Robert A. Heinlein was the most influential science fiction writer of his era, an influence so large that, as Samuel R. Delany notes, “modern critics attempting to wrestle with that influence find themselves dealing with an object rather like the sky or an ocean.” He won the Hugo Award for best novel four times, a record that still stands. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress was the last of these … Hugo-winning novels, and it is widely considered his finest work.
It is a tale of revolution, of the rebellion of the former Lunar penal colony against the Lunar Authority that controls it from Earth. It is the tale of the disparate people–a computer technician, a vigorous young female agitator, and an elderly academic–who become the rebel movement’s leaders. And it is the story of Mike, the supercomputer whose sentience is known only to this inner circle, and who for reasons of his own is committed to the revolution’s ultimate success.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is one of the high points of modern science fiction, a novel bursting with politics, humanity, passion, innovative technical speculation, and a firm belief in the pursuit of human freedom.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is the winner of the 1967 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
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First, I am a Robert A. Heinlein FAN. I have only read one of his books that I just did not like, and this was NOT the one.
It is, in many ways, a replay of the American Revolution – maybe mixed with the transportee system used by England which sent convicts to Australia.
There are now several generations of people born IN the moon (underground colonies for radiation protection), and Earth is hungry (“hangry”) for more grain shipments. The grain. – underground farms, of course) is shipped in containers propelled down the gravity well by magnetic “cannons.”
The colonists want to be free. Earth wants what England wanted – cheap goods and no backtalk. Talk of revolution springs up.
Manny is a mechanic – or a computer repairman – or both. There is a supercomputer that has been essentially added on to and added I to until it “wakes up.” It is interested in EVERYTHING, and Manny is its/his? friend. Manny and a couple of others create a cell system to decrease the risk of betrayal, and the computer “Mike” becomes the figurehead for the revolution.
I won’t reveal more other than to remind you that often in battle the HIGH ground is a serious advantage.
Buy it – read it or listen to it. Heinlein spins a great story with characters you care for – warm-blooded or otherwise. The story makes you think about societal mores, about the definition of “human,” about the exploration and exploitation of space, and, maybe, even a little bit about humor.
One of my all time favs. I read it a long time ago, long before PC’s ever came about. Now they are experimenting with AI, I just hope what develops from it is like Mike in the story, and not like SkyNet.
A sci-fi classic from the prophetic Dean of Science Fiction! Highly recommended. JF™
The best syfy ever!! Mike is what everyone wants a friend to be and the ending has been haunting me for decades!!!
Terrific. Really makes you think about the world. Wonder at the ways societies work. And how people do/do not get along.
One of Heinlein’s greatest books
This is my favorite Heinlein book. A great underdog story with an interesting computer.
Not only classic Science Fiction but also very educational with good accurate Science.
Possibly Heinlein’s best
Loosely based on the American Revolution, the prison colony Luna struggles against oppressive giant neighbor Earth. This is a Sci-Fi book heavy on interesting science. It’s also one of the finest books in the genre. 1967 Hugo Award winner.
Despite having been written over 50-years ago, Harsh Mistress has weathered very well. Built on a host of common themes, including revolution, artificial intelligence, and world building, Heinlein does weaves an entertaining and attractive story.