Heinleins vision of a possible future (Tunnel in the Sky - Robert A. Heinlein)

Member Name: raypdaley182

Product:	Tunnel in the Sky - Robert A. Heinlein
Date:	17/03/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lord Of The Flies in Space (nearly)

Disadvantages: Of its time

Written in 1955 way before the space race ever got started this is one of Robert Heinleins visions of a possible future that we now know didn't happen. But its still a great book and makes for very enjoyable reading.

Our main protagonist is Rod Walker, a senior at Patrick Henry High School who is about to take his Advanced Survival Course which according to the notice he reads can take place on "ANY planet, ANY climate, ANY terrain", has "no rules" and allows "all weapons, any equipment".

Students are also warned "Test Duration is not less than 48 hours , not more than 10 days" and Rod tells us he can graduate college without taking this course but he really wants to as it gives him a better chance in his chosen future career - what he calls the "Outlands professions" which are further explained later in the book.

We are introduced to his fellow students also taking the course and Rod explains how space travel was conquered by the use of the "Ramsbotham gate", here Heinlein pretty much invents the concept of the Stargate and it seems the movie and tv show stole their idea for that technology from him.

We meet Rods parents, his fathers illness is quickly explained as is his sisters career in the Corps of Amazons and it is very quickly explained how his parents plan to beat his fathers illness by using some sort of cryonics technology (its never really made totally clear but thats my understanding of it).

Rod does eventually go off to his course but there is some kind of accident which sends him and his fellow students to somewhere they didn't expect. They had been warned to "beware of the Stobor" and we then follow Rods progress or lack of same as he tries to just stay alive on a hostile planet with unknown creatures & predators.

It's an idea thats been done to death since the book was written (its practically Lord Of The Flies or Robinson Crusoe in space in bits of it) but this still stands out as a good story that keeps you hooked until the next page right to the finish. Rod does eventually meet up with others and they form a basic society with marriages, births, deaths and even the foundation of a town.

After almost 2 years of fending off fanged beasts & living off the land, rescue does come from Earth but some are unsure if they wish to leave what they spent so long and some gave their lives to create. Rod returns to find his sister married to his teacher and the situation with his fathers illness is resolved. It's a quite open ending that echoes a previous section of the book but it leaves you with hope for the future and thats a good thing from an ending.

The book can be very sexist in places about the roles of men & women but the women in this are shown to be as strong as the men (especially Caroline), but it seems Heinlein was convinced women should get married, stay at home and raise children.

I think today it would make a great sci-fi movie or tv miniseries as it has a great story with very well rounded characters, as for the book itself its certainly a good page turner and will keep you nicely hooked into the story.

Its not too heavy going and certainly holds up to numerous re-reads which I can attest to personally having easily read it more than 20 times now and its still as enjoyable a read every time.

(this review also appears on Ciao)

Summary: Great bit of sci-fi