I will Fear no Evil (Robert A Heinlein)

[SilverCaladan]

Well, what really drew me to grab this book was actually the pretty cover! Theres an orange background and a woman covered in blue and white... very pretty.

But I started reading it and its pretty good! Really weird, like most of Heinlein's stuff (but that's why I read him ^_^), but very well written.

Anyone else read it?

[Tabitha]

I definitely had a different cover to my copy that you did - it was an early 80s rendition of an old man's head floating in a big ornate orange tank, very surreal.

I liked this book enough, but it didn't strike me as Heinlein's best. His occasionally preaching tone seemed to come through much more often in this book than his others - you know what I mean, the lectures about rugged individualism and the like that he goes off on with alarming regularity.
I think my biggest complaint with the book was the (in my opinion) unconvincing portrayal of how a woman in the near future may think. I thought he did a pretty good job with some of his other major female protagonists (Friday in particular, but also Podkayne of Mars), but in this book I was not convinced at all that the thoughts he was putting into Johan and Eunice's 'mind' were believable.
He seems to think that a strong case of nymphomania should be normal in all women, and I just don't get it...

I sometimes take issue with Heinlein's views on sex, and his opinions of the female of the species seem to swing wildly between highly commendable and deeply paternalistic and misogynistic.

Another, more minor (sort-of) complaint that I have with his writing is that more often with his later books the ending seems to disappear. This is a great example of there not seeming to be much of a point to much of the last third of the book. Our protagonist struggles through dealing with the death of his most trusted aide, the shock that he now resides within her body, the adjustment to a 'female' way of thinking, proving to the courts that he is indeed Johann, and then it all seems to tail off into a yarn about manipulating his elderly love into marrying him.

And then it just stops! Are we supposed to assume from the final words that the three minds inhabiting Eunice's dying body (Johann, Jake, and Eunice) are all going to hitch a ride with the newborn baby?

If so, does this remind you of Being John Malkovich at all?

[SilverCaladan]

Lol, I can definitely agree with all of that. I just can't really express it, but it did disappoint me greatly that the ending just... wasn't there.

[Tabitha]

The way the story had built up I was genuinely expecting some kind of explanatory watershed, but instead it ended almost in mid-sentence.

I doubt I will ever read this book again...

[Connavar]

I borrowed this book from the library yesterday and with the lack of other Heinlein books right now for me i will start read this.

I know the premise and i hope for a good story.

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

I borrowed this book from the library yesterday and with the lack of other Heinlein books right now for me i will start read this.

I know the premise and i hope for a good story.

I wouldn't really call this one a good story, but I would say it's a very interesting book... full of ideas and interesting concepts and discussions, played out through the characters. However, the story or plot is rather thin. I don't particularly count that against this one, because it is a didactic and discursive novel of an older model... but I wouldn't suggest this to someone looking for a fast-paced tale....

[Connavar]

Everything doesnt have to be fast-paced

"full of ideas and interesting concepts and discussions"

Thats what i want from Heinlein, its not like i liked Troopers for the two scenes with Bug action.

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

Thats what i want from Heinlein, its not like i liked Troopers for the two scenes with Bug action.

Good point. I suppose I just issue that warning because of the numerous complaints I've heard over the years about this book being far too "talky".....

[Connavar]

Those are the ones that prolly think SF is all action ala Matrix

[Rothgar]

I believe I have read just over half of Heinlein's books, and have never been disappointed. He has easily become my favorite sci-fi author. Even so I would have to agree with the rest of you and say that the ending to Fear No Evil was abrupt, and left me wondering what actually happened.

I did like the whole concept of a complete mind transfer, but I had trouble believing an old man would be able to change his mind set without years and years of adjustment. The biggest problem I had with the story however was that it was so convenient that the old man's assistant was (avoiding spoiler) in the right place at the right time. A lot of convenient things occur in Heinlein books but that felt like someone won the lottery.

Other than that I thought it was a unique and enjoyable story. I don't know if I'll ever truly "not like" something Heinlein wrote.

[j. d. worthington]

On the ending to the novel, as well as the donor being there at the right place at the right time... I'd say that ties into a theme that runs throughout Heinlein's career, since at least Beyond This Horizon, a combination of life being "the only game in town" (and handled like an enormous gambling game) and metempsychosis that links it with Horizon, Red Planet, Stranger in a Strange Land, and even elements of Methuselah's Children, not to mention his later novels....

[TTBRAHWTMG]

I agree metempsychosis is a theme that runs through many of Heinlein's works. I wonder how much this was a personal belief or interest of Heinlein's and how much this was just a writing tool...another 'what if' that Heinlein found seemed to pull on readers' interests, and more importantly to Heinlein, their desire to PURCHASE the books. He made no bones about the fact that his writing was often designed purely "to pay the bills".

[Connavar]

I hope not all his books was like that he wrote things he didnt care about and designed purely "to pay the bills".

The things i have read about him in wiki and other places it seems there are certain beliefs and interest he really liked to write about so everything cant be made up only for the bill.

Specially in the second half of his career when he was famous and prolly rich.