Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Panther (1975), Edition: 3rd THUS, Paperback, 204 pages
Description
Utopia has been achieved. Disease, hunger, poverty and war are found only in the history tapes, and applied genetics has brought a lifespan of over a century. But Hamilton Felix is bored. And he is the culmination of a star line; each of his last thirty ancestors chosen for superior genes. He is, as far as genetics can produce one, the ultimate man, yet sees no meaning in life. However, his life is about to become less boring. A secret cabal of revolutionaries plan to revolt and seize control. Knowing of Hamilton's disenchantment with the modern world, they want him to join their Glorious Revolution. Big mistake The revolutionaries are about to find out that recruiting a superman was definitely not a good idea. . . "Not only America's premier writer of speculative fiction, but the greatest writer of such fiction in the world." - Stephen King "There is no other writer whose work has exhilarated me as often and to such an extent as Heinlein." - Dean Koontz… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member laura1814
This book is densely packed with philosophical musings on the nature of society and of man. It is both utopian and dis-utopian. It shows what happens after a few centuries of selective genetic breeding-- not genetic engineering, precisely, but a long-term view of breeding to promote certain traits.
My favorite quotation: "An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." This is followed by an explanation of how dueling is good for natural selection. I love it!
This book shows its age well, with one significant exception. If you didn't know what year it was written in, you would not be able to guess within about 50 years. The significant exception is the treatment of women, who are allowed to be brilliant and have meaningful careers, and even be part of the highest level of policy makers-- but who nevertheless play a decidedly subsidiary role to the men whom the book is about. In this respect the book remains firmly rooted in the first half of the twentieth century.
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But what happens when a "star line" person declines to procreate for philosophical reasons? My favorite quotation: "An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." This is followed by an explanation of how dueling is good for natural selection. I love it!
This book shows its age well, with one significant exception. If you didn't know what year it was written in, you would not be able to guess within about 50 years. The significant exception is the treatment of women, who are allowed to be brilliant and have meaningful careers, and even be part of the highest level of policy makers-- but who nevertheless play a decidedly subsidiary role to the men whom the book is about. In this respect the book remains firmly rooted in the first half of the twentieth century.
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LibraryThing member RandyStafford
My reactions to reading this novel in 1994. Spoilers follow.
I originally read this novel because it contains, David Brin said in an essay on gun control, Heinlein’s famous remark, “An armed society is a polite society.” I expected an extended rumination on the viability of a society which
What this book really is the most extreme of Heinlein’s preoccupation with genetic influences on human behavior and his desire – as Charles Brown put it – to reconcile morals and religion. One of Heinlein’s political concerns – the nature and preservation of liberty – is also on display here with the idea of an armed citizenry, but this novel is a better exemplar of a rationalistic school of sf stories from the 40s and 30s pulps – especially Astounding – that featured societies centrally planned – either politically or economically or both. (In the most famous example – Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy – the society’s future is planned.).
It seems to be a rather socialistic society, at least from the standpoint of government doles, a central planning organization (whose pretensions to complete knowledge, albeit aided by computers, would have F.A. Hayek smirking), diversion of money to projects that produce nothing and a scene featuring a man from the twentieth century who remarks the world is not run on Adam Smith’s principles. I can’t help thinking that this book was written at a time when Heinlein was somewhat enamored of communism.. Also, the society of his The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is noticeably more libertarian. It is also a society which concerns itself with state run eugenics. (Not in a coercive sense, though one genetic planner wishes she could force hero Hamilton Felix to reproduce.) Parents consciously try to genetically improve their children.
While the biological science and genetic manipulation technology have obviously dated, I’m not sure that some of Heinlein’s points on genetics – that some traits are the result of a complex of genes and some traits not easily linked to genetic influence – are invalid though, of course, he optimistically postulates being able to pin down genetic influences on math ability, for instance. Others receive large payments to be “control naturals” and take their chances with physical ailments genetically weeded out. The main thrust of all this is the betterment of the human race because, as Heinlein says, good times for the individual are not good times for the genetic hardiness of the race since natural selection pressure is functioning. Therefore, artificial selection must replace it. There is a brief description of the First Genetic Wars and the Second Genetic War where the “Empire of the Great Khans” produced genetically superior soldiers under a hive-like totalitarian state. They failed due to overspecialization.
Much of the story is taken up by a revolt of malcontents who wish to impose a coercive eugenics on society. They fail because they simply don’t have the intelligence to succeed and are motivated by fantasies which ignore the complexity of running this rather utopian state. In effect, they haven’t been bred for it like characters Claude Mordan and Monroe Alpha-Clifford (genetics and economic planners respectively). (I think this novel gets an unfair rap for allegedly stating that no revolution, in Darwinian terms, deserves to succeed that doesn’t succeed. I don’t see that as being stated.). Even more of the book is concerned with Hamilton’s existential crises as he wonders what the purpose of life is, what the point of humanity’s survival is, and why science concerns itself with only the how and not the why of existence. Pretty big – and, at least initially to Claude Mordan, unanswerable questions Mordan’s wife goes so far as to say only a psychopathic personality would dwell on them. But have no fear, science and rational planning comes up with the answer. Through the culmination of Mordan’s plan to marry Felix to his fifth cousin and advance the genetic “star line”, Felix learns that the purpose of life is to pass on a legacy physical and genetic, to help the race survive, and gain knowledge. One character embarks on a project to model, with mathematics and instrumentality – a “Grand Eidouranium – the entire universe to answer questions like the distribution of life. He marries his cousin and has kids.
It’s in this last respect that, to my mind, the novel becomes absurd in its faith not only in rational social planning but the power of science to answer every question – for Felix helps turn the resources of society loose on getting questions on the nature of telepathy and survival after death. Science, in this novel, can provide the answers to everything and plan and model everything. This may be one of the most extreme expressions of that trend in sf at the time.
Still, it was an interesting read. Stylistically, this story lacks the slickly inserted explication of Heinlein’s later works through there are plenty of lectures by characters. Heinlein’s characteristically dazzling and strange dialogue only shows up between Felix and his wife here.
I originally read this novel because it contains, David Brin said in an essay on gun control, Heinlein’s famous remark, “An armed society is a polite society.” I expected an extended rumination on the viability of a society which
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allows private force. Armed citizens, their duels, and the corresponding social conventions and manners are only a very small part of this part. What this book really is the most extreme of Heinlein’s preoccupation with genetic influences on human behavior and his desire – as Charles Brown put it – to reconcile morals and religion. One of Heinlein’s political concerns – the nature and preservation of liberty – is also on display here with the idea of an armed citizenry, but this novel is a better exemplar of a rationalistic school of sf stories from the 40s and 30s pulps – especially Astounding – that featured societies centrally planned – either politically or economically or both. (In the most famous example – Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy – the society’s future is planned.).
It seems to be a rather socialistic society, at least from the standpoint of government doles, a central planning organization (whose pretensions to complete knowledge, albeit aided by computers, would have F.A. Hayek smirking), diversion of money to projects that produce nothing and a scene featuring a man from the twentieth century who remarks the world is not run on Adam Smith’s principles. I can’t help thinking that this book was written at a time when Heinlein was somewhat enamored of communism.. Also, the society of his The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is noticeably more libertarian. It is also a society which concerns itself with state run eugenics. (Not in a coercive sense, though one genetic planner wishes she could force hero Hamilton Felix to reproduce.) Parents consciously try to genetically improve their children.
While the biological science and genetic manipulation technology have obviously dated, I’m not sure that some of Heinlein’s points on genetics – that some traits are the result of a complex of genes and some traits not easily linked to genetic influence – are invalid though, of course, he optimistically postulates being able to pin down genetic influences on math ability, for instance. Others receive large payments to be “control naturals” and take their chances with physical ailments genetically weeded out. The main thrust of all this is the betterment of the human race because, as Heinlein says, good times for the individual are not good times for the genetic hardiness of the race since natural selection pressure is functioning. Therefore, artificial selection must replace it. There is a brief description of the First Genetic Wars and the Second Genetic War where the “Empire of the Great Khans” produced genetically superior soldiers under a hive-like totalitarian state. They failed due to overspecialization.
Much of the story is taken up by a revolt of malcontents who wish to impose a coercive eugenics on society. They fail because they simply don’t have the intelligence to succeed and are motivated by fantasies which ignore the complexity of running this rather utopian state. In effect, they haven’t been bred for it like characters Claude Mordan and Monroe Alpha-Clifford (genetics and economic planners respectively). (I think this novel gets an unfair rap for allegedly stating that no revolution, in Darwinian terms, deserves to succeed that doesn’t succeed. I don’t see that as being stated.). Even more of the book is concerned with Hamilton’s existential crises as he wonders what the purpose of life is, what the point of humanity’s survival is, and why science concerns itself with only the how and not the why of existence. Pretty big – and, at least initially to Claude Mordan, unanswerable questions Mordan’s wife goes so far as to say only a psychopathic personality would dwell on them. But have no fear, science and rational planning comes up with the answer. Through the culmination of Mordan’s plan to marry Felix to his fifth cousin and advance the genetic “star line”, Felix learns that the purpose of life is to pass on a legacy physical and genetic, to help the race survive, and gain knowledge. One character embarks on a project to model, with mathematics and instrumentality – a “Grand Eidouranium – the entire universe to answer questions like the distribution of life. He marries his cousin and has kids.
It’s in this last respect that, to my mind, the novel becomes absurd in its faith not only in rational social planning but the power of science to answer every question – for Felix helps turn the resources of society loose on getting questions on the nature of telepathy and survival after death. Science, in this novel, can provide the answers to everything and plan and model everything. This may be one of the most extreme expressions of that trend in sf at the time.
Still, it was an interesting read. Stylistically, this story lacks the slickly inserted explication of Heinlein’s later works through there are plenty of lectures by characters. Heinlein’s characteristically dazzling and strange dialogue only shows up between Felix and his wife here.
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This is one of Heinlein's first novels, published as a book in 1948, it would be his second novel, and actually it first appeared in serialized form in 1942. So I'd agree he's not at the top of his form here, although it's interesting to see themes and tropes here that would later come to flower in
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his later novels. (Among other things this is the first appearance of that Heinlein aphorism, "An armed society is a polite society.") There are echoes here too, of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, published in 1931 over a decade before as this deals with the issues of eugenics. For me at least, there's no such thing as a bad Heinlein novel. I find them all readable and interesting, despite seeing their flaws. This isn't one I can't see rereading, and it certainly wouldn't make my top ten list of his best novels. Even so, this one has its charms in the play of ideas and in an inventive and imaginative future. Show Less
LibraryThing member ikeman100
Even great writers were not always great. This Early Heinlein is rambling and uneven. Unlike most of his works it feels very dated. I struggled to stay interested. Three stars is kindness.
It is a very early work so I forgive him. We all have to start somewhere.
It is a very early work so I forgive him. We all have to start somewhere.
LibraryThing member EmScape
This novel is short on action and long on info-dump. Issues of philosophy and economics are explored to great extent. Heinlein has some very well-reasoned ideas about how an Utopian society should be run.
Citizens go about armed, duels to the death are frequent, and politeness is the order of the
As usual with Heinlein, there are issues with his characters treatment of women. Both main female characters are threatened with bodily harm upon first meeting the males they will eventually end up with, one being subdued physically and first forced and then guilted into kissing the main character.
An interesting foray into social psychology and government disguised as science fiction, with a rather abrupt ending, just when it seemed something interesting might happen.
Citizens go about armed, duels to the death are frequent, and politeness is the order of the
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day. Food is free, but pay-restaurants provide a more gourmet experience. Nationwide costs and expenses are managed to the penny and surpluses are spent on "useless" research into the meaning of life. Children are created by genetic selection, to be the best possible from the chromosomes of both parents, but still mostly raised by parents. As usual with Heinlein, there are issues with his characters treatment of women. Both main female characters are threatened with bodily harm upon first meeting the males they will eventually end up with, one being subdued physically and first forced and then guilted into kissing the main character.
An interesting foray into social psychology and government disguised as science fiction, with a rather abrupt ending, just when it seemed something interesting might happen.
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LibraryThing member BenKline
In between 2 and 3 stars. Not sure which I'm leaning closer to.
LibraryThing member Navarre1963
Probably the most disappointing "novel" I've ever read by this author. There was hardly any story, some plot to overthrow the government and replace it with a new order, and the characters were barely one dimensional. Most of the book was taken up with long passages about genetic manipulation,
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natural selection and the history of genetics. Show Less
LibraryThing member pgiunta
Three centuries into the future, the human race has become a product of artificial selection through genetic engineering. The world has conquered poverty, crime, and most diseases and while there are still natural-born humans, they are generally considered inferior.
Despite this alleged Utopia,
Refusing to be easily dissuaded, Claude steers the attractive and willful Longcourt Phyllis in Felix’s direction, but while Felix slowly warms up to her, he comes into contact with a dangerous revolutionary known as McFee Norbert who is gathering forces to overthrow the government and institute their own version of a perfect world.
Despite Claude’s objections, Felix infiltrates the group, but can he and Claude stop the revolution when the rebels send forces to invade the Central Clinic?
A master storyteller, Heinlein does a deft job of revealing this new world as the plot develops, although the story is occasionally stifled by several pages—and an entire third chapter—of purely scientific (or pseudo-scientific) discourse in the form of dense info-dumping. This is something that would never make it past a contemporary editor, of course, but as an avid reader of golden age SF novels, I’m accustomed to it. At that time, it was fairly common in the genre. Modern readers might also stumble over Heinlein’s occasional use of what would now be considered archaic grammar, but, in such cases, meaning can easily be derived from context.
Published in 1948, Beyond this Horizon is one of Heinlein’s earliest novels and offers a glimpse into the imaginative and prescient mind of one SF’s legendary visionaries.
Despite this alleged Utopia,
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wealthy game designer Hamilton Felix questions whether mankind should even continue as a race. Felix is from a “star line”, the product of 300 years of tightly controlled genetics. Yet, when the District Moderator for Genetics, Mordan Claude, calls Felix to the Central Clinic to suggest that he take a wife and produce offspring, Felix balks.Refusing to be easily dissuaded, Claude steers the attractive and willful Longcourt Phyllis in Felix’s direction, but while Felix slowly warms up to her, he comes into contact with a dangerous revolutionary known as McFee Norbert who is gathering forces to overthrow the government and institute their own version of a perfect world.
Despite Claude’s objections, Felix infiltrates the group, but can he and Claude stop the revolution when the rebels send forces to invade the Central Clinic?
A master storyteller, Heinlein does a deft job of revealing this new world as the plot develops, although the story is occasionally stifled by several pages—and an entire third chapter—of purely scientific (or pseudo-scientific) discourse in the form of dense info-dumping. This is something that would never make it past a contemporary editor, of course, but as an avid reader of golden age SF novels, I’m accustomed to it. At that time, it was fairly common in the genre. Modern readers might also stumble over Heinlein’s occasional use of what would now be considered archaic grammar, but, in such cases, meaning can easily be derived from context.
Published in 1948, Beyond this Horizon is one of Heinlein’s earliest novels and offers a glimpse into the imaginative and prescient mind of one SF’s legendary visionaries.
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LibraryThing member annbury
OK Heinlein, which means iit creates an interesting imaginary society, which kept me reading to the end. The characters in this one, however, seem more like representatives of ideas and types than like individuals. Moreover, there are echoes of "Brave New World" -- too many for my taste. Finally,
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the novel makes a big todo of asking "what is the meaning of life", and appears to answer "babies", which seems a bit pat Show Less
LibraryThing member JudithProctor
Heinlein wrote many great books. This is not one of them.
He originally published it under a pseudonym - I can see why!
He originally published it under a pseudonym - I can see why!
LibraryThing member Razinha
Progressive, yet sexist/misogynistic. Imaginative, yet predictable. Intelligent. Bizarre.
LibraryThing member ragwaine
My wife and I like to read "retro" sci-fi once or twice a year. We've got a ton of it on our shelves. Some of them hold up well, others not so much, but it's almost always entertaining to be reminded about how much society has changed, usually in respect to gender roles.
This one was strange. It
On the pro side, there were some great one liners. On the con side, there were some long passages of the science of genes, dna, recessive traits etc... where it felt like I was reading a text book for biology class.
So I would recommend this one to die-hard Heinlein fans.
This one was strange. It
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was almost like 2 separate books. There's an "actiony" first half and then a philosophical second half. They have the same characters and the background is the same, but the plots are totally different. It's almost like he wrote the first half and then it ended but was too short so he found another angle to write about. On the pro side, there were some great one liners. On the con side, there were some long passages of the science of genes, dna, recessive traits etc... where it felt like I was reading a text book for biology class.
So I would recommend this one to die-hard Heinlein fans.
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LibraryThing member hblanchard
Open-carry of guns is not only a universal right, but celebrated. Dueling is an accepted practice if you argue with someone in a restaurant. Main male character is surprised that a woman carries and can use a gun. Hmmm, I’m opting for that Jimmy Carter Universe in that other novel.
LibraryThing member Ruskoley
Its a clunker of the novel that deserves begrudging respect. The science infomercials are tedious, the plot is absent. It is like it is super smart on some scientific elements and utterly moronic with some things like common sense, personal social skills, and entertainment. I'm glad I read it, I'm
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glad I never will read it again. Show Less
LibraryThing member morrisonhimself
Surprisingly boring, "Beyond" is very talky, even preachy, with little action; and much of the talking and preaching is about silly "science" that Heinlein has used in other books and which are silly there, too.
Mind reading, for example.
Heinlein was a creative and imaginative writer, and he has
In this book, though, other than "an armed society is a polite society," there is not much of real value.
However, it IS Heinlein, so is worth reading at least once.
Mind reading, for example.
Heinlein was a creative and imaginative writer, and he has
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actually contributed a lot to what we sometimes laughingly call "the real world."In this book, though, other than "an armed society is a polite society," there is not much of real value.
However, it IS Heinlein, so is worth reading at least once.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
Okay, this one isn't new, and this isn't the first time I've read it. Some of the science in it was invalidated the year after it was first published, and social credit isn't a widely credited economic theory these days. I have severe doubts about the theory that "An armed society is a polite
Of course, if it were published for the first time today, it would probably be as a romance.
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society"; it doesn't seem to be borne out by the experience of other societies where going armed and engaging in duels over perceived slights and offenses was the norm. It's still a charming and entertaining story, and you're missing a treat if you skip this one. And I do like the rather cantankerous Hamilton Felix.Of course, if it were published for the first time today, it would probably be as a romance.
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LibraryThing member jdavidhacker
Here we have the story of a future dystopian society with shades of Brave New World-esque classism/racism at perhaps his penultimate peak and an effort to overthrow it and return to a darker time as seen through the eyes of our protagonists.
Beyond this Horizon is one of Heinlein's earlier,
As is the case with any Heinlein, there is certainly misogyny, an unfortunate seeming fondness for both libertarianism and fascism (somehow), and in this case some definite hints of racism/elitism/classism.
However, due to being an early work, I think this and several other works give us what may be hints that Heinlein perhaps did not agree as wholeheartedly with some of those distasteful ideas we believe due to his mouthpiece characters espousing them. Maybe even that, in some way, he's 'devil advocate'-ing these ideas and philosophy.
A good example of this is the oft-(partially)quoted by the NRA passage about a polite society being an armed society. Besides the issues with it only being a fragment of a quote, and lacking context, there are certainly contradictions presented here. From everything he wrote, we see Heinlein viewing being armed, and even personal violence, as perhaps fitting with interpretation of the quote presented by gun advocates. However, the individual making that statement in this very book insists he prefers to go unarmed, and that sort of personal violence should be considered crass and distasteful, that we would better off if no one was armed.
There are similar contradictions in his famously negative view of socialism and pro-capitalist/libertarian stance. While as usual characters may denigrate socialism vocally here, we also see that this post-scarcity utopian society only continues to function as a 'capitalist' one because annually wealth is redistributed among the population based on complex computations, and that the government is continually looking for projects that benefit and enrich society as a whole to throw money at, since 'production' is largely unnecessary. These are very socialist ideas, and presented in a very positive light...but are somehow still framed as being capitalist?
If for no other reason than looking at these contradictions that either indicate Heinlein is still working out his ideas, or had been playing devil's advocate all those years in some kind of grand jest, this is definitely worth reading.
Beyond this Horizon is one of Heinlein's earlier,
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non-juvenile, works. While many of his later themes are present, its clear he's still working out some of his political and philosophical ideas.As is the case with any Heinlein, there is certainly misogyny, an unfortunate seeming fondness for both libertarianism and fascism (somehow), and in this case some definite hints of racism/elitism/classism.
However, due to being an early work, I think this and several other works give us what may be hints that Heinlein perhaps did not agree as wholeheartedly with some of those distasteful ideas we believe due to his mouthpiece characters espousing them. Maybe even that, in some way, he's 'devil advocate'-ing these ideas and philosophy.
A good example of this is the oft-(partially)quoted by the NRA passage about a polite society being an armed society. Besides the issues with it only being a fragment of a quote, and lacking context, there are certainly contradictions presented here. From everything he wrote, we see Heinlein viewing being armed, and even personal violence, as perhaps fitting with interpretation of the quote presented by gun advocates. However, the individual making that statement in this very book insists he prefers to go unarmed, and that sort of personal violence should be considered crass and distasteful, that we would better off if no one was armed.
There are similar contradictions in his famously negative view of socialism and pro-capitalist/libertarian stance. While as usual characters may denigrate socialism vocally here, we also see that this post-scarcity utopian society only continues to function as a 'capitalist' one because annually wealth is redistributed among the population based on complex computations, and that the government is continually looking for projects that benefit and enrich society as a whole to throw money at, since 'production' is largely unnecessary. These are very socialist ideas, and presented in a very positive light...but are somehow still framed as being capitalist?
If for no other reason than looking at these contradictions that either indicate Heinlein is still working out his ideas, or had been playing devil's advocate all those years in some kind of grand jest, this is definitely worth reading.
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Subjects
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 1943)
Language
Original publication date
1942
Physical description
204 p.
ISBN
0586023488 / 9780586023488