Double Star

By Robert Heinlein! What more needs to be said? A story of a down-on-his-luck actor who is shanghaied into posing as a lunar statesman who has been kidnapped by nefarious forces. I re-read it every five years or so. It's that good!

The story of an actor, impersonating a man with greatness, who becomes the man and achieves it. Much as we, through, thought, study and yes, prayer can take on the attributes of Christ. What would the world be like, if we all became a little more like Him.

It's a shame that authors require a half dozen mini books to complete stories half as good as this. Aspiring authors should pay closer attention to how real books are written rather than the most effective means to fleece the readers.

Again and again Heinlein continues thru to hold and keep the attention of the reader. I normally read two and three books at a time and can keep the stories separate. But a Heinlein story grabs me and holds me until I finish it.

This is the story of a second rate actor who gets a job doubling for a politician who represents a district on Mars for the Empire of the Solar System. It is a political thriller on a level with his military SF Starship Troopers, which was written just a couple of years later.

This book definitely deserves five stars. The author has a way with words that is not so common among today's writers. The story is believable and relatable, and enjoyable! Plus, there are so many good, thought-provoking quotes. This book was not only a great read, it caused me to think. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

It's easy to see why this novel won awards.
Extremely inventive and interesting, it holds up well today, even though it was written in the 50's.
With a creative plot and vivid characters, it holds the reader captive through a fantastic space opera.

As a professional actor (well, I do get paid -- to some extent) I loved RAH's generally accurate excursion into an arena in which I have personal knowledge. The story has held up well to the ravages of time.

Read better 20 years ago when I was a teen. Really poor cliched writing and so-so storyline. Afraid to re-read more Heinlein works now as don't want to spoli my impression from the distant past that his works were awesome.

Robert Heinlein is my favorite author. I have read 25 or 30 of his books and have enjoyed all of them. Four won Hugo awards. I had read three: "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", :Stranger in a Strange Land", and "Starship Troopers". The first two are probably the most significant, to me at least, books I have ever read. "Starship Troopers" was also amazing, so I had to read "Double Star". I'm not sure how I missed it over the years. It is not at the level of the other three, but still a wonderful book. It is predictable if you have read much Heinlein, but an amazing character development of a down and out actor who became more than that.

I thoroughly believe that one will either like the way Heinlein writes Almost immediately or detest it. The wry cynical detached point of view allows the reader to feel that he is in on the joke. This gives the adventurous nature of the efforts of our protagonist a feel of a perpetual rollicking good time. When you add the blatantly sexual aspects of his later writings, Lazarus Long etal. the whole thing becomes pure fun and enjoyment. There is a consistent philosophical stance sometimes referred to as fascist by our dear kind socialist friends, but you don't need to agree with it to enjoy the book

Double Star is one of my favorite Heinlein books. He gets you involved with the primary character early, and keeps you riveted to his challenging and changing life throughout the book. There is never. A boring moment.

One of the best and most positive stories of impersonation I have read - improbable though such stories often are. I like to return to two scenes in particular when the impersonation is nearly exposed - with the Emperor and the disgruntled reporter.

I read Double Star long ago in high school. It's good, but not as terrific as "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" or "Citizen of the Galaxy". But it is a wonderful rendering of the warping of time under Einstein's Theory of Relativity, vividly demonstrated by twin brothers, one of whom travels near the speed of light and has many adventures, and his twin who stays at home on Earth. The reuniting of the twins, the young space farer and his ancient, aged stay-on-Earth brother at the end of the book powerfully brings home and makes real the theory of time compression.

Double Star
(1956)

What would happen if an actor assumed the identity of a leading politician?

Further, what would happen if something happened to that politician.

I highly recommend this one for fans of Robert A.

Gunner April, 2012

I like the book, I did. However, I can't see how it deserved to win the Hugo Award in 1956. I've begun to read all of the nominees and winners of the Hugo and Nebula awards since their inception. While this book is the best I have read so far, I remain continually amazed at the quality and content of the books from that era (1948-1956). It clearly was a different time and mindset.

I did enjoy this book, I can not deny that. While it did not enrapt me, I was very curious to turn the page. But, when all was said and done, this book did not move me in any meaningful way, nor leave me with any new thoughts. I wouldn't quite call the book forgettable. In fact, as I was reading it I had some deja vu, and wondered if I had not read this once sometime in my past. But, it's not a story that makes me want to come back and read it again in the future. Your mileage may vary. :-)

I saw this title for sale and thought, oh good a Heinlein I haven't read. Wrong. I had read it many years before but forgot it because it wasn't worth remembering. The Martians are the merest sketch of his Martians portrayed in 'Stranger in a Strange Land'. The "hero" is an ordinary shmuck who supposedly rises to greatness. But it's not convincing. Simply a very poor outing of probably the best science fiction writer of all time. Anyone can make a mistake.

I first read this Heinlein novel in the ninth grade and it remains my absolute favorite of his many books. It’s the story of a down on his luck actor who gets roped into impersonating John Joseph Bonforte, the best known politician in the solar system. Bonforte has been kidnapped and as a result is about to miss his adoption into a Martian nest (the first human to be so honored). This would be considered a great impropriety by the Martians and at the very least would drastically set back human-Martian relations.

The problem? Lorenzo hates Martians and just about everything that Bonforte and his Expansionist Party stands for. But he sticks to the job because he’s a professional with an exceedingly high opinion of himself, and because as the story continues, he grows to despise the dirty tactics of the men working to destroy Bonforte.

Heinlein builds tension not only through the impersonations, but through the behind the scenes personality clashes among Bonforte’s staff. What makes this novel amazing is how Heinlein uses Lorenzo’s basic ignorance in regard to politics and his instinctive prejudice against the non-human races to let him gradually impart his own feelings on the importance of universal civil rights. As Lorenzo learns more and more about Bonforte in order to perform what is always supposed to be just one more impersonation, he grows, becoming far less self-centered and truly respectful of the man he’s had to become.

The ending scenes of this novel are extraordinary as Heinlein brings our hero to the most important decision of his life—one we can sympathize with and pray we’d have the strength to do as Lorenzo did. It’s no wonder that this book won the Hugo.

To a modern audience, this book feels somewhat dated—not just in Heinlein’s imagining of the technology of the future, but in his understanding of the role women could play in his future world. I’m sure that when Heinlein made Bonforte’s female secretary a member of the Grand Assembly he thought that he was demonstrating the capabilities of women, but by modern standards his effort falls flat. Judged by his time, however, it is another example of his remarkable vision. In the end this book stands or falls on his development of the character of Lorenzo, and in my opinion, it not only stands, it jumps towards the heavens.

My ignorance regarding classics of speculative fiction runs deep. My ignorance of the classics of science fiction, and science fiction in general, runs really deep. I was all about fantasy growing up and only started getting into science fiction in the last few years. And so it came to pass that I hadn’t read any of the Science Fiction Big Three. My first step in remedying that was to read Double Star by Robert Heinlein.

Double Star was well timed. First and foremost, there is the election. One of the crazier conspiracy theories floating around was a Clinton body double. The businessman who rules the dark side of the Moon with an iron fist in The Dark Side made use of a body double—a very small part of the book but one likely in deliberate homage to Double Star.

Lawrence (stage name Lorenzo) is an actor of considerable ego and considerably less liquid capital when he decides to risk his last bits buying a beer for an obvious spaceman. Who was looking for him anyway, and promptly recruits him into a scheme to impersonate John Joseph Bonforte, a powerful politician, political opposition leader, and one of the most popular and least popular men in the solar system. Bonforte, you see, has been kidnapped. Which would be bad enough, but is an existential threat on the eve of Bonforte’s acceptance into a Martian clan. The universe’s greatest formalists, Martians don’t accept excuses short of death for tardiness.

The story is told entirely from Lorenzo’s perspective. This works in part because he is an outsider to the political machinations. But it also allows Heinlein to dive as deeply into the acting as the politics (much more on that later). And while Lorenzo is hardly the first vainglorious actor character, he stands out in that he’s also good. He starts the books a bundle of contradictions—egotistical but largely a failure, petty but principled, cowardly with full knowledge that “the show must go on”—and that’s the heart of the first half or so of the book.

The whole thing has a square-jawed, Brylcreem’d, cigarette smoking astronauts vibe. Mad Men meets the original Twilight Zone. Classics 60s science fiction movies. Or at least what I imagine the 60s sci fi classics to look like, since I haven’t seen those either. If the name “Dak” conjures up images of anything other than a safety-smashing quarterback it’s just such a lantern-jawed spaceman. There is also a heavy dose of slang that sounds at once both futuristic and retro.

Heinlein is famous for his politics, and it certainly shows in Double Star. How could it not, in a book about an actor impersonating a political leader? It’s refreshing, as his sort of politics are deeply out of favor in the publishing and literary establishment and, sadly, in the public in general. You get lines like this,

“I was going to say that I don’t regard smuggling as a crime.”

“Who does? Except those who make money of the rest of us by limiting trade.”

on the eve of an election where both major party candidates strive to outdo each other with their opposition to trade. Brainwashing is a heinous sin, “something immoral and degrading in an absolute cosmic sense in tampering with a man’s personality,” the sort of thing practiced by Communists in “the Late Dark Ages.” History will judge Communism even more harshly than we do today, but Heinlein’s wit frequently retains its edge, as with Lorenzo, who “[l]ike most Americans . . . did not understand royalty, did not really approve of the institution in my heart—and had a sneaking, unadmitted awe of kings.”

Speaking of which, Heinlein has a very thought-provoking view of a feasible, almost utopian, solar-system spanning government. It’s one the reflects headier, more optimistic times. Planetary colonization without such a government seems a stretch, but it’s easy to be skeptical 60 years later looking at a United Nations and a European Union that are failures at worst and disappointments at best. Nor would many people today write that empire as a constitutional monarchy. It’s too Euro-centric for one, but constitutional monarchies get sold short these days. The constitutional monarchy is in many ways the mirror opposite of the modern strongman autocracy, the monarch provides stability and symbolism without being provided the power to actually screw things up. The strongman has all the power to harm, and provides no stability whatsoever. (We Americans get by on the strength of various other borrowed institutions, and our own built up after more than two centuries, but they’re more fragile than they look, and we remain too tempted to fill the void of royal adulation.) It’s also a parliamentary system, which adds a wrinkle to the political maneuvering that fills much of the second half of the book. (Where does America fit into all of this? We joined the empire with the explicit agreement that we retain our local institutions and Constitution, and the implicit agreement that “no member of the royal family would ever visit America.”)

It is, as I said, almost utopian. Heinlein, 10 years before Martin Luther King, Jr. would say it, clearly believed that the moral arc of the universe was long, but that it bent toward justice (but then Theodore Parker said the same in support of the abolitionist cause long before). Bonforte’s signature issue is bringing Martians into the democratic system. And, as the latter part of the book makes clear, he was willing to pay a political price for doing so, in part because he knew there could always be a comeback. It’s an almost Whiggish view of history. There would always be a reaction against progress, but it would fade, and then another step forward could be made. It’s a little simplistic, but only a little. And I do, indeed, believe that the moral arc of the universe bends toward just (albeit with an emphasis on the long). But the central idea is that politics should play second fiddle to principle, and the really big idea is that sometimes it’s worth paying a political price to further those principles. This very much cuts against the grain of human nature, let alone politician nature. It’s way too easy to convince yourself that you can only effect change in office, and that you can also do the right thing later, when you’re in that next office.

The politics, as I said, is fascinating. (At the very least, my long, rambling stream-of-thought above shows that I thought they were fascinating.) The paucity of action hurt Double Star in my view when I first read it, but it gained half a star between setting it down for a week and writing this review. It’s not what happens with Bonforte that drives the story—it’s Lorenzo’s character arc. It’s the story of a man who goes from a Bonforte critic, hater of Martians, and political apathetic to a true believer.

“I suddenly got a glimpse of what Bonforte was driving at. If there were ethical basics that transcended time and place, then they were true both for Martians and for men. They were true on any planet around any star—and if the human race did not behave accordingly they weren’t ever going to win to the stars because some better race would slap them down for double-dealing.
The price of expansion was virtue. ‘Never give a sucker an even break’ was too narrow a philosophy to fit the broad reaches of space.
But Bonforte was not preaching sweetness and light. ‘I am not a pacifist. Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of a social group without being willing to pay—and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Mr. Speaker, life belongs to those who do not fear to lose it. This bill must pass!’ And with that he had got up and crossed the aisle in support of a military appropriation his own party had refused in caucus.
Or again: ‘Take sides! Always take sides! You will sometimes be wrong—but the man who refuses to take sides must always be wrong! Heaven save us from poltroons who fear to make a choice. Let us stand up and be counted.’”

2016 has been the most trying of election years. It’s refreshing to read an unabashed, full-throated defense of liberalism at a time when it is under attack on both sides from the Alt-Right and the Ctrl-Left. These dark times too may pass.

Double Star was Robert Heinlein's first Hugo Award winner and may be his most overrated. For one thing, it's not even really science fiction. Yes, it takes place in a science fiction world of an interplanetary empire but the story could just as easily been set in contemporary times, and may even have been more interesting had it been.

That story, of an actor called upon to impersonate a prominent politician and who ends up much deeper than he bargained for, is certainly interesting enough and Heinlein pulls it off well, but by the standards of the speculative fiction being created at around the same time by science fiction contemporaries like Isaac Asimov (The End of Eternity) and Arthur C. Clarke (The City and the Stars), Heinlein's book is pedestrian, though I will concede that his protagonist is a much better character than any created by Asimov or Clarke in their books.

At this point in his career, Heinlein was still deep in his Boys Life phase, writing books with callow main characters intended for primarily teenaged readers. In fact, Double Star, with its adult protagonist and mature theme, was an anomaly for 1950s Heinlein, coming between earlier recent juvenilia like Star Beast and Tunnel in the Sky and soon-to-be-published teen romps like Time for the Stars and Citizen of the Galaxy.

The mature Robert Heinlein, who had made an impressive appearance in the late 1930s and early 40s with the stories that would be collected in the "Future History" collections like The Past Through Tomorrow and Off the Main Sequence, wouldn't reappear until the 60s starting with Stranger in a Strange Land.

Double Star is certainly worth reading but hardly a triumph of the science fiction genre.

On one hand, this is an old story. Performing a role until you become it. We have Hollywood fables about the same, and Hollywood films, like "Dave" with basically the same plot. So what makes 'Double Star' different? Lorenzo, the actor who is asked to play the role of a 'lifetime', is kind of a dead-beat loser when we meet him. He's a grifter at best, and a lousy one. He's a narcissist with his frailties so on his sleeve that no one can really berate him for his pomposity. Of course, as such, he's easily duped into taking on this role - the role of a lifetime, literally - and he becomes a different person. I don't know about back in the fifties when this book was written, but I do know that now, there's a lot of speculation into cause and effect relationships as they apply to the human experience. Being happy logically seems to imply that one would smile more, but... does smiling more make you happier? Many say yes. Smile, and your day gets better. Frown and it gets worse. Act like a wealthy person, and you're more likely to be wealthy. Be a miser and you become, well, a miser.

Lorenzo has some daddy issues, and he's probably not that great of an actor - but he looks like this politico Bonforte (good fortune) and so his real life begins. The transition is so gradual, that it's almost magic by the end. The writing is super solid, and the characterizations are astounding. This isn't really science fiction here, it's more psychological and political. Yet, it doesn't feel message heavy. And if it is message heavy, I didn't get it. I just enjoyed watching Lorenzo grow up - go from selfish to magnanimous, from narcissist to confident. The folks ordering him around at the beginning come around too, as he gradually begins to command their respect. I know back in the day this won the Hugo, and was a popular novel, though some said it was just a simple yarn that made for a good read. I contend, however, that within its depths (which I admittedly have not explored) lie some revelations about life, politics, sociality, humanity, etc. Penny, the female lead in the book, plays such a small but significant role - almost off screen, if you will. The Martians? What are they all about? And look around. As I write this, Donald Trump is polling first amongst Republican Presidential candidates... and who are they all name dropping ad-nauseam but Ronald Reagan, the Gipper,... the actor.

Win one for Lorenzo, I say. Read Double Star... and then maybe... four years should be long enough... read it again.

In Double Star, actor Lorenzo Smythe is a down and out actor who is tabbed to take on the role of pretending to be a key politician who is in the middle of a plot involving potential interplanetary war with Mars. After the politician has been kidnapped and injured, Lorenzo is embroiled in a series of conspiracies that lead him to interplanetary adventure.

This was a fun novel to read. For one thing, the pace was very quick and the author did not draw it out by adding fluff and filler. Lorenzo starts off as a real pretentious and prissy sort, but evolves during the course of the novel. He starts off hating Martians—mostly because of their scent—but eventually comes to accept them. He also goes from somebody who is ambivalent about politics and is only interested in his acting career, to someone who begins to live his role and ad libs his speeches and implement his own ideas. The shortcomings of the novel is that despite all of the multitude of ways that things could have gone wrong, things come too easily and situations resolve themselves with little difficulty. As a result, the tension is not nearly as strong as it could have been. I thought there was an opportunity loss where more humor could have been injected, or where the protagonist would have more problematic issues to solve. All told, this was an enjoyable novel that I would recommend.

Carl Alves – author of Reconquest: Mother Earth

This is Heinlein's take on 'Prisoner of Zenda,' and arguably is one of his best novels. An out of work actor is shanghaied into impersonating a recently kidnapped politician. The main character is likable, and this is especially true with the audio book by Tom Weiner.

Unlike his later works, the political lectures are kept to a minimum, and the concise writing moves the plot along at a brisk pace. I also enjoyed the exposition-light world-building. This solar system empire is a *very* retro future, with Martians and Venusians, clunky technology and outdated sensibilities. Maybe even outdated even by 1950's standards: "My father had taught me that a woman will forgive any action, up to and including assault with violence, but is easily insulted by language."

Um, yeah. Still, it gives the book a quaint charm.

My main criticism is that most of the tension is in the first third or so of the novel, with the plot running out of the steam after that. I kept expecting the plot to ratchet up, raising the stakes, but nothing really happens. This is especially odd, since you'd expect the conspirators who kidnapped Bonforte in the first place would come into play. After the main characters leave Mars, the story is just them sitting around talking.

If you can, I recommend listening to the audiobook. Weiner's performance is brilliant.

This is the Simon and Schuster hardback edition. There are 23 stories from the year 1940 through to 1951 and an introduction by John W. Campbell, legendary editor of `Astounding'. This is a truly classic collection from the time when Astounding was head and shoulders above its competitors. BE CAREFUL to buy this version as this is the only one containing all 23 stories. "The First Astounding Science Fiction Anthology" and "The Second Astounding Science Fiction Anthology" contain stories taken from this original printing.

I do not know enough about science fiction to give detailed comments. I’m also concerned that in the detail I might give away too much of the storylines. My main motivation for reviewing is to give an easily accessible list of contents to those browsing through anthologies on the store.

Here is a list of the contents together with a brief scene setting comment or quote (definitely not plot spoiling):

(1) "Blowups Happen" by Robert Heinlein
It's all getting very stressed at the Arizona atomic pile.

(2) "Hindsight" by Jack Williamson
Brek Veronar, previously Bill Webster, is known as the "Renegade" because he is an Earthman working for the Astrarchy, former space pirates who now dominate the solar system.

(3) "Vault of the Beast" by A.E. van Vogt
Unknown to the crew, the space freighter F4961 from Mars has picked up a hitchhiker with a mission that has great implications for the human race.

(4) "The Exalted" by L.Sprague de Camp
Johnny Black is a black bear whose intelligence has been raised to the equivalent of that of a human being by the Methuen injections of Professor Ira Methuen. He tries to track down the perpetrator of the unusual practical jokes that have started to take place.

(5) "Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov
"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years...." Classic Asimov. Asimov wrote regarding John Campbell: "It was he who gave me the skeleton for `Nightfall', including the opening quotation, and sent me home to write the story."

(6) "When the Bough Breaks" by Lewis Padgett (Pseudonym used by Henry Kuttner and C L Moore, solo or jointly)
Joe and Myra Calderon think that they are all set in their new apartment, then four tiny men arrive from the future saying that they have come to educate eighteen month old Alexander.

(7) "Clash by Night" by Lawrence O'Donnell (Pseudonym used by Henry Kuttner and C L Moore, solo or jointly)
We're on Venus. Most of humanity lives in underwater "Keeps", individual city states, hiring bands of mercenaries to do their warring for them. These mercenaries are known as the "Free Companions" and have their own strict codes of honour.

(8) "Invariant" by John Pierce
It's the year 2170, yet Homer Green sits by his fire with his dog at his feet in twentieth century surroundings and clothing. "He is perhaps the most valuable man in the world".

(9) "First Contact" by Murray Leinster
In the depths of the Crab Nebula an Earth spaceship is the first to encounter an alien ship. What do they do next? Classic story.

(10) "Meihem in ce Klasrum" by Dolton Edwards (Pseudonym of K.W.Lessing)
Witty take on reforming the alphabet. At 13 years old I thought this very funny. Some fifty years later I think that its two pages are indeed the right length.

(11) "Hobbyist" by Eric Frank Russell
Steve Ander, blown off course by a spatial convulsion, has landed on an unknown planet. He needs to find enough nickel-thorium alloy to power his atomic motors and enable a return to the known world. As ever in these circumstances, there is something unusual about this planet.

(12) "E for Effort" by T.L.Sherred
While waiting for a bus, Ed Lefkowicz wanders into a run down Mexican cinema and watches a surprisingly realistic film with a cast of thousands of Cortez storming the Ciudad de Mejico in 1521.

(13) "Child's Play by William Tenn (Pseudonym of Philip Klass)
A Bild-A-Man Set #3 with accompanying note "Merry Christmas 2153" is delivered to Sam Weber's room.

(14) "Thunder and Roses" by Theodore Sturgeon
The legendary singer Starr Anthim is broadcasting tonight and is actually right here on Pete Mauser's base. Powerful story of USA post massive nuclear attack.

(15) "Late Night Final" by Eric Frank Russell
" `In the name of Huld and the people of Huld', he annunciated officially, `I take this planet'. Then he saluted swiftly, slickly, like an automaton." Lovely story of Commander Cruin's invasion of Planet Earth. I really enjoyed this one.

(16) "Cold War" by Kris Neville
The President of the USA has a very difficult decision to make.

(17) "Eternity Lost" by Clifford D. Simak
Senator Homer Leonard is over 500 years old thanks to series of life "continuations", a service only offered to a privileged few. However, it isn't looking good for him at the polls and now his party are going to let him know that they will not put him forward for a further "continuation". (Please note that there are two excellent websites giving details of all Simak's short stories).

(18) "The Witches of Karres" by James H. Schmitz
First lines: "It was around the hub of the evening on the planet of Porlumna that Captain Pausert, commercial traveller from the Republic of Nikkeldepain, met the first of the witches of Karres." Enjoyable story.

(19) "Over the Top" by Lester del Rey
Dave Mannen has been selected for the first manned flight to Mars because he is only three feet tall. Unfortunately his ship was damaged on landing, he has only three weeks air, and no communication, though he can hear news programmes. His opinion of the human race is somewhat jaundiced.

(20) "Meteor" by William T. Powers
A freighter has a near miss with a meteor six miles across heading in the direction of Mars.

(21) "Last Enemy" by H. Beam Piper
Interdimensional timeline skullduggery mixed up with reincarnation, the Society of Assassins and hand to hand combat.

(22) "Historical Note" by Murray Leinster
Professor Vladimir Rojestvensky has a significant insight while eating a bowl of rather watery red-cabbage soup.

(23) "Protected Species" by H.B.Fyfe
Jeff Otis, inspector of colonial inspections, becomes interested in the ruins on the planet Torang.

I've enjoyed every Heinlein novel I've ever read, including this one. However, is it quite a way down my list of Heinlein, and I don't consider it a "favorite Heinlein" ... a list that include, not exclusively and not in guaranteed order: Citizen of the Galaxy, Starman Jones, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, The Rolling Stones, The Red Planet, Time Enough for Love, Stranger in a Strange Land, Tunnel in the Sky, The Puppet Masters - just off the top of my head.

This is, however, pure Heinlein fare, with spunky, likable characters, an involving G v E plot, and plenty of intrigue and surprises. I'd recommend to anyone even mildly interested in sci-fi that they read ALL of Heinlein, and that means don't miss this book, even if it's one I don't re-read very often compared to some other titles.

Recommended.

As SF stories go, I found this a good read but not an enduring favorite. An actor of intermittent employment is all-but-shanghaied into a mysterious job. It turns out that a major politician has been kidnapped, but planetary (and interplanetary) peace depend on his making a specific public appearance. From that point forward, the story does what all the best SF does. It largely ignores the science part of science fiction. Instead, it dives into the personal stories of the characters involved. And, if the ending seemed predictable from early on, so be it - the story is in the journey, not in the punch line.

Like almost all stories, most especially SF, this carries the marks of its mid-1950s origin. "Brain washing," a la Manchurian Candidate, plays a big part, for both benign and destructive uses. Another cold-war concern, nuclear weapons, gets at least passing mention. And of course, scarcely a dozen major computers exist, added up across all planets. Day to day figuring relies on slide rules. These quaint touches remind the reader of the story's origins, but without becoming distractions. I find it refreshing, too, to see a whole story finish itself within 130 pages. The legal minimum these days seems more like three or four times that.

Still, this doesn't quite feel like most Heinlein. His free-trade-ism appears, but only tangentially. Patriotism, another Heinlein hallmark, appears in muted form, if at all. Sexual freedom, a major topic in his later novels, seems wholly absent. In fact, the only moment I found characteristically Heinleinian was the protagonist's musing on "the show must go on," when considered as a moral imperative. In it, Heinlein reads senses of duty and value given for value received, TANSTAAFL in larval form.

A good piece of mid-century SF by any standard (it won a Hugo), this one's sure to please Heinlein completists. I can't call it a must-have for my library, though.

-- wiredweird

Robert A. Heinlein's _Double Star_ (1956) was initially a three-part serial in _Astounding_ in 1956, with some marvelous illustrations by Kelly Freas. It was the third novel to win the Hugo for best novel. And while some critics have grumped a bit that _Double Star_ is a touch "lightweight" for a proper Hugo winner, it is really rather hard to dislike the novel. It is first-class entertainment.

The title refers, not to the double sun of an extra-solar planet-- all the action takes place within our own solar system-- but to the rather complicated relationship between acting and politics. Heinlein envisions a Solar System Government of the future that is a democratic government. But not a democracy modeled on 20th century America. It is a parliamentary system with an Emperor and Empire, much like 19th century Britain. Citizens in the Empire have some individual rights... But they are limited and by no means equal. Martians and Venusian natives have no rights.

There are two political parties vying for power: A majority party called the Humanists, and a minority libertarian party led by a fellow named John Joseph Bonforte. The Humanists are Earth-firsters in their politics. The libertarians favor making Martians and Venusians citizens. Bonforte is about to undergo an important ceremony on Mars that could turn the tide in favor of his party. But before the ceremony can occur, an extreme wing of Humanists kidnaps him. Did I mention that politics in this future society is _very_ down and dirty?

Enter Lorenzo Smythe, stage left. Into a bar. Lorenzo (Larry to his friends) is a moderately talented, out-of-work actor who looks just enough like Bonforte to impersonate him. Just for a little while. Until, hopefully, Bonforte can be rescued. Only, of course, bit by bit, things become more complicated. The impersonation has to be extended. And the role becomes more tricky.

In lesser hands, we would have had a routine melodrama. But Heinlein understands that this is a story of character. Everything rests upon Lorenzo Smythe, the first-person narrator of the story. There is much to like about Lorenzo. He is charming, smart, talented at his trade, and full of a certain degree of worldly experience. He is full of anecdotes about the acting life. But he is also an alcoholic. And he is vain, selfish, egotistical, apolitical, and ignorant of a great many things outside of his profession: "The long-jump ships such as the _Tom Paine_, torchships that is, are (so they tell me) the real thing, making use of E equals MC squared, or is it M equals EC squared? You know-- the thing Einstein invented" (73-74). He has spent a great many years Looking Out For Number One. He finds it hard to understand others who do not live by that code.

Here is Lorenzo Smythe (the self-styled "Great Lorenzo") fairly early in the novel:

I had never meddled in politics. My father had warned against it. "Stay out of it, Larry," he had told me solemnly. "The publicity you get that way is bad publicity. The peasants don't like it." I had never voted-- not even after the amendment of '98 made it easy for the floating population... to exercise franchise. (54)

We know people like Lorenzo. People who say that "all politicians are crooks". People who never vote. People who get the politicians that they deserve. People who loudly complain about the politicians whom they get. Yet when Lorenzo is told that he will probably be replaced by another actor-- is in effect given a chance to "get out of politics"-- he becomes furious and demands to know why. And a spaceman takes Lorenzo down a peg:

"You asked for it, shipmate. See here, a man in my profession contracts to take a heap to Ganymede, that means he will pilot that pot to Ganymede or die trying. He doesn't get fainthearted and try to welsh while the ship is being loaded. You told me you would take this job-- no 'ifs' or 'ands' or 'buts'-- you took the job. A few minutes later, there is a fracas, you lose your nerve. Later on, you try and run out on me at the field. Only ten minutes ago you were screaming to be taken back dirtside. Maybe you are a better actor than Trowbridge. I wouldn't know. But I know we need a man who can be depended on not to lose his nerve when the time comes. I understand that Trowbridge is that sort of bloke." (45)

Lorenzo is able to translate this into show business terms: "He was telling me that I was not a trouper" (46). And he knows that the criticism is just. He becomes determined to be a trouper. And slowly, as he learns to play the role of a lifetime, he learns how to become a greater man than he was. When I reread the novel, a lot of favorate scenes came back to me: The byplay between Lerenzo and Dak Broadbent in the bar, the takeoff from Earth under two gravities (not as tough as it could be, but tough enough), the therapy in which Lorenzo is cured of his prejudice against Martians, the Martian ceremony, the scene in which Lorenzo learns that winning an election isn't necessarily good, and the audience with the Emperor and the electric trains. Finally, there is the ending. This is what a politician should always remember (but which all too many of them forget).

Yes, indeed. This is a novel worthy of its award.

Sure, there are Martians and Venerians and Outer Jovians, but the last two are never on stage and the first isn't very alien.

Sure, the story starts in Missouri (maybe) and goes to Mars and the Moon, but the settings usually have the exoticness of a beige office cube or, to be exact, of the many rocket ship staterooms where most of the action is set.

Sure, it all seems vaguely 19th century with an Empire ruled by a constitutional monarch, King Willem of the Habsburg lips and Windsor nose. That's because it's yet another version of Anthony Hope's The Prisoner of Zenda.

Our hero and narrator, Lorenzo Smythe, unemployed "Pantomimist and Mimicry Artist Extraordinary", turns down a pitch to impersonate leader of the Expansionist Party. They want the Empire to include aliens, to not repeat "the mistakes the white subrace had made in Africa and Asia". But his refusal is interrupted by an armed man and Martian. Soon, bodies are being cut up and being fed into the hotel oubliette, and Smythe is on his way to Mars.

It's the voice of the conceited Smythe that saves this story and makes it quick and quite enjoyable. He's one of Heinlein's Competent Men except his area of competency happens to be acting, and he's quite devoted to the art and ethics of his profession. He's not young, but like the hero and heroines of many a Heinlein juvenile, he learns a lesson. Here's it that the game of politics is "the only sport for grownups."

The ending is predictable. It's also poignant and plausible.

This book was first written in 1956 but it reads (for the most part) as if it could have been written today. I haven't read this book since I was a kid and was pleased to discover that it matched my fond memories.

The book is a fun quick read and the transformation undergone by the main character (Lorenzo) is truly remarkable and makes one question whether an individual can indeed be born to play a part.

It is so cool to read old stories. Some of the references are to things that have been forgotten by most people. These stories are generally enjoy so it may not be able as any good story is, it is just that these have another facet that is interesting for me. I have a paperback edition, so it may not be the same as other editions available.
'Nightfall' by Isaac Asimov - This is one of the great short stories because it imagined another world with their own lifestyles and culture, etc. It does not involve a lot of science, just imagination of what another world might be and how the inhabitants would react to the setting of the sun once every couple of thousand years.
'First Contact' by Murray Leinster - It is amazing that even fifty or sixty years ago they were worried about the first time the human race encounters aliens. The cool part of this story is that it happens so far away from here or there that both ships feel comfortable trying to figure out how to get away safely without destroying the other first. Given the time, they figure out a way both crews can go home safely
'Eternity Lost' by Clifford D. Simak - Humanity has developed life lengthening technology, but it is limited to a chosen fewfor good and obvious reasons. One of the lucky ones finds he is due to be denied further life. He gets rather distraught about it.
'Vault of the Beast' by A. E. van Vogt - A ship has visited Mars and returns to Earth with a magical creature created for one purpose. The creature does its thing and in the end helps to save the world. The wonder of this story is the descriptions and the ending math.
'Invarient' by John Pierce - Homer Green is constantly interviewed because he is a relic. This is another story of immortality gone wrong.
'When the Bough Breaks' by Lewis Padgett - New parents of a whiz kid are visited by tutors from the future. The tutoring backfires.
'Cold War' by Kris Neville - A story of how Mutually Assured Destruction became the beacon of peace in the world, though of course no one knew it was coming.
'Over the Top' by Lester del Ray- For me this is the most interesting story because of the reference to "hundred ton electronic slipsticks" (does anyone know what one is?). A midgit is sent to Mars. He was chosen for various reasons: sex, intelligence, healthy, etc. and stature. He was small so he would not need the space a normal man would need, air use would be less, etc, etc. The challenge is that he crash hands, his savior is a Martian, and humanity also comes to his rescue. Wild story.

"I regard them as prostitutes, not colleagues. Let me make myself clear. Does an author respect a ghost writer? Would you respect a painter who allowed another man to sign his work -- for money? Possible the spirit of the artist is foreign to you, sir, yet perhaps I may put it in terms germane to your own profession."

Lawrence Smith, also known as Lorenzo Smythe --The Great Lorenzo!-- is a very proud actor, and one of the best know in the Empire. He is asked to act in an interesting and well payed job, though details are lacking and gets tangled with his contractors/captors into acting on this important role. Smythe must impersonate an important politician who has been kidnapped.

Narrated in the first person, I was delighted to read the character development Smythe endured along the slender yet captivating novel. Heinlein has an avid nature to capture the essence of the moment, to elonquently describe a setting with few, precise words and make of it a master-piece. I enjoyed every page, turning them as the action developed and Lorenzo slowly changed, and changed, and became... a mature individual who never thought he could find profoundity in the "nasty" game of politics.

"Politics isn't a dirty game. But there are dirty players."

The Great Lorenzo, as he is known, is dramatically affected by the memory of his father, something that shows as the story develops, a trait you see even in the final stages of the plot.

"Before my revered father died he made me promise him three things: first, never to mix whisky with anything but water; second, always to ignore anonymous letters; and lastly, never to talk with a stranger who refuses to give his name."

As you arrive to the final portions of the book and you realize that it will soon finish, you can't quite picture who the book will end. But it ends with such delicacy, such intimate and well captured moments that the story is rendered from grand to epic. The way this book was finished is astonishing, with emotions that linger and reside with the long lasting tones of a great read. This is by far science fiction at its best.

"What would happen if....?" is science fiction's key question, with "if" including technology not yet invented or fully exploited.

Put people in a group and you have politics, which Heinlein did a much better job with than most science fiction writers before him. In "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" and "Red Planet" we have colonial revolts, with 18th century oceans replaced by a gravity well or a long, expensive space voyage. In "Tunnel in the Sky" it's an closed wormhole rather than the shipwreck on a desert island that provides the setup of "Lord of the Flies" (remember, "Tunnel" came out a year after Golding's book.) Heinlein being Heinlein, he includes female as well as male students in his version.

And in "Double Star," Heinlein gives us a visceral description of a mature, multi-species society conducting a no holds barred election. Not easy to do in 150 pages (which probably helps explain why only the protagonist undergoes much development of his character) but he pulled it off.

It is so cool to read old stories. Some of the references are to things that have been forgotten by most people. These stories are generally enjoy so it may not be able as any good story is, it is just that these have another facet that is interesting for me. I have a paperback edition, so it may not be the same as other editions available.
'Nightfall' by Isaac Asimov - This is one of the great short stories because it imagined another world with their own lifestyles and culture, etc. It does not involve a lot of science, just imagination of what another world might be and how the inhabitants would react to the setting of the sun once every couple of thousand years.
'First Contact' by Murray Leinster - It is amazing that even fifty or sixty years ago they were worried about the first time the human race encounters aliens. The cool part of this story is that it happens so far away from here or there that both ships feel comfortable trying to figure out how to get away safely without destroying the other first. Given the time, they figure out a way both crews can go home safely
'Eternity Lost' by Clifford D. Simak - Humanity has developed life lengthening technology, but it is limited to a chosen fewfor good and obvious reasons. One of the lucky ones finds he is due to be denied further life. He gets rather distraught about it.
'Vault of the Beast' by A. E. van Vogt - A ship has visited Mars and returns to Earth with a magical creature created for one purpose. The creature does its thing and in the end helps to save the world. The wonder of this story is the descriptions and the ending math.
'Invarient' by John Pierce - Homer Green is constantly interviewed because he is a relic. This is another story of immortality gone wrong.
'When the Bough Breaks' by Lewis Padgett - New parents of a whiz kid are visited by tutors from the future. The tutoring backfires.
'Cold War' by Kris Neville - A story of how Mutually Assured Destruction became the beacon of peace in the world, though of course no one knew it was coming.
'Over the Top' by Lester del Ray- For me this is the most interesting story because of the reference to "hundred ton electronic slipsticks" (does anyone know what one is?). A midgit is sent to Mars. He was chosen for various reasons: sex, intelligence, healthy, etc. and stature. He was small so he would not need the space a normal man would need, air use would be less, etc, etc. The challenge is that he crash hands, his savior is a Martian, and humanity also comes to his rescue. Wild story.

Lorenzo Smythe is an actor who thinks his acting is a lot better than it actually is. He is approached by a famous space pilot and offered an acting job, a role of a lifetime. The space pilot wants him to impersonate a politician on Mars. Lorenzo agrees, but was it really a mistake?

I loved Lorenzo. He really was quite the character. He made me chuckle on numerous occasions. He acts tough, but he really is a coward deep down. He always wants to run at the first sign of trouble.

This was a pretty quick read, but a light hearted one. Lorenzo completely commits to his role, so much so that he starts to actually become “Mr. Bonforte”. He ventures into the realm of space politics, meets Martians, etc. He can fool almost anyone. It was scary to see how if you pretend enough to be someone else…you might just convince yourself that you are them.

also posted on alexis.desousa.cc

It is so cool to read old stories. Some of the references are to things that have been forgotten by most people. These stories are generally enjoy so it may not be able as any good story is, it is just that these have another facet that is interesting for me. I have a paperback edition, so it may not be the same as other editions available.
'Nightfall' by Isaac Asimov - This is one of the great short stories because it imagined another world with their own lifestyles and culture, etc. It does not involve a lot of science, just imagination of what another world might be and how the inhabitants would react to the setting of the sun once every couple of thousand years.
'First Contact' by Murray Leinster - It is amazing that even fifty or sixty years ago they were worried about the first time the human race encounters aliens. The cool part of this story is that it happens so far away from here or there that both ships feel comfortable trying to figure out how to get away safely without destroying the other first. Given the time, they figure out a way both crews can go home safely
'Eternity Lost' by Clifford D. Simak - Humanity has developed life lengthening technology, but it is limited to a chosen fewfor good and obvious reasons. One of the lucky ones finds he is due to be denied further life. He gets rather distraught about it.
'Vault of the Beast' by A. E. van Vogt - A ship has visited Mars and returns to Earth with a magical creature created for one purpose. The creature does its thing and in the end helps to save the world. The wonder of this story is the descriptions and the ending math.
'Invarient' by John Pierce - Homer Green is constantly interviewed because he is a relic. This is another story of immortality gone wrong.
'When the Bough Breaks' by Lewis Padgett - New parents of a whiz kid are visited by tutors from the future. The tutoring backfires.
'Cold War' by Kris Neville - A story of how Mutually Assured Destruction became the beacon of peace in the world, though of course no one knew it was coming.
'Over the Top' by Lester del Ray- For me this is the most interesting story because of the reference to "hundred ton electronic slipsticks" (does anyone know what one is?). A midgit is sent to Mars. He was chosen for various reasons: sex, intelligence, healthy, etc. and stature. He was small so he would not need the space a normal man would need, air use would be less, etc, etc. The challenge is that he crash hands, his savior is a Martian, and humanity also comes to his rescue. Wild story.

It is so cool to read old stories. Some of the references are to things that have been forgotten by most people. These stories are generally enjoy so it may not be able as any good story is, it is just that these have another facet that is interesting for me. I have a paperback edition, so it may not be the same as other editions available.
'Nightfall' by Isaac Asimov - This is one of the great short stories because it imagined another world with their own lifestyles and culture, etc. It does not involve a lot of science, just imagination of what another world might be and how the inhabitants would react to the setting of the sun once every couple of thousand years.
'First Contact' by Murray Leinster - It is amazing that even fifty or sixty years ago they were worried about the first time the human race encounters aliens. The cool part of this story is that it happens so far away from here or there that both ships feel comfortable trying to figure out how to get away safely without destroying the other first. Given the time, they figure out a way both crews can go home safely
'Eternity Lost' by Clifford D. Simak - Humanity has developed life lengthening technology, but it is limited to a chosen fewfor good and obvious reasons. One of the lucky ones finds he is due to be denied further life. He gets rather distraught about it.
'Vault of the Beast' by A. E. van Vogt - A ship has visited Mars and returns to Earth with a magical creature created for one purpose. The creature does its thing and in the end helps to save the world. The wonder of this story is the descriptions and the ending math.
'Invarient' by John Pierce - Homer Green is constantly interviewed because he is a relic. This is another story of immortality gone wrong.
'When the Bough Breaks' by Lewis Padgett - New parents of a whiz kid are visited by tutors from the future. The tutoring backfires.
'Cold War' by Kris Neville - A story of how Mutually Assured Destruction became the beacon of peace in the world, though of course no one knew it was coming.
'Over the Top' by Lester del Ray- For me this is the most interesting story because of the reference to "hundred ton electronic slipsticks" (does anyone know what one is?). A midgit is sent to Mars. He was chosen for various reasons: sex, intelligence, healthy, etc. and stature. He was small so he would not need the space a normal man would need, air use would be less, etc, etc. The challenge is that he crash hands, his savior is a Martian, and humanity also comes to his rescue. Wild story.

It is so cool to read old stories. Some of the references are to things that have been forgotten by most people. These stories are generally enjoy so it may not be able as any good story is, it is just that these have another facet that is interesting for me. I have a paperback edition, so it may not be the same as other editions available.
'Nightfall' by Isaac Asimov - This is one of the great short stories because it imagined another world with their own lifestyles and culture, etc. It does not involve a lot of science, just imagination of what another world might be and how the inhabitants would react to the setting of the sun once every couple of thousand years.
'First Contact' by Murray Leinster - It is amazing that even fifty or sixty years ago they were worried about the first time the human race encounters aliens. The cool part of this story is that it happens so far away from here or there that both ships feel comfortable trying to figure out how to get away safely without destroying the other first. Given the time, they figure out a way both crews can go home safely
'Eternity Lost' by Clifford D. Simak - Humanity has developed life lengthening technology, but it is limited to a chosen fewfor good and obvious reasons. One of the lucky ones finds he is due to be denied further life. He gets rather distraught about it.
'Vault of the Beast' by A. E. van Vogt - A ship has visited Mars and returns to Earth with a magical creature created for one purpose. The creature does its thing and in the end helps to save the world. The wonder of this story is the descriptions and the ending math.
'Invarient' by John Pierce - Homer Green is constantly interviewed because he is a relic. This is another story of immortality gone wrong.
'When the Bough Breaks' by Lewis Padgett - New parents of a whiz kid are visited by tutors from the future. The tutoring backfires.
'Cold War' by Kris Neville - A story of how Mutually Assured Destruction became the beacon of peace in the world, though of course no one knew it was coming.
'Over the Top' by Lester del Ray- For me this is the most interesting story because of the reference to "hundred ton electronic slipsticks" (does anyone know what one is?). A midgit is sent to Mars. He was chosen for various reasons: sex, intelligence, healthy, etc. and stature. He was small so he would not need the space a normal man would need, air use would be less, etc, etc. The challenge is that he crash hands, his savior is a Martian, and humanity also comes to his rescue. Wild story.

The the store description says "Double Star is considered by many to be the finest of his titles." In my opinion, that is wildly overrating this poor excuse for a good science fiction story. This is not science fiction. It is political intrigue, and not even good at that. There is almost no action or tension. Would be mildly interesting as a short story, but way too long even for a short novel.

I always thought that _Triangle_ (1961) was a terrible name for an omnibus of science fiction stories. A.E. van Vogt had one called _Triad_ (1951), a title with much more pizazz. Larry Niven had _Three Books of Known Space_ (1996), which was okay. Robert A. Heinlein had _Three by Heinlein_ (1965), which was at least descriptive. But _Triangle_? Couldn't the editors at Doubleday have come up with something better? _Three Novels of a Radioactive Earth_ would have been at least a small improvement.

But there is little to complain about in terms of the contents. They are Isaac Asimov's first three novels: _Pebble in the Sky_ (1950), _The Stars, Like Dust_ (as _Tyrann_, _Galaxy_, 1951; 1951), and _The Currents of Space_ (_Astounding_, 1952; 1952). If they are not Asimov at his very best, they are still very good. I have read each novel at least half a dozen times over the years, and they still hold up well.

Why do these novels remain so readable? First, they are tightly plotted, with a multitude of twists and turns. Second, they are told in a sharp, clear style with no words wasted. Algis Budrys once reported that as an editor he once had the unenviable job of trying to abridge _Pebble in the Sky_. He found that except for a few words here or there, there was nothing that could be cut.

Asimov's sense of dialogue is good as well. Of course, there are a few epithets ("By space!") that seem a bit juvenile today. But the lines are generally effectively dramatic, revealing character traits and advancing the plot. With Asimov, story twists often come from what a character _says_ rather than from pure action (though the action is also there, to be sure).

But perhaps a more fundamental strength of these novels is their sense of humanity. Asimov picks sympathetic central characters who (you might think) are unlikely candidates for survival against the Bastards in life. In the first novel, it is a gentle, elderly man from the twentieth century who is catapulted into a hostile future. In the second novel, it is a somewhat naive college student who is the intended catspaw of various spies, politicians, and military leaders. In the third, it is a childlike peasant on a distant planet who has lost his memory. Yet, through pluck and luck, all three characters prevail. They represent Asimov's faith in the ability of common people-- with all their faults and limitations-- to succeed. We root for them as well.

The action for these novels occurs some time before the action in the Foundation novels. They are set at a time when Terra is still aglow from a past nuclear holocaust. I believe that the internal chronology of the novels is: _The Stars, Like Dust_, _The Currents of Space_, and _Pebble in the Sky_. But some sharp-eyed reader may come along who will suggest a different sequence.

I am a long-time Heinlein fan and this book stands out as one of my favorites as its subject is so different from his other protagonists. Picture an actor who has a rather high opinion of his abilities and a much lower opinion of himself. Now imagine the same man who is such an immersion actor that he virtually becomes the principled politician he impersonates. The transition is the most intriguing part of the story yet it happens much too fast and isn't detailed enough. Still, worth the read despite being 60 years old. Just proves politics may not have changed all that much.

Another good collection of stories from the 1940's and early 1950's, edited by John W. Campbell Jr.. The 23 stories included were all published originally in "Astounding Science Fiction" between May of 1940 and March of 1951. This anthology was published in 1952.

In comparing it with the other anthologies, such as those edited by Groff Conklin, it falls short in a couple of areas. The first is that there are fewer stories included, which isn't a big problem since the quality is very high. The second is that many of the stories included had already appeared in other collections prior to this one. However, for those who don't already have those collections, this is a good place to start.

The list of authors reads like a who's who of science fiction from the period, and many of the stories are classics. The list of stories is: "Blowups Happen" by Robert A. Heinlein, "Hindsight" by Jack Williamson, "Vault Of The Beast" by A. E. van Vogt, "The Exalted" by L. Sprague De Camp, "Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov, "When The Bough Breaks" by Lewis Padgett, "Clash By Night" by Lawrence O'Donnell, "Invariant" by John R. Pierce, "First Contact" by Murray Leinster, "Meihem In Ce Klasrum" by Dolton Edwards, "Hobbyist" by Eric Frank Russell, "E For Effort" by T. L. Sherred, "Child's Play" by William Tenn, "Thunder And Roses" by Theodore Sturgeon, "Late Night Final" by Eric Frank Russell", "Cold War" by Kris Neville, "Eternity Lost" by Clifford D. Simak, "The Witches Of Karres" by James H. Schmitz, "Over The Top" by Lester del Rey, "Meteor" by William T. Powers, "Last Enemy" by H. Beam Piper, "Historical Note" by Murray Leinster, and "Protected Species" by H. B. Fyfe.

The anthology as a whole, was ranked 16th by readers on the Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for books in 1952, and it moved up to 8th on the same poll taken in 1956. In 1999, it was tied for 17th on the Locus All-Time Poll for anthologies.

Of the stories within, Asimov's "Nightfall" was rated 1st on the Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for short fiction in 1971, and 2nd on the Locus Poll in 1999 for novelettes. Leinster's "First Contact" tied for 9th on the Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll for short fiction in 1971, and won the Retro Hugo for best novelette in 1996 for the year 1945. Piper's "Last Enemy" was nominated for the Retro Hugo for best novella in 2001 for the year 1950.

This is one of Heinlein's four Hugo-winning novels. A rather lightweight actor is shanghaied away from Earth and more or less forced to impersonate a kidnapped politician. As he understands what the politician stands for, he falls more willingly into the role. The politician is recovered, but in such condition that the actor must remain in the role, and when the politician dies, adopt it for life.
Lorenzo's transformation from lightweight actor to Churchillian libertarian politician is interesting to watch, and the science fiction is not essential to the plot--the Empire could, with some plot modifications, be in Roman times, or the British Empire, or in the twentieth century.
Two problems: We see two sorts of characters we encounter too often in Heinlein's later books here--the two-dimensional female (Penny) and the yammerhead (Bill). It strains credibility that someone like Bonforte would tolerate someone like Bill near him for several years (sure, he does good work, but surely there would be thousands of nicer competant people available to a high-level politician), but the plot needs a bad guy close enough for the readers to focus on. But we see too many Pennys and Bills in the later Heinleins. Second problem: Heinlein's parliamentary system is ill-thought out. Wouldn't the Grand Assembly be heavily dominated by Asians? Yet, all of Bonforte's associates are American or English. (I don't think we even see an Asian, other than the Emperor's attache. Where's Quiroga from? South America?) How is it, in a Grand Assembly where the districts must have the population of New York City (say, 800 members, 8,000,000 per district), that there can be "pocket boroughs"--districts for space pilots, and university women, and a district for Lapland? And, would these districts be content to have their representatives be Mr. Bonforte's secretary and crew?
Still, a great book.

An flat broke egocentric actor, Lorenzo Smythe, is hired to be a body double for a high stand politician: John Bonforte, head of the Loyal Opposition and leader of the Expansionist Party. The double assignment was supposed to be temporary, but Lorenzo finds himself on the way to crucial ceremony at Mars where Earth's politics are at stake. And Lorenzo hates Martians, he's scared of them, but as substitute he must deal closely with them. Lorenzo enters in the midst of the acting challenge of a lifetime.

Book starts out light and comical. Eventually we see how arrogant, immature, and xenophobic -- but also a a mimic -- Lorenzo, transforms himself into a perfect copy of Bonforte both in psychical and emotional level. He must act, speak and think like stage would never end. "Double" star is about taking responsibility and how person steps into shoes of a world leader. In the background the political angle is used to imply racial issues; as observed from the schism between the Earth and Martians.

Three (3) stars. This short, quick read, book won Hugo 1956. It is somewhere in between the juvenile stories and Heinlein's serious works. As literature it's more entertainment. None of the characters other than Lorenzo are much more than stand-ins: e.g. we encounter childlike high executive secretary. The politics is fairly light and action is more the dominant factor. An undemanding and light read.

This is a collection of science fiction short stories(and many that are longer) published in the 1940s and early 1950s. The stories range from poor to some of the true classic of science fiction. If you enjoy reading good stories in any genre you will find stories in this book you will love. I recommend this book-you will not regret reading it and you will return many times to this volume to reread some of the stories

Heinlein was one of the best, and you would be missing out if you passed up the chance to read this, one of his many masterpieces. This story can still hold its own (despite being printed in 1957) against others in the genre- again, Heinlein was a master story-teller.

Enough people have given the summary of the book, but Heinlein wrote beyond the surface. The story is of an actor who truly discovers a greatness within himself that he at first only pretended to own. It's a story of humanity- in the politics the actor must represent- that humanity must not be doomed to repeat the same mistakes of seeing itself superior to other races, but instead try to learn to live in harmony. Like any good story it takes believeable characters and puts them in seemingly real situations in fantasy worlds, and tells us how we could only hope to act were we in such a predicament.

I'm lucky enough to own a first edition in great shape. I happened across it at a yard sale and had to pick it up. To me it was a "new" Heinlein novel as I hadn't heard of it. It's a light read, and although short, it's deep and fun. The plot loosely reminded me of a certain movie about an actor who impersonates the president... Of course this book was written LONG before that, and is much better. Read this book because it was written by Heinlein. Love it because it was well written.

It is really an enormous tragedy that so many of Isaac Asimov's great Science Fiction works remain out of print. The three `Empire' novels by Asimov are a great example. All three books are wonderfully written and fill the gap between The Robot novels and the Foundation series beautifully. These novels also give us a glimpse at the state of science in the fifties. If you are an Asimov fan and see any of the Empire novels available for loan or purchase please do so. You will not be sorry. To clear up some confusion on the part of some, the reason these novels are called `Empire' novels is because they take place just before the Empire referenced in the Foundation series began, during its infancy and during its peak. Very much fun indeed.

If you want to read them in order read The Stars Like Dust First, which takes place before the birth of the Foundation referenced Empire. Then read The Currents of Space which takes place during the infancy of the Foundation referenced Empire. Lastly read Pebble in the Sky which takes place during the peak of the Foundation referenced Empire.

This is my favorite Heinlein story, just edging out Starship Troopers and Door into Summer. It is funny, moving, fast-paced, with some real meat on the bones. The maturation of the main character is impressive, but the real hero is the politician he portrays: a decent man with convictions and an uncanny ability to articulate them plainly. If only WE had a few like that around!
I've read this book at least 50 times. It's one of my "comfort books" for when I'm sick, or overwhelmed or just blue.

This is a book which I took a while getting around to read. For some reason the subject matter, combined with the cheesy cover picture just didn't do anything for me. However, since I'm on a current mission to read everything I can find by R.A. Heinlein I picked it up to read. It was better than I was expecting.
An actor is tricked into accepting an unlikely assignment. Since he's out of work, and a bit desperate to do something he takes the job, and soon finds himself wishing he hadn't. He is to take the place of a very public political figure. In what comes to be the most challenging acting job of his life, he pulls the job off with flying colors. Through his study of the charachter he must incorperate a personality which goes against his own in many ways, and in some ways he finds it almost more than he can handle.
Through the course of his job, Lorenzo finds himself pushed further into playing his role, making dicisions, becoming this person. Like many novels by Heinlein, science fiction is merly the genre which allows situations to take place which otherwise could not....allows a normal guy to be faced with abnormal situations, and to grow because of this. Because of this, his stories are not only highly entertaining, but introspective as well. Double star examines what makes a person who he is by showing what is involved in assimilating another person and portraying them. It shows how a person can make a consious choice to be who they want to be, and take on the nessicary responsibilities to become a more honorable person.
I would reccomend this, as well as a number of Heinlein's novels as tools for a person who is working to better themselves and examine thier role in life.

It is really an enormous tragedy that so many of Isaac Asimov's great Science Fiction works remain out of print. The three `Empire' novels by Asimov are a great example. All three books are wonderfully written and fill the gap between The Robot novels and the Foundation series beautifully. These novels also give us a glimpse at the state of science in the fifties. If you are an Asimov fan and see any of the Empire novels available for loan or purchase please do so. You will not be sorry. To clear up some confusion on the part of some, the reason these novels are called `Empire' novels is because they take place just before the Empire referenced in the Foundation series began, during its infancy and during its peak. Very much fun indeed.

If you want to read them in order read The Stars Like Dust First, which takes place before the birth of the Foundation referenced Empire. Then read The Currents of Space which takes place during the infancy of the Foundation referenced Empire. Lastly read Pebble in the Sky which takes place during the peak of the Foundation referenced Empire.

...swipe from the best, and Heinlein certainly did here, lifting his plot from Anthony Hope (hodgeson)'s classic swashbuckler "The Prisoner of Zenda".

The interesting things about this book (which is NOT one of RAH's juveniles) that at first appear to set it apart from the majority of Heinlein's output are all characteristics of the narrator, Lorenzo.

Lorenzo is a xenophobe, an unheard-of trait for a Heinlein protagonist.

Lorenzo is completely incompetent at mathematics -- while RAH (through the mouthpiece of Lazarus Long) has opined that no-one is truly human who cannot understand higher mathematics.

Lorenzo is completely uninterested in politics or anything having to do with government, except as he personally may find himself interacting with law enforcement officials.

Lorenzo presents himself as something of a coward.

And Lorenzo is a raving egomaniac.

But Lorenzo learns to deal with his fear of Martians.

He never does learn math, but we gradually come to recognise that Heinlein has pulled a switch on us, and that Lorenzo is still our old friend, Heinlein's Competent Man -- but that his competency lies in another direction.

Because Lorenzo is recruited for the greatest challenge of an actor's career -- to impersonate, literally in front of entire worlds, an immensely famous politician, who has been kidnapped by his political enemies in order to derail an important treaty with the inahbitants of Mars.

And, gradually, as Lorenzo comes to know the man he must replace -- know him from the inside out, and "become" him, to the point that he can extemporise politically sound speeches in the Great Man's style -- that he begins to understand that politics is all-important in making it possible for the masses to live in peace and security, Lorenzo Grows Up.

The Lorenzo we meet on Page One is a cheerful, flippant, shallow and actually fairly immature man. The Lorenzo we see by the end of the story proper has matured, seen some of the wrongs that need righting, and has realised that someone has to step up to the line and take a stand or the wrongs will simply continue; that all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

And that is what the story is about, really -- like RAH's juvenile, "Starman Jones", this is mostly a story about a man growing up and accepting a man's role and responsibilities.

And, as the much-older Lorenzo adds as a short coda at the very end of the book, learning the important thing about the faceless masses, the thing that so many politicians lose sight of -- that they have lives of their own.

That they can hurt.

(At least one previous review has alluded to the excerpts from Bonforte's speeches -- i strongly suspect that, as the character of Bonforte himself seems to be by the man, they are heavily influenced or inspired by the oratory of Winston Churchill. Particularly, when i read the passage about choosing sides, i hear Winnie's voice in my head...)

Most definitely!!! Saying this is a political story in misleading however, although politics is definitely the full backdrop of the story.

The story revolves around a down and out actor, who finds himself in an extremely unique situation one day. "Tricked" into the job of doubling for noted public figure ( whom he thinks he doesn't even like), Smythe eventually finds himself drawn into a strange world of mystery and political battling. That's all I'll say on the plot, but do not think this book will be dull simply because you think politics is boring (just as I did)...it is NOT boring, once you get past the first few pages.

The Master has created another collection of words that you will have a tough time putting down...

Double Star is a brilliant tale of political intrigue set in a science fiction mileiu. Ignore the space ships, ignore interplanetary travel, and ignore the other trapping of SciFi, this is a story of an actor drawn into the most brutal, deceptive, treacherous environment known to humanity; politics.

The actor, Lorenzo, has the right build and face to play the stand in for a high ranking politician, and it is not clear whether or not he'll ever get out of the role... or want to.

In addition to being a great tale, there are a number of worthwhile lessons hidden in here. The best example is the habit of taking notes on people you meet, even folks junior to you that appear to be nobodies, in order to cultivate a relationship at a later date. Machiavellian? Mmmm... yes, but also good manners for anyone who meets and works with a lot of people.

A great story, regardless of the setting. Easily one of Heinlein's best and most underrated.

E. M. Van Court

The year is 1956. Eisenhower is in the White House, following a long line of military men to reach that post. And this slim book appears, presenting the wild idea of an actor, perhaps not even a very good actor, who manages to reach the position of head of state. Obviously an idea like this could only appear within the realm of science fiction! What a difference in perspective an additional twenty five years will make, as once more science fiction becomes fact.

The route Lorenzo Smythe takes to reach this post is, however, just a little different from that of the real-world actor. The Great Lorenzo, as he styles himself, is conceited, arrogant, out of work, and down to his last half-Imperial when he is offered the job of doubling for a well-known political figure. The job is so obviously beneath his dignity that he is ready to turn down the offer when the Martians take a hand, and Lorenzo finds himself involved in murder, kidnapping, and slicing both humans and Martians into small pieces to flush down the disposal.

Forced by these circumstances to take the job, Lorenzo is even more disturbed when he finds out the identity of the person he is supposed to double for, none other that the leader of the opposition party, Joseph Bonforte, whose politics, what little he knows of them, he despises. But his own inflated idea of his abilities allows him to steady down and start studying for the role, a role he will play for much longer than he could ever anticipate.

This book is a character study, carefully and artfully detailing how Lorenzo changes under the influence of having to pretend to be someone he is not, aided by the immediate staff of the man he impersonates. It is fascinating to watch him change from someone you probably wouldn't invite into your home, to confused and beginning to search for some moral basis to his life beyond 'the show must go on', and finally to a man doing his best not just for himself, but for all intelligent beings, truly becoming the man he is portraying.

The other characters here are pretty sketchy, mainly props to help move the plot and aid Lorenzo. This is most noticeable with Penny, Bonforte's personal secretary, who suffers from the typical Heinlein failing (at that point in his writing career) of portraying women as one-dimensional beings. However, this limited portrayal of these secondary characters does not detract from, but rather enhances by contrast the masterful portrayal of Lorenzo.

Heinlein makes good use of his own experience in running for the California State legislature, as he describes the mechanics of running a political campaign, just how decisions are reached, how dependent a politician is upon the quality of the staff he selects, so that these items ring with real-world ambience. This is also probably the first book that clearly showed his leaning towards what would now be called Libertarianism, but this exposition is fairly muted, unlike some of his later works. And it wouldn't be a Heinlein book without his side commentaries: here he covers monarchies, civil servants, patronage, media management, taxes, unions, truth and lies, prejudice and xenophobia.

Published at a time when a novel of character was practically unheard of in the science fiction world, this work, like so many others by Heinlein, expanded the boundaries of the field, another step in lifting it out of its self-imposed pulp ghetto and back to the world of literature. This is probably part of the reason this book earned Heinlein his first of five Hugo awards for best novel of the year, a record matched by no other author. The rest of the reason? It's a fun, fast, great read; a story that hasn't lost its power to engross, entertain, and expand your view of the world.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

This is a polished, professional written book. It is neither thought provoking nor emotive, and it has some dated aspects, from the gender roles to the appearance of a slide rule. But it is pleasant, easy reading, somewhat reminiscent of some of Jules Verne’s works.

Double Star (1956) is a standalone SF novel. It was published after Time for the Stars.

In this novel, Lorenzo Smythe is a small time actor. His father always told him that the two worst vices in show business are stupidity and pretty and he had both.

Dak Broadbent is a voyageur, a highly skilled spaceman. He is on Earth without official notice.

Jacques Dubois is also a voyageur. Jock appears to be in Dak's crew.

Rrringriil is a Martian alien. He looks life a tree stump with tentacles.

In this story, Lorenzo is sitting in a bar when Dak arrives and sits at his table. Lorenzo buys him a drink and Lorenzo salutes him with a spaceman expression. Dak denies that he has every been in space.

Lorenzo tries to tell him how he gives away his profession. Dak doesn't get it, so Lorenzo walks to the door as a groundhog and walks back as a spacer. Dal buys them both drinks and leaves his on the table as he goes out temporarily.

Lorenzo notices that Dak had walked out past a quartet of Martians. He is very prejudiced against the aliens. He believes that they are worst than animals.

Then Lorenzo gets a call on one of the bar phones. He notices that it is sound proofed and encrypted. Dak is on the other side of the call.

Dak offers him a day's wages to come to the Hotel Eisenhower. Lorenzo goes in the back entrance and takes a bounce tube to the proper floor. Dak lets him into the suite.

Dak explains the job. He wants Lorenzo to double as a political figure, who is presently unable to make public appearances. Lorenzo refuses the job. He says he is an actor, not a double.

Jock wants Dak to turn down Lorenzo. They go over to the privacy corner and argue. Lorenzo cannot hear the conversation, but he can see their lips. Lorenzo can read lips.

Jock irritates Lorenzo, so he goes over to the corner and says he will take the job. Dak asks him to change his appearance so none will associate him with them. He give Lorenzo a cheap makeup kit and leaves him to the task.

Lorenzo has to change his spectacularly good looks to something none will notice. Then Dak comes back and asks why he hasn't changed his face. In the next 20 seconds, Lorenzo makes his face unnoticeable. Dak is amazed.

When Jock first sees him, he asks who he is and what happened to the actor. Lorenzo says what actor in a flat voice. Jock looks at him again and turns away. Then he notices the clothes and is also amazed.

As they are preparing to leave, someone knocks on the door. Jock opens it and Rrringriil is standing in the hall. Jock immediately jumps the Martian and his body rips the pseudo limb away from the alien.

The human with Rrringriil shoots Jock. The voyageur is already dead, so Dak shoots the human. Dak promises to tell the Martian's nest about his death. Then Dak pokes a finger into the Martian's brain and kills him.

Lorenzo is shocky from the Martian and the killings. Dak forces him to help clean up the mess. Dak is unable to help dispose of Jock, so Lorenzo cuts him into small pieces and puts them into the oubliette.

Lorenzo is cleaning the bathtub when Dak says it is time to go. They head out the same way Lorenzo came into the hotel. But they take the tube to Jefferson Skyport.

This tale takes Lorenzo to Mars. Lorenzo is very spacesick during the first part of the voyage. As he is recovering, Dak tells him that their spaceship is rendezvousing with a torchship, which will quickly take them the rest of the way,

On Mars, Lorenzo is introduced to his principal, a very famous man. Lorenzo become his doppelganger. He studies the man's gait and his interactions with others. He studies his speech and his speeches.

Lorenzo worries about being a political double. His principal has reportedly survived previous assassination attempts. Maybe a double died, but the politician survived.

Lorenzo becomes his principal. This novel does not have a sequel, but is followed by the novel The Door into Summer.

Highly recommended for Heinlein fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of stage actors, political intrigues, and a bit of romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is a crisp story, with action and intrigue from start to finish. Lorenzo Smythe is one of Heinlein's most engaging characters, and a real departure from the typical Heinlein hero. He also goes through a lot of changes, as a good protagonist should.
Heinlein generally doesn't have a lot of good things to say about politicians, but John Joseph Bonforte (another critical character) is his exception that proves the rule. He's honest, capable, caring - in short a saint among politicians.
Another reviewer complained of too much politics, but that's rather silly in my opinion. The book is about the world of politics in the future, so it has to talk about it. But there is very little of Heinlein's trademark libertarian philosophizing. The book moves so fast, there isn't time for it.
This is Heinlein's only short work to win a Hugo award, and I consider it quite worthy of the honor. It's not one of Heinlein's series of juvenile novels, but it can be read by teens as well as adults. Get it - it beats 99% of the science fiction ever written, and practically 100% of the stuff being put out these days.

This is sort of a retelling of "The Prisoner of Zenda," and the plot succeeds or fails based on whether or not you buy the possibility that, with just a little grease paint and some talent, one man could pass himself off as another, at close range, to people who knew him. The other part of the story is that this man whom you are impersonating is a key political figure in the story of mankind reaching out to the stars. He brings an end to human-centered government, and xenophobic relations between Earth and the other inhabited planets in our Solar System. Heinlein takes on this sort of theme much more powerfully later in "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress." This book is more of a romp, with some stuff to think about just coming along for the ride.

How different was the world of late 1950's sf publishing. Novels could be 140 pages long. No need for warp drive in order to meet aliens (though some sort of relativity drive makes it possible to get from the Earth to Mars in a matter of weeks), because they're right here! They live on Venus, and Mars, of course. Did we really know so little about conditions on Mars as to think big people-sized creatures could live there, in 1956? Hard to imagine we were that ignorant still. Of course, we had still not one satellite in orbit in 1956, let alone sent any robot vehicles off to the Moon and planets. But canals with shrimp growing in them? And an atmosphere that would allow someone to breath, albeit only for a short period. Mars would kill you in a matter of seconds, it's barely better than the Moon. Several themes of Heinlein's later work are on display here, though he develops them a lot more later on. His whole interest in the impersonating schtick is to explore what it would be like to inhabit another person's...life. In a later work, he has an old man taking over a young woman's body ("Time Enough for Love"). All of this raises interesting questions about what is it I'm talking about when I say "I"? Also, the motif/theme/whatever it is of the Wise Old Man is here, in the person of the politician, Bonforte. He's not preaching and pontificating yet, as he will in later novels, but he is there. I enjoyed reading this, but be prepared for some major boners in future-prediction. There are mountains of microfilm filling up vaults on the Moon, which I'm guessing the "robot brains" (computers) can read somehow. Slide rules still...rule. As another reviewer here said, it's more Ruritania than sf, but what the hey. Give it a read.

In this short novel Heinlein tells the story (in first person) of Lorenzo Smythe, a man of the stage, as he stumbles upon the role of a lifetime in a bar over drinks with a pilot. Lorenzo quickly finds himself embroiled in caper too far to turn back from and eventually becomes involved in a political coverup that is way over his head.
For the most part I enjoyed Double Star. It started out light and comical, but eventually lost those two elements the more we learn about the political situation...and the more Lorenzo sinks into his role playing a double. Now that I look back there is very little science fiction involved in this book other than trips to Mars and the Moon. Beyond that it is a novel that focuses on politics, acting, and the theatre. There are many references to Shakespeare; elements of which are the main plot of this book (deception and disguise). Not being a fan of politics in general, I thought the heavy political aspects eventually pulled the book down. But that's just my view. There are many people who enjoy this type of narrative. I wish Heinlein would have maintained the light and fun tone throughout. Regardless, it was an enjoyable read on my trek through the Hugo & Nebula winners.

For me, Heinlein's books have always fallen into three categories: the biggies (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Time Enough for Love, Stranger, etc.), the juvees (many of them excellent, e.g. The Rolling Stones, Rocket Ship Galileo, Orphans of the Sky), and everything else. I tend to think of the "everything else" books as his "small books"... not necessarily fewer pages, but -- as a rule -- less ambitious... drawn on a smaller canvas.

This deft retelling of The Prisoner of Zenda is one of the best, perhaps the best, of the small books. The storytelling is tight, and Lorenzo Smith is one of Heinlein's most memorable characters... He also one his most human and self-aware characters. Heinlein characters tend to preach tolerance and acceptance of otherness. Lorenzo *learns* tolerance. He's one of the few Heinlein characters that truly develops.

Winner of the 1956 Hugo Award for Best Novel, Double Star is a passable, light-hearted, political adventure story albeit with a pretty interesting main character -- Lawrence Smith ("The Great Lorenzo").

The Plot (some Spoilers!)

The actor Lawrence Smith is drinking his last money away in bar when a spaceman enters and attempts to hire him for a suspicious job. Smith initially refuses but is cajoled into assisting -- eventually they viciously kill some Martians who try to stop them (an aspect of the story which is never fully explained since all the other Martians are really nice).

Slowly the extent of the job is revealed to Smith -- impersonate the prominent expansionist politician John Joseph Bonforte whose been kidnapped by his political enemies! Smith doesn't agree with Bonforte's politics and hates Martians -- Bonforte on the other hand is palls with the strange fission creatures and their stinky smells and half-brained children. This doesn't jive with the job he must perform as Bonforte -- a speech to the Martians so he can join their hive and eventually make them full citizens of the Earth Empire! Some hypnosis so Martians smell suddenly like perfume and before long Smith's internalized all the mannerism and traits of Bonforte. The plot thickens and Smith slowly is forced to win Bonforte's elections since the real politician's been temporarily mind-wiped... A visit to the Earth Emperor (A Constitutional Monarch) and his toy trains on the Moon spells potential disaster! Will he be caught? Will the real Bonforte recover?

My Thoughts

Since Heinlein has "The Great Lorenzo" tell his tale in first-person, the transformation from an irrationally racist egotistical actor into Bonforte himself is well done and we get some fascinating insights into his mind. However, since the novel abruptly stops when Smith has to actually become Bonforte at all times the 'who actually am I' is never explored in much detail. However, this is a fun adventure with unbelievably silly aliens, dumb emperors with no power playing with trains....

I think Heinlein realized that describing Martians is a futile endeavor -- hence they are but a back story here and even more of a back story in Stranger in a Strange Land. Also, what starts out as an adventure story quickly turns into a turgid political 'let's win the election story.' If only Heinlein buckled down and decided to be serious -- the Smith/Bonforte character deserves a better backdrop (especially since all the the other characters in the novel are interchangeable and dull). I remain unimpressed. If you like Heinlein, pick it up -- it in no way belongs in the ranks of Heinlein's best despite its awards...

DOUBLE STAR, written in 1956, was the first Robert A. Heinlein novel to win a Hugo Award. Interestingly, in his memoirs, Isaac Asimov referred to this book as the best thing Heinlein ever wrote. I disagree with Asimov -- DOUBLE STAR is certainly a fun read, but nowhere near Heinlein's best.

This book is essentially about an actor shanghaied into impersonating a powerful politician. The job is originally meant to be a short-term one, but eventually evolves into something much bigger and more important. Most of DOUBLE STAR consists of the actor faking his way through one high-profile situation after another. The results are consistently entertaining, and Heinlein's prose is first-rate.

DOUBLE STAR is a short read, and contains almost no hard science. This is a novel about politics, but the political ideas are dealt with in a rather superficial fashion. All the major characters are colorful, but not as well developed as I would like. The ending is also extremely predictable. This was probably a cutting-edge novel for its time (i.e. the United States of the 1950s, when SF novels were first entering the marketplace), but it doesn't compare favorably with the more complex SF novels of today.

Still, Heinlein's erudite prose is a joy to read, and he was certainly the best stylist of SF's golden age. DOUBLE STAR is good, old-fashioned fun, and anyone interested in reading classic SF should definitely give this one a whirl.

It is so cool to read old stories. Some of the references are to things that have been forgotten by most people. These stories are generally enjoy so it may not be able as any good story is, it is just that these have another facet that is interesting for me. I have a paperback edition, so it may not be the same as other editions available.
'Nightfall' by Isaac Asimov - This is one of the great short stories because it imagined another world with their own lifestyles and culture, etc. It does not involve a lot of science, just imagination of what another world might be and how the inhabitants would react to the setting of the sun once every couple of thousand years.
'First Contact' by Murray Leinster - It is amazing that even fifty or sixty years ago they were worried about the first time the human race encounters aliens. The cool part of this story is that it happens so far away from here or there that both ships feel comfortable trying to figure out how to get away safely without destroying the other first. Given the time, they figure out a way both crews can go home safely
'Eternity Lost' by Clifford D. Simak - Humanity has developed life lengthening technology, but it is limited to a chosen fewfor good and obvious reasons. One of the lucky ones finds he is due to be denied further life. He gets rather distraught about it.
'Vault of the Beast' by A. E. van Vogt - A ship has visited Mars and returns to Earth with a magical creature created for one purpose. The creature does its thing and in the end helps to save the world. The wonder of this story is the descriptions and the ending math.
'Invarient' by John Pierce - Homer Green is constantly interviewed because he is a relic. This is another story of immortality gone wrong.
'When the Bough Breaks' by Lewis Padgett - New parents of a whiz kid are visited by tutors from the future. The tutoring backfires.
'Cold War' by Kris Neville - A story of how Mutually Assured Destruction became the beacon of peace in the world, though of course no one knew it was coming.
'Over the Top' by Lester del Ray- For me this is the most interesting story because of the reference to "hundred ton electronic slipsticks" (does anyone know what one is?). A midgit is sent to Mars. He was chosen for various reasons: sex, intelligence, healthy, etc. and stature. He was small so he would not need the space a normal man would need, air use would be less, etc, etc. The challenge is that he crash hands, his savior is a Martian, and humanity also comes to his rescue. Wild story.

Probably one of the best written of Heinlein's novels, this slender book is more a character study than traditional gee-whiz science fiction. The hero is an actor chosen to impersonate a prominent political figure. The story, though set in typical Heinleinian future history, is largely the story of the actor growing into the role of, and eventually becoming the statesmen. Heinlein handles this somewhat hokey plot in a surprisingly effective way, eliciting considerable sympathy for the protagonist. Heinlein uses a traditional science fiction device, the growth of an immature hero in a novel environment. Heinlein used this device in a number of other books and its effective because it encourages readers to identify with the hero. In this case, however, the novel environment is less the future history that is the backdrop of the story than the world of politics and electioneering.

I suspect that Heinlein may have originally planned a more complex and longer book. The doppelganger aspect of Double Star is mirrored by the unusual biology of the Martians who appear as minor characters. My guess is that Heinlein intended to do more with this aspect of the story but settled for a shorter and simpler plot. This book also reveals one of Heinlein's best features, his intense dislike of racism. Published in the mid-1950s, Double Star is partly a barely veiled attack on racial bigotry.

Of course it was written well (Heinlein) but so dated it didn't hold up. He spoke about a file room that went on forever filled with microfilm. If you like SF with a dose of nostalgia this is your book.

While Double Star did win the Hugo Award for the best science fiction novel of 1956, I would not call it one of Heinlein's most important works, nor would I rate it as highly as a good number of his other novels. It's a great story, but it strikes me as rather peculiar. There is not a great deal of science fiction in the book, for one thing. More importantly, although the plot revolves around politics, Double Star is much less political than many of Heinlein's other novels. No great questions are probed very deeply, and one finds oneself entertained more than intellectually stimulated or morally challenged. Here's the story in a nutshell. Lorenzo Smythe (aka The Great Lorenzo) is a fairly good actor currently down on his luck. A seemingly chance encounter with a space man lands him a role he never dreamed of playing. At first, he is only told that the job involves impersonating an important person. Two dead men and one dead Martian later, he finds himself rather unhappily bound for Mars, and he soon learns that his assignment, which he has reluctantly agreed to, is to play none other than John Joseph Bonforte, the head of the Expansionist movement, a man loved and hated passionately throughout the solar system. The real Bonforte has been kidnapped just days before an important event. If Bonforte misses that event, in which he will be formally adopted into Mars' most prominent native family, all of the goals of the Expansionist movement may well be doomed to failure. Smythe gives the performance of his life, but his hopes of returning home are squashed when the real Bonforte is recovered in very bad health. Smythe is asked to continue the charade just a little longer. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself essentially becoming Bonforte, holding the Expansionist party together by his presence and working to make Bonforte's goals a reality. His original self had no interest in politics and had a natural aversion to Martians, but Smythe changes fundamentally as his command performance extends from one encore after another.
Some readers may say that there is too much politics in this book; this is true only insofar as the story is about politics. I really would not call the story political at all. Besides expressing an argument for the equality of all members of the empire, be they Martian, Venusian, Jovian, Terran, etc., the story is relatively free of the types of political and philosophical arguments that typify many of Heinlein's later novels. Those readers uninterested in politics should not pass this novel over out of a fear of politicization. Double Star is a very entertaining story and a fairly quick read. There is nothing earth-shattering or conscience paradigm-shifting about it, and that is the reason I am somewhat surprised that it received the Hugo award. This actually would be a good crossover introduction to Heinlein for readers not interested in science fiction in and of itself.

"Double-Star" is very good fiction. It was written in the 1950s, but is set in the future (with rocket ships and space travel), thus it is "science-fiction". However, the core of the tale has to do with human psychology.

An out-of-work actor agrees to become a stand-in for a politician for a few days, on Mars. The politician gets sicker. The actor plugs on, winning an election for a high office for the polician. And, things get stickier and stickier and stickier.

It was and still is a very good story. For Heinlein, this tale rates "above average" (in my opinion). For writers as a whole, Heinlein's "average" rates four stars, at least, and has won SF's highest award.

This is a Heinlein, so it is worth reading. It's an interesting story, with a unique plot (for science fiction) at least, and is a politically charged work, for those who like that side of Heinlein. In reality, this book could easily exist outside the genre of science fiction, so readers who don't normally like SF might dig this book. That said, this isn't one of Heinlein's best stories. There is almost no science whatsoever (not that unusual for RAH, but alas), the dialogue isn't up to his usual standards, and the story never really picks up steam like you expect it to.
So, all in all, this is a book for the Heinlein devotee to pick up after they have already read most of his best work, an RAH newbie should look elsewhere. A good book, but I can't see why it won a Hugo.

This is a highly curious book. As SF it is very much dated: the "science" is ludicrous by today's standards. Despite the comments of other reviewers there is not really all that much politics in it. I have reread this a few times (one of the few books that allow this) and find it gets better each time I read it. I feel this is a book that very much expresses Heinlein's philosophy, and can hold its own beside "Space_Cadet" and "Starship_Troopers". The one-dimensional young female character so typical of Heinlein's later work is here, but in reasonable proportions (I will go with the mainstream view that Heinlein never wrote anything worth reading after 1961). I guess this indeed is a classic although it is full of laughably silly little details.

This one isn't really "science fiction," since, with only changes, it could be set in the here-and-now, or in Ruritania -- but it's pure Heinlein, and better written than many of his earlier works. At only 128 pages, it's also pretty short for a novel -- but it works. Lorenzo Smyth (a/k/a Larry Smith) is an actor convinced of his own talent (which, as it turns out, is actually considerable) who is hired to impersonate the Good Guy leader of a major political alliance, who has been kidnaped on Mars by the Evil Opposition. Against his better apolitical judgment, Lorenzo takes the job because it's a challenge, and almost immediately regrets it as the limited engagement spins itself out indefinitely. There's a minimum of strident overwriting of the sort Heinlein was often guilty of in pursuit of his moral and ethical positions, with the quietly-made exception of a plea for racial tolerance.

Okay, you've got to step aside one moment when you sit down to this book and remember two things: One, this was not written for adults, but instead teenagers. Two, this book was written FOREVER ago. (Mind you, it's still an enjoyable novel to me now, and I'm almost thirty, living in the 21st century.)
My father came to me one day when I was in the seventh grade and said that he thought it was time I read Heinlein. This was the first of the books he gave me, and I literally took it, read the first sentence, sat down where I was, and started reading.
Like most of RAH's work, this book provides a pleasant, entertaining narrative while making you think about some of the issues within-- racism, politics, professionalism, and personal responsibility.

Heinlein was never really a Science Fiction writer, but rather a writer of a wide variety of fiction that used "futuristic" settings as a backdrop for his philosophical musings. Writers of his era such as Clarke, Herbert and Niven truly explored "worlds of if." Heinlein just took the America of the 1950s and transplanted it to a place where everyone looks, acts and speaks the same, but on spaceships instead of ocean liners, e.g.

But the content if not the futurism is worth the reading.

If there was a definition for a page turner, it should include the words Double Star. Start this book. Your fingers will start turning the pages faster and faster (regardless of slide rulers and native Martians) until without even realizing it you will reach Double Star's moving finale.
But until then:

You will have enjoyed one of the best first person narratives ever in science fiction.

You will have read a fantastic case of somebody's personal singularity, witnessing his personal Gethsemane Gardens, but also his apotheosis.

You will have extremely liked the excellent cast of supporting characters, the petty politicians, the sarcastic nobles, the unexpected villains and the hive extraterrestrials.

Easily among Heinlein's best. Quintuple star for double star.

As other reviewers have indicated, you need to buy the 1952-vintage Hardback edition of this book to get the original anthology with all 23 stories in it. The later paperback versions only have 8 of the stories. The hardback book is a gem of "Golden Age" sci-fi from Astounding science fiction magazine. (Note: Effective in 1960, the name changed to Analog science fiction magazine). If you are a fan of science fiction, this hardback book titled The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology is a must-have for your personal library or your collection.

One of Heinlein's best, in which down-and-out actor Lorenzo Smythe is drafted as a body-double for a famous statesman. The description of how he does this is fascinating, as is the story of how he has to keep doing it. Lorenzo is an appealing character despite his manifest weaknesses and follies, and actually manages to evolve. An interesting slant on the world of politics -- written in the mid-1950's, years before Reagan began to build a political career.

The other two are _The Door into Summer_ and _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_. Heinlein also wrote a handful of near-great novels as well as some third-tier stuff that I don't care about rereading. (And his nonfiction, unlike Asimov's, isn't worth the paper it's printed on.) But these three novels are magisterial, and as close to perfect as anything he ever wrote.

This time out, our "hero" is Lawrence Smith a.k.a. Lorenzo "Lorrie" Smythe a.k.a. "The Great Lorenzo", a self-important and out-of-work actor who, at least initially, isn't all that heroic. He's approached about a job, and it turns out to involve serving as a double for a famous statesman in a public appearance. The rest you'll have to read for yourself.

It's a fast-moving, well-paced, meaty story, and it raises all sorts of fascinating questions about personal identity, character, and such. And Heinlein handles it all very deftly. Smith (why _are_ so many of his characters named "Smith"?) contends at one point that in order for an actor to portray a character properly, s/he has to _become_ the character, and it's impossible to do so without coming to like the character somewhat. Well, that's just what Heinlein does here with Smith himself. (Another of Heinlein's Smiths would later describe this process as "grokking".)

Oh, there are a few soapboxy bits, but they don't interfere much with the story. For example, at one or two points we get a few pseudo-profound quotations from statesman John Joseph Bonforte that sound suspiciously like Heinlein himself at his tub-thumpingly silliest (or perhaps some lost excerpts from the notebooks of Lazarus Long, which may be another way of saying the same thing). But it's kept under control. (In other words, this is not _Starship Troopers_ or _Farnham's Freehold_.)

This is one of Heinlein's finest and most tightly constructed tales, and almost fifty years after its publication it still holds up well. This is the master at his best -- and his best was very, very good.

Well written and entertaining, Double Star explores the absurd idea of an actor accidentally becoming President, throwing into stark contrast the superficiality of much of political life. It must have seemed radical at the time, but in the light of the the Reagan presidency and the 24 hours news cycle, it now lacks the bite of some his other works.

I realize this is considered one of the all-time Heinlein greats, and yes I certainly liked it, but I didn't think is was THAT great. "Double Star" is the story of a down-and-out actor who ends up impersonating a big time interplanetary politician, and while it's a quick enjoyable read, I came away wondering what the bid deal was. I mean, yeah, it's a lot of fun, but an all-time classic? I think not.

I bought this book many years ago before the store even existed. I totally love it. It did cement my dislike of broccoli though. I didn't mind the Martians looking like it, it's just that now I think of them as little green sickly Martians.

I know that Robert Heinlein is one of the masters of sci fi, and I know that this book won the Hugo award in 1957. I know that it is considered a classic, but for some reason it didn't strike me as anything great. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely entertaining. In fact, if Hollywood is looking for a good story, this book would make a great movie. But as literature I just found it a little uninspired. Maybe I was expecting something else. But if you just want a good read and are just looking for entertainment I am sure you'll enjoy the book. If you like your sci fi with a little more depth, try "Stranger in a Strange Land" or one of Heinlein's other books

As usual, Heinlein grabs the reader from the very first page. In this particular first page, it's his natural-seeming description of how a spaceman dresses, walks and otherwise behaves on ground.

I also love his take on acting - how one's affect, way of walking, etc. are arguably more important than superficial facial appearance.

I love his asides about political realities --> the behind-the-scenes machinery of "democracy."

On a certain level, Double Star is a rehearsal for his much-later Friday, one of my favorite Heinlein books.

Double Star is a pleasure to read, escapist fiction in its very highest sense. As I write this, I wonder why the heck am I giving it three stars instead of four? Mmmm, I'd say it's because I'm comparing it with other Heinlein books, and based on that high standard, I say it's a solid "good."

Standins and doubles for politicians and celebrities are nothing new. Usually, though, their duties are pretty simple and short-lived, and it's what they do for a living. This is an interesting story told first-person about a situation in which nothing is normal and none of the usual conditions apply. Heinlein takes the opportunity to insert some sly governmental criticism. Nothing about the story is really inevitable, but it appears that way when looking back on it.
Definitely a 'G' rating for this.

Lorenzo Smythe has to be one of the best examples of a character you love to loathe in the beginning, and winding up loving by the middle. The way that Smythe, like so many of Heinlen's first person narrators, reveals things about himself, sometimes inadvertently, is just as interesting as the stories he tells. "Double Star", as far as I'm concerned, is his Heinlen's virtuoso performance of narration, and a terrific plot to go with it.

I'm not a big Robert Heinlein fan, but my wife suggested "Double Star" and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's one of Heinlein's novels for juveniles, and it is straightforward and thought-provoking without being simplistic or preachy. It can be enjoyed at face value, but you can pull quite a bit of interesting psychological and socio-political concepts from it as well. Although set in the future when humans have colonized various parts of the solar system, the focus is not on science at all. Unfortunately this makes it all the more jarring when occasional references are made to slide rules and microfilm.

This is a well-written, well-plotted story, as you would expect from such a respected author.
BUT
Personally, I have a problem with the story. The man character looses his individuality, becoming someone else. The (explicitly stated, too) message is that the trade-off was worth it - rather than being another unsuccesfull actor, the protagonist has become a significant political personality and can carry on realising his original's vision.
This does not go well with any notion of the individual human being's intrinsic worth and I'm surprised that no one else seems to be troubled by this.
Still, a very good and diverting read.The snapshots of a Martian culture are particularly memorable.

I first read Double Star when I was a teenager. I didn't get some of the subtleties until much later, but what a great read for a teenager. My 14 year-old daughter picked it up as a last resort (sci-fi, yuck), and stayed up all night to read it!
Engaging charachters that speeds along. Not alot of gadgets or pure sci-fi, just an interesting story, interesting people set in an interesting time (the future). If you have any experience with politics, theatre, crime, soap operas or mysteries, you'll enjoy the read.

Double Star is a classic science fiction novel. It is about an actor who "fills in" for a kidnapped statesman. It is also a look at what could very well be the politics of our future. An Earth united under one government that grapples with the idea of peacefully merging with alien worlds even if that meant that humans would become a minority. Also, Heinlein's Martians are one of the most memorable races created by a SF author.
Double Star is a great SF novel.

Heinlein's disdain for politicians doesn't stop him from knowing that the game of politics is the most important thing for all sentient life. The ablility for living things to live together in harmony, and for the greater good, hinges on interactions in the political arena, and that is the true nature of this story. The subtext of the well-woven plotline is secondary to the lessons learned by the protagonist, and that is what makes this great literature. Read the book, don't just watch it like a TV show, and you will know. Another great by the best.

Reading it from Smythe's point of view was the best part because he's relating his thoughts to the readers as he enters into a bizarre impersonation job. He has to impersonate very convincgly a controversial figure. It's fun to read this light-hearted story although it's clear that Heinlein loves writing about politics in space civilization which gets tedious eventually.

I'm a big Heinlein fan but the book is not always entertaining. Most of the time though. The book is good, not very hard to put down but it takes alot of work! His Martians in the book are so ridiculous (In a GOOD way). You just have to like this book. This would be more of a cult book, not very but if you hate politics, dont even try reading this book. But I liked it.

This novel is classic sci-fi as Heinleins has always written it, at its best.I have always been a fan of Heinlein, even after I learned to decipher his incredibly libertarian views written into his books. If you've never read a Heinlein book, start with The Puppet Masters. It is one of the greatest sci-fi novels ever. I say 'one of the greatest...' simply because I haven't read all the books that have been written. Double Star, however, is still an exciting narrative, though sometimes the cultures and structures can be hard to get straight. If you're a libertarian or a conservative, dig in and enjoy, and if you're a liberal, don't worry, this book isn't too conservatively oppressive.

The idea of a person having to impersonate another person has always been an idea that intrigued me. In this book Heinlein really explores this idea. Although we would think this is impossible in the grand scale that Heinlein talks about but at the end of your reading. You probably will ask yourself, "Why not?"

Although there's a fairly strong plot to the novel, as in all the Heinlein I've read, its strengths lie not so much in the action, which in some ways seems rather dated now, but in its comments on the political process, which has stayed pretty much the same.
There are also some amusing references to the British system, such as when Lorenzo hands the Emperor a scroll which is supposed to be a list of Ministers for approval, but which is actually blank, and the discussion on the relationship between the Emperor and the elected politician.
This isn't the most profound of books, but it's none the worse for it, and well worth a read.

On the surface, one might think that Stranger in a Strange Land would be my favorite Heinlein novel. Okay, it was the most influential.
However, as a novel, Double Star is far superior. The plot, pacing and characterization are all excellent. Add to this an original (for the time) theme for science fiction: Poltical Intrigue.
It is an excellent and entertaining read. Heinlein at his best. I urge you to pick this one up.

The first and last time I read this book was the summer of 1973. I read it and got to the last two pages and wondered how he would pull it all together. I have read many books, but this is in my top five.

As an avid reader of Heinlein, I was a little disappointed by this novel, but not overly so. A fairly interesting little mystery, but you can pretty much figure out the plot within the first few pages or so. In fact, this book lacks a great deal of the social commentary that is Heinlein's hallmark, though it is not devoid of it. Read it as a study in character development -- he does a fine job of letting the main character develop and change, and while our heartstrings aren't tugged quite as mercilessly as in other RAH novels, it's still an enjoyable read for an evening.

I was pleased to renew my acquaintance with this book recently via the audio cassette version. The story is read -- or more accurately, performed most excellently -- by Lloyd James. I leave it to the other reviewers to give a synopsis of the plot. It's fun to see what Heinlein "got right" in some of his future predictions and where he "missed" (no mobile phones? -- part of the plot would have collapsed). If you enjoy travelling with an audio book, this should be a fun companion.

This is a story for everyone. Kids and adults can enjoy this story of intrigue and action. Set in the future includings mans exploration of the solar system. There are even Martions on Mars! I have read it many times and it has become one of my all time favorites!

to surmise, the book is about an actor who is hired to be a political figure.

I will not reveal any more as to not ruin the nature of the plot.

I felt that like some of heinlein's books, the book is plauged with

politics, less science fiction, the only sci-fi thing about it is that the plot takes place in space, other than that, it's all politics.

Same thing with Citizen of the galaxy, a book that starts off really well and ending with a theme that do not portray sci-fi rather it shows heinlein's knowledge in law.

I felt that the book could have been much better and i don't see how it won the Hugo award.

Conclusion: The book is a fun pass, but nothing more. don't expect any groundbreaking plot, or jaw dropping plot twists, just your old fashioned politicians-dear-diary.

Comes on 5 - 90 minutes tapes. It was well read and professionally done. I listened to them all one after another on a long drive from Texas to Illinois. Really nice way to read a book during normally empty time.

In his autobiography Isaac Asimov says that he thinks that 'Double Star' "is the best thing [Robert Heinlein] ever wrote." I agree that the novel is very well written. However, among his many, many, other works there are several that can meet the same challenge. The one I like best is "Time Enough for Love."