Four Frontiers (2005) is an omnibus edition of the first four SF novels in the Juvenile series, including The Rocket Ship Galileo, Space Cadet, Red Planet and Farmer in the Sky. These novels were originally written for young adult readers and still appeal to that age group. However, they may also excite many older readers who remember these books from their younger days.
Rocket Ship Galileo (1947) is the first novel in the series, depicting the initial flight to the Moon. Published in 1947, the story is now the history of an alternate timeline, in which the atomic weapons used to end World War II were succeeded by a more vigorous development of nuclear power as well as the growth of internationalism into a more powerful form of world government. Rocket ships are used routinely to carry passengers and freight to the ends of the Earth.
In this story, Doctor Donald Morris Cargraves has designed a system of power generation that is too powerful for existing turbines to handle. However, it would make an excellent rocket engine. He takes the idea to his corporate bosses, but they reject the technology as unlikely to have an adequate return on investment. His corporation owns the rights to power generation, but not those to rocket propulsion. Cargraves resigns, with no hard feelings on either side, to work on the idea.
While he is considering his options, Cargraves decides to visit his sister and nephew. However, Art is with his friends, Ross and Morrie, at the Galileo Club test site, trying out a new model rocket, so Cargraves drives out to meet them. The boys are running a test as he approaches and have set the engine to full thrust. All is going well until, suddenly, the engine hesitates and then explodes. After the boys have checked the remains and covered the instruments and test stand, they leave only to find Cargraves face down at the gate. They call an ambulance that takes him to the hospital.
The next day, the boys have gathered all the pieces of the rocket and tidied up the site when Cargraves shows up with a turban bandage on his head. They show him their clubhouse, with its workbench, equipment, logs, and reference books as well as a few SF novels and magazines. They talk for a while and then eat lunch at Ross's house with his father and mother. Afterwards, they return to the clubhouse and Cargraves suggests that they might want to join him in constructing a nuclear rocket ship to fly to the Moon.
This novel is the inspiration for the film Destination Moon, originally scripted by Robert Heinlein and Alford Van Ronkel, but the final script was much modified from the original. Nevertheless, Heinlein was employed as the technical advisor, so most of the realism in the movie comes from his efforts.
Space Cadet (1948) is the second SF novel in this series. It is set several decades in the future when colonies have been established on the inner planets and the moons of Jupiter. It also occurs during a time of peace for humanity.
In this story, on July 1, 2075, Matt meets Tex on the slidewalk to Hayworth Hall. After reaching the building, they discover that the atrium contains the USSF Rocket Ship Kilroy Was Here, the first ship to return from Mars. While they were admiring the exhibit, Oscar and Pete join them to discuss the history.
At first, the candidates are assigned randomly to double rooms. Matt finds himself rooming with Girald Burke. Although he doesn't like the cynical youth, Matt vows to hold his temper until he can arrange more compatible company.
Matt finds the environment to be unlike most of his experiences, although, as a scout, he has some familiarity with communal living. The dining halls are familiar. But Tex has a run-in with the passed cadet in charge of his table.
After the current round of tests are completed, remaining candidates are sworn into the Patrol. They are issued their whites and a book of regulations. Then they are taken to the PRS Randolph, the ship that is the Interplanetary Patrol Academy.
On the Randolph, Matt finds his days filled with studying, drills, labs, and occasional periods of sleep. He is having trouble with astrogation and considers a transfer to the Space Marines. Then he starts performing up to standard and gets the duty of guiding another class of cadets into the Randolph.
Red Planet (1949) is the third SF novel in this series. It is set is a universe where humans have settled on Mars beside a small number of natives remaining from a much greater civilization. Numerous ruins are scattered among living cities along the great canals.
The human settlement is governed by the Mars Company. This corporation has its headquarters on Earth. The Company head on Mars is the Resident Agent General.
The human colony migrates between the north and south poles to avoid the temperature extremes on Mars. The administrators dwell throughout the long Martian year -- twice as long as the Terran year -- in towns near the equator. Other outposts are dispersed over Mars, conducting scientific research and constructing the atmosphere plants.
In this story, Jim, Frank and Willis ride the mail scooter down the frozen canal toward the Company school. The driver is amazed at Willis's ability to reproduce music. At first, the driver thinks Willis is a sound recorder, but then he tries to buy the bouncer. Naturally, Jim refuses to sell Willis; in fact, he asserts that Willis is sentient and so is his own owner.
On the way to Syrtis Minor, Jim and Frank meet Gekko after following Willis into Cynia, a Martian town. Gekko accepts them as water friends. When time comes to leave, Gekko wants to retain Willis, but the bouncer wants to go with Jim.
At first, the Company school is much like they expect. But then the headmaster retires and a new man takes the post. This new headmaster had administered a military academy on Earth and tries to change the Company school into something similar.
When Howe posts new regulations, Jim ignores the rule about pets. After all, Willis is not just a pet like a dog or cat. Then Frank points out that the headmaster is a stickler for rules and would probably confiscate Willis, so Jim keeps the bouncer hidden. A few days later, late at night, Willis starts playing back latin music that had been played earlier and will not shut up.
Headmaster Howe bursts into the room and tries to turn off the playback. Of course, this doesn't work and he breaks a fingernail on the knob. Then he notices Willis and takes him away.
Farmer in the Sky (1950) is the fourth SF novel in this series. It is set at a time when the moons of Jupiter were being terraformed. Ganymede already had a heat shield to trap solar energy and an atmosphere plant to convert the ice to breathable air. A colony -- with a population of thirty thousand -- had formed around the power station at Leda.
The colonists had been carried to Ganymede in nuclear powered ships. Now the torchship Mayflower is being prepared to carry six thousand immigrants to the Ganymede colony. It will be leaving soon.
In this story, Bill is flying home from a trip to the High Sierras with Hank as his co-pilot. Bill doesn't know Hank very well and doesn't like the way that he is behaving. When he reaches home, he cooks supper for his Dad and complains about Hank's pushy attitude.
Then George tells Bill that he will be going to Ganymede on the Mayflower, but that Bill will be staying behind. George wants Bill to finish his education before relocating to Ganymede. Bill disagrees and they have a bitter argument.
When Bill returns from a field trip to Antarctica, George show him an application for the voyage made out in Bill's name. Naturally, Bill informs all his friends and acquaintances of the possibility of his going to Ganymede. Then comes the tests, but both of them pass and are accepted as colonists.
Then George breaks the news that he is getting married. Bill is shocked and leaves the room. He can't understand how his Dad could betray Anne. But he remembers how his mother told him to "stand tall" and he manages to interact with Molly and Peggy. Yet he is by no means friendly.
They take a shuttle out to the Mayflower. After a long wait, the Mayflower powers up and away. Bill had been expecting something worse than the shuttle takeoff, but the interplanetary ship uses only one gee of acceleration.
After sixty days of avoiding boredom -- and a very exciting meteorite strike -- the Mayflower reaches Ganymede orbit. The shuttle ferries the new immigrants down to the surface, where they find confusion and makeshift arrangements. The Mayflower carries many more colonists than previous ships and the settlement is struggling to cope. They have converted community buildings into barracks just to house the newcomers.
These novels have some incompatibilities with other works in this series concerning the aliens who also inhabit the Solar system. The Venerians in Space Cadet and the Martians in Red Planet differ from the equivalent aliens in Between Planets. However, the Juvenile novels are not as well integrated as the Future History series.
These stories are about the young men who explore, settle and police the Solar system. Read and enjoy!
Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and anyone else who in interested in the origins of modern science fiction.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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Le recensioni migliori da altri paesi
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Arthur W JordinRecensito negli Stati Uniti il 19 giugno 2009
Colonizing the Solar System
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dan hawkRecensito negli Stati Uniti il 24 agosto 2024
Very important intriguing book
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Steven ElkindRecensito negli Stati Uniti il 15 agosto 2023
A classic - in good condition as described, delivered when expected, and a fair price
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william newmoonRecensito negli Stati Uniti il 20 agosto 2018
Four Frontiers by Robert A. Heinlein
