The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
For fans of Artemis--the visionary tour de force from "one of the grand masters of science fiction" (The Wall Street Journal). Widely acknowledged as one of Robert A. Heinlein's greatest works, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress rose from the golden age of science fiction to become an undisputed classic--and a touchstone for the philosophy of personal responsibility and political freedom. A revolution on a lunar penal colony--aided by a self-aware supercomputer--provides the framework for a story of a diverse group of men and women grappling with the ever-changing definitions of humanity, technology, and free will--themes that resonate just as strongly today as they did when the novel was first published. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress gives readers an extraordinary, thought-provoking glimpse into the mind of Robert A. Heinlein, who, even now, "shows us where the future is" (Tom Clancy).
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I first read this as a kid, but my rating is the same as then. There are many interesting things to consider in this novel: a conscious computer, consciousness versus having a conscience, the principles of freedom and rebellion, the dangers of a crowded dystopian Earth, and some fun guesses at utopian futures: racial integration, varying family structures, tax-free government etc. All of this, plus the tricky revolution plots, make for a very fun book. But large chunks of the book drag, especially in the second half.
Heinlein was some of the earliest sci-fi I read as a kid, included in the box of pulpy paperbacks my dad gave me, and I appreciate that he is one of the innovators/pillars of the genre(s) -- but I cannot stand his writing. I just cannot get past Heinlein's complete lack of understanding of women and his inability to portray them in a realistic way. Every once in a while I try it again, thinking maybe I just missed something. In this one I was interested in the development of the AI character at the beginning, but once the hot babe, the politics, and the revolution came in, I lost interested and ducked out. Ah well, he doesn't need me as a fan, he's got plenty of others.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.