The cat who walks through walls

As the old guard of SF ages, we are getting more novels of nostalgia. Heinlein is less sentimental than many of his generation but his new book resembles both the latest Bradbury, in making the author the protagonist, and the latest Asimov, in returning to a popular series from early in his career (Future History). Like Heinlein, Richard Ames is an ex-military man turned writer who fancies himself a pundit. An assassination attempt precipitates his marriage to Gwen Novak and sends the newlyweds scurrying to the Moon and then to the planet Tertius, headquarters of the Time Corps. The action, though, is largely beside the point in a novel that is predominantly a dialogue between the protagonists. Their foredoomed attempt to become the Nick and Nora Charles of space (with a bonsai standing in for Asta) is sabotaged less by Heinlein's endless elbow-in-the-ribs wisecracks and more by his inability to convincingly portray a sexual relationship. Given the increasing popularity of his recent, similar work, it is unlikely that the book's short-comings will limit its potentially large audience. November 11 (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

A notably schizophrenic Heinlein--of which the first two thirds, despite frequent pauses to belabor the obvious and indulge in idiotic chat, is fairly enjoyable action-adventure. Aboard the space habitat Golden Rule, Dr. Richard Ames and Gwen Novak are plunged into a bewildering and dangerous series of events when an unexpected, possibly phony messenger is mysteriously murdered after delivering a peculiar message. The Golden Rule management inexplicably begins to harass the pair; so they flee Moon-wards--in a sabotaged spacecraft. And waiting for them on the Moon are plenty more bad guys, all bent on murder. What's going on? Well, first Gwen reveals that she's really a rejuvenated Hazel Stone! Her mission involves Mike (Mycroft Holmes IV), the now inactive intelligent computer from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Then, as a horde of baddies closes in, some interdimensional, time-traveling rescuers show up--led by Lazarus Long! At this point, alas, the plot walks through the wall--and the final third of the book is mostly explanations. There are many realities, and each can be changed; hence, a group of benevolent heroes--including the Empress Star and Rufo, Jubal Harshaw, and other favorite Heinlein characters--are striving to prevent two different sets of bad guys from ruinously meddling with reality. The good guys need computer Mike to help them make more accurate predictions--thus Hazel's mission; and Richard Ames is vital to the success of the operation--because the good guys' future history books say so! Curious, rather obsessive work in its forced, unnecessary parade of familiar figures from disparate novels; the effect is sometimes engrossing but just as often tedious, and the windup is disappointingly vague and undramatic. Still, Heinlein fans should be reasonably satisfied. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.