Podkayne of Mars

Podkayne of Mars – Robert A. Heinlein

Originally packaged and sold as a — what was then — YA, it reads in a curious manner through the rheumy eyes of time.

“Always remember that, when things seem darkest, they usually get considerably worse.” Page 2

The word, “tantamount,” according to the dictionary I tapped on, the word is derived from an Italian expression.

Not sure the reference carries:

“Strictly zero squared.” Page41

1970 cover shot.

Cloying at times, dated — read: sexist — material, too. Still, the story about the original serial novel is that it was too dark for the juvenile market it was contracted and written for. The plus side, that new electronic edition? Supposedly is the intact first manuscript.

“And there are tourists but tourists aren’t people; they have more the status of steers in a cattle pen—valuable assets to be treated with great consideration but no pity.” Page 128.

The main figure, the intrepid heroine, on Venus, which sounded too much like Vegas – the Strip in Las Vegas.

“Marriage should be every woman’s end—but not her finish.” Page 137.

Kind of a red flag in sexist terms to me, but historically? In 1961–2?

Interesting. The somewhat dark ending is thoroughly modern, and I should check the electronic edition against my older paperback. The iBooks version has an afterward in the form of a letter from the author to the agent – defending the extant text.

Podkayne of Mars – Robert A. Heinlein

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