| Between Planets | |
 First Edition cover for Between Planets |
|
| Author | Robert A. Heinlein |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Clifford Geary |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Publication date | 1951 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 222 pp |
| ISBN | NA |
| Preceded by | Farmer in the Sky |
| Followed by | The Rolling Stones |
Between Planets is a 1951 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialised in Blue Book magazine (September, October 1951). Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Clifford N Geary is an American illustrator noted for illustrating science books and Science fiction novels especially Robert A The United States of America —commonly referred to as the English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view Charles Scribner's Sons is a publisher The firm published Scribner's Magazine for many years The year 1951 in literature involved some significant events and new books A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a Book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with Cloth Paperback, softback, or softcover describe and refer to a Book by the nature of its binding. Farmer In The Sky is a 1950 Science fiction novel by Robert A The Rolling Stones (also published under the name Space Family Stone in the United Kingdom is a 1952 Science fiction novel Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Blue Book was a popular 20th-century American magazine which had a lengthy 70-year run under various titles from 1905 to 1975 It was published in hardcover that year by Scribner's as part of the Heinlein juveniles. Charles Scribner's Sons is a publisher The firm published Scribner's Magazine for many years "Heinlein juveniles" is a phrase that refers to the twelve novels written by Robert A
Plot summary
A young man named Don Harvey leaves high school on Earth to rendezvous with his scientist parents on Mars. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 An old family friend asks him to deliver a ring to his father, but they are both arrested by security forces. Harvey is released and given his ring back, after it has been examined; he is told that his friend has died of "heart failure. " It is only later that he realizes that all deaths can be described that way.
Harvey boards a shuttle to a space station orbiting the Earth. A space station is an artificial structure designed for Humans to live in Outer space. The station doubles as a transshipment terminus and a military base, armed with missiles to keep various restive nations in check. On the trip, he befriends one of his fellow passengers, a Venusian "dragon" named Sir Isaac Newton. Sir Isaac is a highly intelligent, sentient being who can speak English using a portable device. It is later revealed that Sir Isaac is a renowned physicist collaborating with Harvey's parents.
Harvey gets caught up in the Venusian war of independence when the station is captured by the colonials in a surprise raid. The VENUS ( V ictoria E xperimental N etwork U nder the S ea project is a cabled sea floor observatory operated by the University Most of the other travellers are sent back to Earth, while a few join the freedom fighters. Then there is Harvey. The spaceship to Mars is confiscated, but he remains determined to get there, by way of Venus if necessary. Because he was born in space, with one parent from Venus and the other from Earth, he might be able to claim Venusian citizenship by derivation; also, Sir Isaac vouches for him. So he is allowed to tag along, which turns out to be very fortunate for Harvey. The station is blown up to stir up trouble for the Earth government. When the shuttle returns to Earth with its radios disabled, it is fired upon by a jumpy military and destroyed, killing all aboard.
On his arrival on Venus, Harvey finds that his Earth-backed money is now worthless. He gets a job washing dishes for Charlie, a Chinese immigrant who runs a small restaurant. The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong He befriends a young woman, Isobel, when he tries to send a message to his parents. However, interplanetary communications have been shut down due to the hostilities. Harvey settles in to wait out the war, when the war comes to him.
Earth sends a military force to put down the rebellion. The conventional rebel forces are quickly routed. Charlie is killed resisting the occupying soldiers. Harvey is captured and questioned by a senior security officer, who is eager to get his hands on Harvey's ring. Luckily, Harvey had given it to Isobel for safekeeping and he doesn't know where she is. Before he can be returned to Earth for further interrogation, he escapes and joins the Venusian guerrilla forces.
Harvey becomes an effective soldier. In time, he is tracked down by the leaders of the resistance who also want the ring. It turns out that Isobel's father is an important member of the rebellion and she is in the very camp where Harvey has been taken.
The ring turns out to hold secret scientific research. With Sir Isaac's assistance, it is used to build an advanced spaceship that is much faster than any other vessel in existence. New weapons are also developed to arm the ship, christened Little David. As a combat veteran, Harvey joins the crew on its maiden voyage, manning the dead man's switch, with orders to blow up the ship if it is in danger of being captured. A dead man's switch (for other names see alternative names) as its name suggests is a switch that is automatically operated in case the Human operator becomes incapacitated Little David intercepts and defeats a flotilla sent to Mars to put down the revolt there. Harvey is finally reunited with his parents.
Other Media
Between Planets was serialized in Boys' Life magazine in 1978 as a monthly cartoon series. Boys' Life is the monthly Magazine of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA The word cartoon has various meanings based on several very different forms of Visual art and Illustration. The story took some liberties — for instance, the "Dragons" of Venus were portrayed as humanoids and the planets' names were changed — but the spirit of the story was relatively faithful. The term " humanoid " refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a Human.
External links
- Between Planets publication history at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic