Time for the Stars

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Barrett Whitener

Travel to other planets is now a reality, and with overpopulation stretching the resources of Earth, the necessity of finding habitable worlds is growing ever more urgent. There’s a problem though—because the spaceships are slower than light, any communication between the exploring ships and Earth would take years.

Tom and Pat are identical twin teenagers. As twins they’ve always been close, so close that it seemed like they could read each other’s minds. When they are recruited by the Long Range Foundation, the twins find out that they can, indeed, peer into each other’s thoughts. Along with other telepathic duos, they are enlisted to be the human transmitters and receivers that will keep the ships in contact with Earth. But there’s a catch: one of the twins has to stay behind—and that one will grow old—while the other explores the depths of space and returns as a young man still.

©1956 ; 1983 by Robert A. Heinlein; 2003 by the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“One of the superb Heinlein stories that has excitement, urbanity, humanity, rationality, pace, understanding, and is a joy to read.” ( New York Times)

“Rarely has Heinlein pushed his imagination further…A vivid, stirring experience.” ( Chicago Tribune)

“He showed us where the future is.” (Tom Clancy)

Classic Science Fiction At It's Best

Heinlein was ahead of his time. He was an extremely inventive and imaginative author. I am not sure what order to read his books, although this one reminded me a lot of Star Man Jones. There wasn't much action for the most part, but there were some exciting parts and twists. This book is about discovery and exploration of planets for colonization in a future society of Earth where space travel is possible. Perspective takes place through the eyes of one character and the story writes like an autobiography over the course of years of his life. The basic premise is that people have discovered that twins can communicate telepathically. To date Earth has had trouble hearing back from long range scout ships that venture off to explore habitable worlds at the speed of light due to the great distances involved. The use of these twins for instantaneous communication may make it possible colonize worlds faster. The concept of space and time are explored in this novel. In addition, the effects of how time ages one twin differently than the other due to traveling at the speed of light is explored. We get a taste of alien worlds, like the Star Man Jones book, and once again I find myself wishing there was more meat to the story. But I do appreciate Time For The Stars for what it is meant to be, a light, stand alone, discovery, science fiction novel.

What a nice little surprise!

Any additional comments?

I thought I'd read all the great Heinlein books when I stumbled across this little juvenile gem on sale. It is such a well written human story comparable with "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress".

it didn't age well.

The writing came from nearly sixty years ago. The colloquialisms are not part of today's speech. the scientific story is based on Einstein's theory and it makes a successful structure. The human story around it is acceptable and believable. but try to get it through your library. It's not worth paying for.

If the future is not now, it is pretty soon.

If you could sum up Time for the Stars in three words, what would they be?

Classic Sci Fi

Have you listened to any of Barrett Whitener’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I do not remember listening to Barrett Whitener before, but his read carried me to the stars with the charactors. It does help to have good material but Whitener brought it to life. His voice fit the book.

Any additional comments?

I enjoy true sci fi such as this book.

OK but shows it's age

Not one of my favorite Robert A. Heinlein books. It was written a long time ago and very obvious but the story was still pretty good but I would say it was far from his best work.
Narration was fine.