If I tell you what Friday is about, you’ll cringe. I cringed. And I’m Heinlein’s NUMBER ONE FAN. But yeah, it’s hard not to cringe at the back cover:
But what do we know about judging a book by it’s cover? That ya shouldn’t oughta do it, that’s what. And here’s why. In between that cheesy, sexed-up image on the cover and the lame back-cover quotes is one helluva novel.
It’s classic Heinlein in all the ways: a protagonist you love, characters you adore, and an orgy where they all swap.
As always, Heinlein makes you want to crawl inside the pages and live there forever with his too-cool heroine, her fawning male paramours, and lush banquets OH YES:
He also hammers home many of his favourite themes: TANSTAAFL, the luxurious nature of bathing (bathing!) and his stance on cats:
Even though this is clearly a one-off, existing outside the Heinlein universe (Lazarus Long never shows up, not even to the orgy), it still feels familiar. Classy, funny, charming, heartwarming, from the first action-packed 17 pages to the last line on the last page which leaves you saying “Awwww!” out loud. Not bad for a book about a super-sexy genetically engineered superhuman, huh?
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