jay1051971's Full Review: Robert A. Heinlein - Revolt in 2100: Methuselah's ...
I’ve been wanting to read some Robert Heinlein for quite a while. I’ve heard many of my fellow libertarians express a certain amount of esteem for his novels because of the pro-individual liberty themes that pervade his works. So when I stoppped in my local used book store recently, I wandered over to the science fiction section to see what books of his might be in stock. I found a couple sitting there, including Revolt in 2100, so I scooped them up and made the purchase.
Now, when I’ve been at other bookstores, like Borders or Barnes & Nobles, I’ve seen newer copies of this book that are also combined with a story called “Mathusela’s Children”. Not my copy, however. It’s an old beat up paper back that smells like it’s been in someone’s attic far too long. My favorite kind of book.
The actual story, however, leave a lot to be desired. In short, Revolt in 2100 is actually a collection of three shorter stories, vaguely connected. The first story is “If this goes on”. It is set in some unspecified future, where America has become governed by a totalitarian, theocratic regime which rules the populace through a combination of advanced psychological technologies, and your run of the mill police-state tactics. The story is narrated in the first person by th elead character, John Lyle, a “legate” in the security forces that guard the main compound of the “Prophet”. Lyle accidentally falls in love with one of the women servants, the temple virgins. When Lyle learns what the real function of the “virgins” are for – satisfying the corrupt, sexual desires of the ruling class – he is spurred into action and joins an underground resistance movement to overthrow the regime.
The second story, Coventry, takes place a number of years later. After the revolution succeeds, America is divided up into a number of different areas. The lead character is David McKinnon, an unruly man who has been sentenced to exile, unless he submit to “therapy” – a process where he would undergo psychiatric treatment to reprogram himself to get along in society. He opts for exile, where he tries to make a living among various foreign people. The last story, if you could call it that, is called Misfits, and simply details the story of a group of young people who are blasting off on an trip into outerspace for the purposes of colonizing an asteroid.
When I began reading the book, I was mildly engaged by the first story. It seemed a bit outlandish, and the story had a number of holes, but the action was steady and the dialogue seemed rather intuitive. But the problem is, taken as a whole, there is no real point to the stories. The plot is disjointed, and there is no real resolution to any of it. When I finished the book, I really wondered why I had wasted my time with this. However, I do take a bit of comfort in the fact that this was not a book that I’d ever heard specifically recommended by those Heinlein fans that I know (and I can see why.) I will probably still make another attempt at reading his works, but I will be sure to find one that would be considered among his best works.
Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone. I can’t imagine that even Heinlein fans would be interested in reading this. If you see it on the shelf, don’t bother. As for the copy that I have, I am going to see if I can give it away. Hopefully, I’ll find someone gullible enough to take it. One and one-quarter stars.
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