At his death in 1988, Robert A. Heinlein left a legacy of novels and short stories that almost single-handedly defined modern science fiction. But one of Heinlein’s masterpieces was never finished. In 1955, he began work on Variable Star, a powerful and passionate tale of two young lovers driven apart by pride, power, and the vastness of interstellar time and space. Then he set it aside to focus on other novellas.
The detailed outline and notes he created for this project lay forgotten for decades, only to be rediscovered almost a half century later. Now the Heinlein estate has authorized award-winning author Spider Robinson to expand that outline into a full-length novel. The result is vintage Heinlein, faithful in style and spirit to the Grand Master’s original vision.
Reviews
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VARIABLE STAR is a novel that was outlined by the late Robert A. Heinlein in the early phase of his career. Spider Robinson, who offers full details in the afterword, used that outline to create this novel, which reads in equal parts like the works of both authors. Robinson narrates as well, and a better choice couldn't be made. He's got a pleasant, inviting tone that makes his narration feel like a friend telling you the most incredible story about where he's been the last few years. The novel is full of philosophical insight, exploding things, and space travel. It's everything you could ask for in a visit from an old and dear friend. Spider Robinson is a top-notch narrator, and this audiobook is a whole lot of fun. S.D.D. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
New York Times...
I'd nominate Spider Robinson as the new Robert Heinlein.
About the Author
Robert Anson Heinlein (1907-1988) was born in Missouri. He served five years in the U.S. Navy, then studied mathematics and physics at the graduate school of UCLA, took a variety of jobs, and owned a silver mine before beginning to write science fiction in 1939. His novels have won the Hugo Award, and in 1975 he received the First Grand Master Nebula Award for lifetime achievement.
