Author: Robert Heinlein
Pages: 261
Publisher: Pocket Books (New York) 1953
Starman Jones was Heinlein's seventh juvenile novel for Scribner's and was published in 1953. His publishers only wanted minor changes and so for the most part the book went off without a hitch.
The central plot centers around Max Jones who starts the story as a farm boy until his new stepfather abusive behavior drives him to seeking the far reaches of the stars. Max's journey ultimately leads him to befriending a tramp named Sam and both of them stow away on a space liner. Max's natural talent for remembering everything he reads and mathematics soon finds him promoted to being an astrogator, but the course of events leads the liner to be lost in space and Jones being ultimately promoted to captain and it is placed on his shoulders to get them home. For Jones it really becomes both a rags to riches story and a coming of age story all in one.
Technologically, this was a big leap for Heinlein and a look at real speculative technology involving space travel on a stellar level. Star to star travel is made possible by the discovery of warp points and massive discoveries in power and space drive technology. Astrogators are needed to do the complex mathematics to make these jumps possible. Ultimately this is the only place where current technology has already surpassed Heinlein's vision as modern computers could do what the astrogators do. Artificial gravity generated by fields and other convenience technologies give us a world where real space travel across the galaxy is possible.
Sociologically, Heinlein engages the idea of human freedom as in the course of the liner being lost they encounter a planet that has evolved into a symbiotic slavery. The statement being that humans were not made for such a thing. Heinlein does make some sexually interesting situations but they do not in any way go over the top. As always, Heinlein bets on mankind's abilities to adapt and overcome obstacles.
Stylistically, this is a well written book but perhaps because this is the first time he has really gone far into the future, not one of his best. His characters are well done, but the story at times seems a little predicable and slightly romanticized. Other than that this is classic Heinlein.
Rating: 4 stars. I love this story and it introduces us to Heinlein's far future history which is good. Other than the few small objections I have, this is a good read and an entertaining one.
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