Monday, January 26, 2009

Rolling Stones-Robert A. Heinlein

Rolling Stones
Robert A. Heinlein
Baen, Mar 2009, $14.00
ISBN: 9781416591498

The Stone family of seven consists of a grandma, two parents, three sons and one daughter living on the moon. The middle kids, teen twins Castor and Pollux, are tired of their bossy older sister and their nosy younger brother. They decide to make money as independent space traders by buying a vessel and flying to the Asteroids. Dad says no insisting they go to an earth bound school and get an education; but Grandma Hazel supports their daring scheme with one annoying (at least to the twins) modification; the magnificent seven band together on this solar system venture.

The entire family leaves their moon based home for Mars and beyond. The septet continually argues and has spats, but come together when emergencies arise. For instance the twins almost fail to leave Mars as they break the law angering the Martians when they tried to skip out on the import tax after selling bikes; Grandma Hazel saves their respective butts. When they reach the Asteroid Belt, Grandmother Hazel and the youngest Lowell vanish. The remaining Stones in a frenzy search for the missing pair.

This exciting middle school science fiction focuses on the family who fly the solar system together stay together. The seven Stones are each fully developed with unique characteristics. Their escapdes at their lunar home, on Mars, and the Asteroid Belt make for a fun trip through space. Young adult fans will get plenty of satisfaction from the reprint of Robert A. Heinlein’s ROLLING STONES.

Harriet Klausner

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