (although there is the underlying, overtly stated threat of nuclear annihilation). The main character is an intelligent young man who is patriotic and respects authority figures, as he is a
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member of a military organization, the patrol. Because of the cultural distance, I tend to experience the main character somewhat awkwardly because he marginalizes a lot of perspectives-that of women, in particular. After a few of his juveniles, you come to expect this kind of man-centered vision from Heinlein (like many of the hard-line SF writers--Asimov, Clarke, Campbell), but for some reason I'm not offended by it. Heinlein's other novels, Stranger in a Strange Land, particularly, remind me that Heinlein was a forward thinker. Despite his representation of the main's character's mother (she's portrayed as a non-scientific fool), it's an inspiring story with some stimulating hard science in it. I guess I can place his work in their time and enjoy them. The cohesion of his worldview in this novel calms my very literal mind. Show Less
LibraryThing member thomasJamo
This book is one of Heinlein's juvenile books written for adolescent boys. I didn't much care for this book because it moves kinda slowly, but it's not awful. If you're a Heinlein fan it's worth checking out. I wouldn't buy it, but it's definitely worth a trip to the library if you are a hard core
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Heinlein fan. But this one goes near the bottom of my Heinlein list. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This is one of Heinlein's "juveniles"--that is, what we now call young adult. I tend to prefer quite a few of those to his adult novels such as Stranger in a Strange Land. I wouldn't count this among his best in that category though--of which my favorite is Citizen of the Galaxy. I'd say it's only
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about average for Heinlein--which still means it's very good indeed. This one centers on the "Space Patrol" (think Starfleet) which polices the solar system. I've seen this called a space opera version of The Three Musketeers and I think that captures it pretty succinctly. But beyond Heinlein telling a good yarn like most of his science fiction there are some thoughtful, and though-provoking aspects. Yes, some aspects are dated--as has been pointed out more than once in reviews that's especially true of how he deals with gender. This is very much a man's world--or solar system in this case. But hey, this is the fifties, and I'm willing to make allowances for that in order to enjoy this. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
This is one of Heinlein's well-known "juveniles" which are in fact often my favorite most enjoyable books, partly because I read them when I was in fact a juvenile. This is not my absolute favorite (that would be The Rolling tones aka Space Family Stone) but it is good. It is about a young man
an adventure with the aliens of Venus in which he is saved by his understanding of alien customs. Along the way, it includes a lot of historical background for the traditions of the patrol with a reference to Dahlquist, the hero of "The Long Watch" though other aspects of the history in Heinlein's short stories do not match (there was a very different first space trip to the Moon from the one in "The Man Who Sold the Moon," for example.) In some ways it follows the traditions of the "school story --there is a cynical cadet who reappears later as an adult villain, for example. One point I picked up on my latest reading is a very strong emphasis on the equal treatment of cadets of all races and cultures (though they all seem to be male, unlike his later version in Starship Troopers).
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going through the notorious tough course to become a member of the Interplanetary Patrol, followed by his early adventures in the patrol, culminating in an adventure with the aliens of Venus in which he is saved by his understanding of alien customs. Along the way, it includes a lot of historical background for the traditions of the patrol with a reference to Dahlquist, the hero of "The Long Watch" though other aspects of the history in Heinlein's short stories do not match (there was a very different first space trip to the Moon from the one in "The Man Who Sold the Moon," for example.) In some ways it follows the traditions of the "school story --there is a cynical cadet who reappears later as an adult villain, for example. One point I picked up on my latest reading is a very strong emphasis on the equal treatment of cadets of all races and cultures (though they all seem to be male, unlike his later version in Starship Troopers).
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LibraryThing member pgiunta
The first sixty percent of the story follows young protagonist Matt Dodson as he undergoes rigorous training as a cadet in the Solar Patrol Space Academy. While there, he befriends fellow cadets Tex Jarman, Oscar Jensen from the Venus colony, and Pierre “Pete” Armand from Jupiter’s moon
Upon graduating from the Academy, Matt, Tex, and Oscar are assigned to the Patrol vessel Aes Triplex on a mission to the asteroid belt to locate the Pathfinder, a vessel reported missing during a scientific mission.
After successfully locating the lost ship, damaged as a result of a freak meteor impact, the Pathfinder is repaired and flown to Deimos, the outermost moon of Mars. Meanwhile, the Aes Triplex is assigned to investigate a deadly native uprising against the crew of the Gary, a merchant vessel that landed in the equatorial region of Venus. The cadets depart the Aes Triplex in a small rocket commanded by Lieutenant Thurlow, who is knocked unconscious after a perilous landing—leaving the cadets stranded in the swamps of Venus. Fortunately, Oscar is well acquainted with the customs of the amphibious natives, but can the cadets maintain peace with the rankled “Venerians” long enough to find a way off the planet and save Thurlow’s life?
Space Cadet differs from some of Heinlein’ other juvenile SF novels—such as Spaceman Jones and Citizen of the Galaxy—in that it does not offer much detail about the main protagonist’s background and is not a “rags to riches” tale. By the time we meet Matt Dodson, he has already arrived at the Academy fresh from his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa and returns home only once for a brief visit during leave. In fact, once Matt, Tex, and Oscar are assigned to the Aes Triplex, the role of the main protagonist is shared among the three.
I found that much of the first 65 percent of the book dealing with the cadets’ training could have been trimmed or condensed. Nevertheless, Space Cadet is a reasonably enjoyable adventure, especially in the final chapters dealing with the Pathfinder and the cadets’ subsequent adventures on Venus.
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Ganymede.Upon graduating from the Academy, Matt, Tex, and Oscar are assigned to the Patrol vessel Aes Triplex on a mission to the asteroid belt to locate the Pathfinder, a vessel reported missing during a scientific mission.
After successfully locating the lost ship, damaged as a result of a freak meteor impact, the Pathfinder is repaired and flown to Deimos, the outermost moon of Mars. Meanwhile, the Aes Triplex is assigned to investigate a deadly native uprising against the crew of the Gary, a merchant vessel that landed in the equatorial region of Venus. The cadets depart the Aes Triplex in a small rocket commanded by Lieutenant Thurlow, who is knocked unconscious after a perilous landing—leaving the cadets stranded in the swamps of Venus. Fortunately, Oscar is well acquainted with the customs of the amphibious natives, but can the cadets maintain peace with the rankled “Venerians” long enough to find a way off the planet and save Thurlow’s life?
Space Cadet differs from some of Heinlein’ other juvenile SF novels—such as Spaceman Jones and Citizen of the Galaxy—in that it does not offer much detail about the main protagonist’s background and is not a “rags to riches” tale. By the time we meet Matt Dodson, he has already arrived at the Academy fresh from his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa and returns home only once for a brief visit during leave. In fact, once Matt, Tex, and Oscar are assigned to the Aes Triplex, the role of the main protagonist is shared among the three.
I found that much of the first 65 percent of the book dealing with the cadets’ training could have been trimmed or condensed. Nevertheless, Space Cadet is a reasonably enjoyable adventure, especially in the final chapters dealing with the Pathfinder and the cadets’ subsequent adventures on Venus.
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LibraryThing member fulner
Like the other stories in Heinlein's "Scriber Juveniles" series our protagonist is an 18 year old boy who just graduated from high school. This time he's a guy who has decided to join the army. Except in the future of 2043 the Army is called the Patrol and their job is to stop war from happening
I struggled with how to rate this one because the idolization of national service is always dangerous, particularly for young people, and even more disturbing from someone many believe to be one of the forefathers of libertarianism.
But the story was good. I particularly liked the character of Tex and the never seen character of his uncle brodie. Great comedy.
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(though superior fire power of course). I struggled with how to rate this one because the idolization of national service is always dangerous, particularly for young people, and even more disturbing from someone many believe to be one of the forefathers of libertarianism.
But the story was good. I particularly liked the character of Tex and the never seen character of his uncle brodie. Great comedy.
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LibraryThing member GlenRH
Although a little dated, the story moves well. It is a perfect story for youths. Adventure, friendships, and pull yourself up by the bootstraps situations. Love it!
LibraryThing member wunder
You’d probably pass this one up because of the title, but you’d be wrong. Yes, a lot of the plot is predictable, but it there is something interesting going on besides the regular academy and coming-of-age stuff. The Space Patrol is in charge of a global deterrent, orbiting nuclear weapons. The
Heinlein’s Space Patrol has a lot in common with Doc Smith’s Galactic Patrol, but without the all-knowning Arisians to keep them on course. This time, it is all up to the humans.
Of course, Ender’s Game is the best space cadet novel of all time, but I think it is a lot stronger if you know which direction a space cadet story is supposed to go. There are always a couple of cadets who don’t make the grade because they aren’t moral enough, but we don’t expect them to be psychopaths. Space Cadet stands on its own, but if you haven’t read Ender’s Game, you now have another reason to read Heinlein first.
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folk on the ground are so used to peace that even talking about the bombs is impolite. Could we make a lasting peace out of Mutually Assured Destruction? What kind of guardians would we need to make that work? The chill of the cold war spawns a bit of hope.Heinlein’s Space Patrol has a lot in common with Doc Smith’s Galactic Patrol, but without the all-knowning Arisians to keep them on course. This time, it is all up to the humans.
Of course, Ender’s Game is the best space cadet novel of all time, but I think it is a lot stronger if you know which direction a space cadet story is supposed to go. There are always a couple of cadets who don’t make the grade because they aren’t moral enough, but we don’t expect them to be psychopaths. Space Cadet stands on its own, but if you haven’t read Ender’s Game, you now have another reason to read Heinlein first.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1948
Physical description
221 p.; 7 inches
ISBN
0345306317 / 9780345306319