Rocket Ship Galileo

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Spider Robinson

Ross Jenkins, Art Mueller, and Morris Abrams are not your average high-school students. While other kids are cruising around in their cars or playing ball, this trio, known as the Galileo Club, is experimenting with rocket fuels, preparing for their future education at technical colleges.

Art's uncle, the nuclear physicist Dr. Donald Cargraves, offers them the opportunity of a lifetime: to construct and crew a rocket that will take them to the moon. Cargraves believes their combined ingenuity and enthusiasm can actually make this dream come true. But there are those who don't share their dream and who will stop at nothing to keep their rocket grounded.

Hi-fi sci-fi: explore our full list of Robert A. Heinlein titles.©1947 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Boys can dream

Originally reviewed at FanLit.

When I was a kid I loved the “Heinlein Juveniles.” Rocket Ship Galileo, Heinlein’s first Juvenile, is one I missed back then. It won’t hold up well today (actually, it wouldn’t have held up well when I was reading Heinlein Juveniles in the 1980s) but sometimes it’s fun to read these old science fiction stories for kids and I did have fun recently reading Rocket Ship Galileo even though I am very much aware of its flaws. Let’s remember that it was published in 1947, just after World War II and well before we managed to put a man on the moon.

Ross, Art, and Morrie (I love those retro names!) are three teenage boys who love science and each have special geeky skills. When Morrie’s uncle, a Nobel Prize-winning nuclear physicist, discovers that the boys are building a rocket ship, he gives them some funds and a little help and off they all go to the moon. When they get there they discover that they’re not the first ones there. The humans who’ve covertly come before have dangerous plans. Can the boys stop them before the bad guys destroy the Earth?

Okay, that’s just fun, right? In the year 2013 it’s impossible to take Rocket Ship Galileo seriously. I don’t know if they did back in 1947. I suspect not because I doubt anyone thought it was possible to build a space ship in your backyard or to mail order space suits and asbestos shoes. Still, boys can dream, and Rocket Ship Galileo is definitely an exciting dream, especially when you get to not only fly to the moon, but kill Nazis and save the Earth on top of it all. Too cool!

Other than the outlandishness of it all, the main problem with Rocket Ship Galileo is all the teachy technobabble. Some of it is real science, some of it is made up (I hope kids can tell this apart), most of it is dated, and a lot of it is boring because it’s delivered in Uncle Cargraves’ lessons or the boys recitation of what they’ve previously learned. Heinlein has an issue with this in his adult novels, too. If the lessons don’t turn kids off they might enjoy experiencing the fantasies of teenage boys in the 1940s.

The audiobook I listened to was narrated by Spider Robinson who has the tone just right. When he narrates the boys’ parts he sounds appropriately wide-eyed, innocent, and geeky. Golly, Mr. Robinson, great job!

Classic Early Sci-fi!

Read most of Heinlein's books as a kid. As an adult found this early tale quite fun. The story manages to build good characters. It moves fast for each step in the story. Today I think authors would make the books longer and give more details. Though his science and story details were descriptive. Obviously based on the knowledge of the time. The ending is like coming to a sudden stop of a roller coaster ride. Overall, quite happy to have redone this. The narrator did well too.

Vintage Heinlein

Worth the time to read. Nazis, moon men, nuclear powered rocket ships, genius kids. This book has it all. Written in 1947, closely after WWII and the defeat of the Nazis and their use of rockets as weapons, Heinlein made many fantastic predictions about rockets, space travel. and space exploration that in 2023 find way off base, moon men indeed. However, it is very interesting to get a look into the 1947 mind of a true visionary. A fun, if unrealistic, story. One of Heinlein's early works.

Formulaic, but entertaining.

While this feels like it was written by the numbers, it is still a good, must-listen-to yarn. It captures the wonder, excitement, and dangers of exploration and science. Can't say it wasn't predictable -- you know they'll overcome every obstacle they face -- but, honestly, it didn't matter. I enjoyed this. If you want to encourage kids to get interested in STEM fields, having them listen to this book's not a bad idea.

For Kids, so let the Kids decide!

Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert A Heinlein receives three stars from me. While I understand that some people feel 3-star rating is a failure, it isn't. Three stars means that you can read it, enjoy it but it may not stick with you, or you might be left feeling a bit unsatisfied.

First, this is a one of Heinlein's juvenile works, maybe the first, so as adults it needs to be read in that light. I think Heinlein writes for the target audience well. The language is appropriate, and the plot not complicated for young readers. It is mostly plot-driven, in fact, I'm not sure I can identify any character development.

I think young readers could read this and enjoy it. However, I have some thoughts. For me, the text is too adult-centered and lead. For young readers, I like to see the kids more in the center. I felt that the Adult was too bossy. Often he would knock down the kids' suggestions repeatedly then tell them what to do. This bothered me a lot. I felt like, why does he ask their opinions and then discard them all. I worry that kids reading this might feel their ideas are not valued.

Additionally, I found the plot a bit dissatisfying. Not that he should have gone into more details, no not at all. But there could have been more dow\ne with the time on the moon. I feel there are some unanswered questions.

This was an audiobook, so regarding the reader. Spider Robinson does a good job with this. I did feel at times he would speak lines a little incomprehensible, sort of toss away lines. Otherwise, his voice good, strong and clear. I also think he understands the target audience and adapts to them.

Recommended: Let the kids decide. It isn't bad and I think they will like it. For adults: if you read it as a kid and loved it, maybe don't return to it, and keep that happy memory.

Fascinating window into 1947 thought

Dated science, Father-knows-best parenting, credibility-stretching luck. I love a world where teens don't cuss, respect their elders, and everything works out in the end. Entertaining in a way the author never intended. It's so interesting to learn what passed for scientific knowledge when the story was initially published in 1947.

Excellent reader.

Awesome

This book has been a friend of mine since I was a young person.

This version of narration is by far the best I have heard. Thanks Robert Heinlein and Spider Robinson!

If Elan Musk lived in the 1940s

This is a story of a privately mounted trip to the moon. And the Surprise they found when they got there. This is one of Heinlein's milder stories. But a fair to midland book by the best author, still wins.

A must read

Having missed this book when I was younger, I am glad to have read it now. I recommend it to everyone, not just its intended young audience.

Dated, but still good

I remember reading this, for the first time bac kok in the mid 1960's, when I was in Junior High. It was dated and corny even then. But it stands up, well, except for the dangers of zinc vapor, and a few other things. I imagined that it was possible that one scientist could coax a few high school kids into a moon trip and I imagined myself going along.