achim reviewed The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
None
3 stars
Interesting perspective on moon colonies and AI, but a little too much politics for my taste...
302 pages
English language
Published Feb. 24, 1987 by Ace Books.
The moon is a harsh mistress
It is the late 21st Century and the Moon has been colonized -- as a giant, open, prison. Every aspect of life is overseen by the Federated Nations "Lunar Authority"; until one day when a self-aware Super-Computer, a Jack of all Trades Technician, an Anarchist Professor, and a beautiful Blonde Revolutionary decide to change their world. The conspirators' plans go along beautifully...for a while.
TANSTAAFL! There ain't no such thing as a free lunch! Robert A. Heinlein was the most influential science fiction writer of his era, an influence so large that, as Samuel R. Delany notes, "modern critics attempting to wrestle with that influence feel themselves dealing with an object rather like the sky or an ocean." He won the Hugo Award for best novel four times, a record that still stands. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress was the last of these Hugo-winning novels, and it is …
It is the late 21st Century and the Moon has been colonized -- as a giant, open, prison. Every aspect of life is overseen by the Federated Nations "Lunar Authority"; until one day when a self-aware Super-Computer, a Jack of all Trades Technician, an Anarchist Professor, and a beautiful Blonde Revolutionary decide to change their world. The conspirators' plans go along beautifully...for a while.
TANSTAAFL! There ain't no such thing as a free lunch! Robert A. Heinlein was the most influential science fiction writer of his era, an influence so large that, as Samuel R. Delany notes, "modern critics attempting to wrestle with that influence feel themselves dealing with an object rather like the sky or an ocean." He won the Hugo Award for best novel four times, a record that still stands. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress was the last of these Hugo-winning novels, and it is widely considered his finest work. It is a tale of revolution, of the rebellion of the former Lunar penal colony against the Lunar Authority that controls it from Earth. It is the tale of the disparate people -- a computer technician, a vigorous young female agitator, and an elderly academic -- who become the rebel movement's leaders. And it is the story of Mike, the supercomputer whose sentience is known only to this inner circle, and who for reasons of his own is committed to the revolution's ultimate success. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is one of the high points of modern science fiction, a novel bursting with politics, humanity, passion, innovative technical speculation, and a firm belief in the pursuit of human freedom. - Back cover.
Review of 'The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress' on Goodreads
3 stars
''When Mike was installed in Luna, he was pure thinkum, a flexible logic -- ''High-Optional, Logical, Multi-Evaluating Supervisor, Mark IV, Mod. L'' -- HOLMES FOUR. He computed ballistics for pilotless freighters and controlled their catapult. This kept him busy less than one per cent of time and Luna Authority never believed in idle hands. They kept hooking hardware into him -- decision-action boxes to let him boss other computers, bank on bank of additional memories, more banks of associational neural nets, another tubful of twelve-digit random numbers, a greatly augmented temporary memory. Human brain has around ten-to-the-tenth neurons. By third year Mike had better than one and a half time that number of neuristors.
And woke up.''
''When Mike was installed in Luna, he was pure thinkum, a flexible logic -- ''High-Optional, Logical, Multi-Evaluating Supervisor, Mark IV, Mod. L'' -- HOLMES FOUR. He computed ballistics for pilotless freighters and controlled their catapult. This kept him busy less than one per cent of time and Luna Authority never believed in idle hands. They kept hooking hardware into him -- decision-action boxes to let him boss other computers, bank on bank of additional memories, more banks of associational neural nets, another tubful of twelve-digit random numbers, a greatly augmented temporary memory. Human brain has around ten-to-the-tenth neurons. By third year Mike had better than one and a half time that number of neuristors.
And woke up.''
scifijack reviewed The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Review of 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This here is my favorite book. I suppose The Road meant more to me, but when I'm taking my entrance test for heaven, and they ask me what my favorite book was and why, I'll say this one. And it'll be because of the amazing world Heinlein created, and the amazing characters he had populate it, and the ideas, which aren't always new -- in fact, certain of them are awfully old, and crusty from disuse -- those characters have, and the story, oh!, the amazing story of the liberation of the moon. I have a tattoo with a brass cannon over a field or stars with a red bar sinister and the acronym TANSTAAFL on my left arm. This is my favorite book.
This here is my favorite book. I suppose The Road meant more to me, but when I'm taking my entrance test for heaven, and they ask me what my favorite book was and why, I'll say this one. And it'll be because of the amazing world Heinlein created, and the amazing characters he had populate it, and the ideas, which aren't always new -- in fact, certain of them are awfully old, and crusty from disuse -- those characters have, and the story, oh!, the amazing story of the liberation of the moon. I have a tattoo with a brass cannon over a field or stars with a red bar sinister and the acronym TANSTAAFL on my left arm. This is my favorite book.
HokieGeek reviewed The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Review of 'The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
After getting past Heinlein's usual Oedipal fantasies, this quickly became a wonderful book - one of his best!
After getting past Heinlein's usual Oedipal fantasies, this quickly became a wonderful book - one of his best!
Review of 'The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a political/sci-fi masterpiece. The book tells the story of Lunar (used to exile criminals and their families, once you adapt to life on the moon it was almost impossible to adjust back to the gravity of earth) and their struggle to become a free nation. Lunar while a place of criminals, political exiles or their descendants is like any other countries; yearning for liberty and to be free from the tyranny of their slaves. With the help of a supercomputer with a personality; Mycroft, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a well-paced, action charged, science fiction must-read. Without giving much away this book has a strong political message but done in such a way that the story and climax is never effected.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a political/sci-fi masterpiece. The book tells the story of Lunar (used to exile criminals and their families, once you adapt to life on the moon it was almost impossible to adjust back to the gravity of earth) and their struggle to become a free nation. Lunar while a place of criminals, political exiles or their descendants is like any other countries; yearning for liberty and to be free from the tyranny of their slaves. With the help of a supercomputer with a personality; Mycroft, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a well-paced, action charged, science fiction must-read. Without giving much away this book has a strong political message but done in such a way that the story and climax is never effected.
Bean reviewed The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Review of 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Lunar colony of the future revolts against its earth-bound rulers. There are many interesting facets to the book. I especially liked Mike the supercomputer's progression throughout the novel, learning to deal with others and 'jokes'.
Like Stranger in a Strange Land, I had a few eyerolls at the libertarian lean, but I found the whole situation more plausible. Definitely a good read.
Lunar colony of the future revolts against its earth-bound rulers. There are many interesting facets to the book. I especially liked Mike the supercomputer's progression throughout the novel, learning to deal with others and 'jokes'.
Like Stranger in a Strange Land, I had a few eyerolls at the libertarian lean, but I found the whole situation more plausible. Definitely a good read.
tivasyk reviewed The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Review of 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
great classic sci-fi. i've forgotten what an interesting reading every heinlein's novell is.
great classic sci-fi. i've forgotten what an interesting reading every heinlein's novell is.
ospalh reviewed Der Mond ist eine herbe Geliebte by Robert A. Heinlein
Review of 'Der Mond ist eine herbe Geliebte' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Mit diesem Buch (dieser deutschen Version) hat’s für mich Angefangen.
Hiermit wurde ich zum Fan. Von (»hard«) SF im Allgemeinen und von [a:Robert A Heinlein|14470098|Robert A Heinlein|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] im besonderen.
Ein bisschen Abzug gibt es für diese Ausgabe schon. Da ich dem Original aber ★★★★★★ (!) geben würde, bleiben hierfür immer noch die vollen ★★★★★.
— Sie ist gekürzt um etwa 18 % der Originallänge. Das ist nicht schlecht gemacht, aber es geht ziemlich viel des Kolorits des Originals – und der politischen Ansichten des Autors – verloren. Schade fand ich z.B., dass die Seitenhiebe auf das amerikanische Maßsystem herausgeflogen sind. »14 Zoll (sic, das ist der Witz) pro Fuß und weiß der Geier wie viele Fuß pro Meile« ist nicht in der deutschen Version. Auch »TANSTAAFL« kommt nicht wirklich vor. Weder der Begriff, noch die Idee.
— Die Übersetzung ist gut. Im Sinne von Schulnote 2. …
Mit diesem Buch (dieser deutschen Version) hat’s für mich Angefangen.
Hiermit wurde ich zum Fan. Von (»hard«) SF im Allgemeinen und von [a:Robert A Heinlein|14470098|Robert A Heinlein|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] im besonderen.
Ein bisschen Abzug gibt es für diese Ausgabe schon. Da ich dem Original aber ★★★★★★ (!) geben würde, bleiben hierfür immer noch die vollen ★★★★★.
— Sie ist gekürzt um etwa 18 % der Originallänge. Das ist nicht schlecht gemacht, aber es geht ziemlich viel des Kolorits des Originals – und der politischen Ansichten des Autors – verloren. Schade fand ich z.B., dass die Seitenhiebe auf das amerikanische Maßsystem herausgeflogen sind. »14 Zoll (sic, das ist der Witz) pro Fuß und weiß der Geier wie viele Fuß pro Meile« ist nicht in der deutschen Version. Auch »TANSTAAFL« kommt nicht wirklich vor. Weder der Begriff, noch die Idee.
— Die Übersetzung ist gut. Im Sinne von Schulnote 2. Es ist (fast) alles korrekt übersetzt, die deutschen Sätze geben den Sinn der englischen korrekt wieder. Mehr darf man von einer Auftragsarbeit, für die es nicht mehr Geld gibt, wenn mensch extra viel Aufwand betreibt um Nuance des Originals schön wiederzugeben, nicht erwarten. Aber wieder geht nochmal einiges an Kolorit verloren. Orignal hat Loonie-Slang. Mit russischem Einschlag. Nicht in Übersetzung. Amüsiert hat mich dieser Fehler: aus “Peace Dragoons” wurden »Friedensdrachen«. Lieber Übersetzer, zählt doch bitte noch mal die »o«s.
Insgesamt bleibt ein höchst unterhaltsamer aber nicht sehr politischer SF-Abeteuerroman
