Double Star
This is the first book in this volume of from a two volume anthology of 50's science fiction recently published by Library of America. I would like to throw in a plug for LOA. I have been a subscriber for several years and among other things it was through their books that I began reading poetry. They publish a wide variety of excellent American literature. Besides the text each volume has biographical information on the author or authors. This anthology has nine books in two volumes, which works out to about $7.00 per book.
I have read this book many times, over many years. I think the first time I read it was in my mid-teens. It is one of my favorite books by Heinlein and for me it has stood up well. I think it is well written and a good story that doesn't get lost in Heinlein's tendency to moralize. The protagonist, an actor named Lorenzo Smythe, narrates the book and is a person you would like to know.
The story begins with Smythe being hired to impersonate a politician, Joseph Bonforte, who has been kidnapped. In this future there are Martians and atomic powered rockets that are all part of a Solar Empire. Bonforte has been kidnapped to prevent him appearing for an important ceremony at one of the Martian nests. He heads the loyal opposition in the Grand Assembly, the legislative body which rules the Solar Empire with a figurehead Emperor descended from the House of Orange. Heinlein also left in slide rules which I thought was interesting.
Slowly through the book Smythe morphs into Bonforte. He starts to espouse a Lincolnian democracy that emphasizes a fair opportunity for everybody. Heinlein often used science fiction and fantasy to talk about different social systems as much as scientific breakthroughs. This book gets four stars. It is a well written, pleasant story, peopled by mostly good people that you find more often in fiction than in reality. ( )