On 9/24/06 5:20 PM, "david birnbaum" wrote:

I read about Variable Star online, and bought the book the day it came out. I'm 66 years old and RAH was my entry into science (Ph.D Physics), science fiction and reading in general. To get a gift like this is beyond words. To have it be as good as the original books is priceless.

On 9/24/06 3:55 PM, "Dennis A. Coyle" wrote:

To Spider:

I just finished Variable Star and I was blown away. If Mr. Robinson's name had not been on the cover, I would have fully accepted it as a lost RAH novel, other than a few references that weren't in the language when RAH died. The content was slightly more adult, but no more adult than I'd expect to see RAH write if he was still around in the 21st century.

The many, many references to Future History almost made me weep. And while the nova caught me totally by surprise, I instantly remembered "World as Myth" and knew this was not the universe of Lazarus Long but likely an analog where "Year of the Jackpot" took place. Is there any chance of a sequel?

When I wrote a few days ago, I forgot to mention I named my boy cat Heinlein (my girl is McCaffrey) so if I ever get another kitten, he'll probably be Spider.

On 9/23/06 1:45 PM, "Mike Walsh" wrote:

I have just finished reading "Robert Heinlein's Variable Star by Spider Robinson." A mouthful, to be sure, but worth every letter.

When asked (which is rare), I usually name Robert Heinlein as my favorite author overall, and Spider Robinson as my favorite still working, so when news of their "collaboration" broke I was, well, giddy. I did have mixed feelings, though, about whether Spider's style would mesh well with Heinlein's story. Would Spider just write "a Heinlein story", would he take Robert's plot & do his own twisted thing with it? Would the result be better than the sum of the parts, or an unholy mess? As it turns out, I worry too much.

This novel should be the example held forth when writers collaborate. Spider has perfectly captured the pacing, feel and stature of a Robert Heinlein story while retaining his own identity. It doesn't feel like someone trying to "write like Heinlein", but like someone who's read every book the man's written so many times it's second nature.

As for the story itself, it is indeed classic Heinlein. The young, talented protagonist, the strong, intelligent female(s), the "life on board" sequences... all things we've seen before. And yet, it's all new. My feelings of deja vu vanished quickly as I became engrossed in the life of Joel Johnston. Spider was able to reproduce Heinlein's penchant for telling us the classic tale of a boy running away to join the circus without feeling like we've seen that show already. At first glance there seems to be less of the hard science than usual, but really Heinlein only told us as much as we needed to know to keep the story moving; Spider does the same here and even points it out with his numerous comments about what really goes on inside the Relativistic Drive-we don't know, because they don't. Simple, logical and has nothing to do with the man behind the curtain...

The one thing that separates "Variable Star" from other Heinlein books is Spider's "voice". I don't just mean the puns, or the focus on music, but the underlying humor even in dark moments is classic Spider. Few writers can get you to chuckle while reading about the End Of Life As We Know It, but he managed. By the same token, I found myself tearing up at the end, and didn't realize why at first. It finally dawned on me that my reaction was normal for someone whose friend finally gets a happy ending to his story. Bittersweet, yes, but somehow still happy.

I had often felt that the New York Times quote about Spider being "The next Robert Heinlein" was at least a few parts hyperbole. Spider's stuff, while fantastic in its own right, was just different enough from Heinlein's to make the comparison dubious. "Variable Star" has changed that. Spider Robinson has proven, once and for all, that he is the true successor to the Grand Master.

I can think of no greater praise to give him.

On 9/21/06 1:53 PM, "Laurie Atwater" wrote:

Thank you.

Just that. Really big, though.

On 9/20/06 11:59 PM, "Bill Davis" wrote:

Dear Spider -

Taking to heart your web site's diary entries exhorting people to contact your favorite author or musician or whatever and let them know how much you appreciate their work....and having just finished "Variable Star", I wanted to write and say:

You Done Good!

Best book I've read in a long time, and that's saying something considering how much I read. I had been reading the sample chapters of "Variable Star" as they were posted on the www.variablestarbook.com site these last few weeks and having a ball with them... and having a LOT of trouble waiting for the whole book to appear. I'd been vibrating with anticipation for months since I heard about the book. The sample chapters made it worse. I didn't know torture could be so pleasant!

And then I had to force myself to put the book down last night and got to bed because I had an early meeting I couldn't miss. More pleasant torture! I tried to force myself to slow down and make it last, but sometimes you just can't, y'know?

Like you, I got my early start reading on Heinlein's juveniles and then all the rest of his work. Both you and RAH have taught me a lot, and given me hours and hours of great enjoyment. You and he are among only a handful of authors whose works I appreciate so much that I've read and re-read many times over the years and will continue to do so (and thanks for turning me on to the Travis McGee novels in "Callahan's Key", by the way). I'm about to re-read Baen's re-issue of the Stardance novels in e-book form, in fact.

Let nobody say we print only the favorable reviews...

--Spider

Message Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:31:03 +0000

Not worth $24.95. Wake me up when it's in paperback.

On 9/20/06 8:10 PM, "Chris Hawley" wrote:

Esteemed Sir:

Please allow me to thank you for bringing to light a work I could not have imagined - *did* not imagine were possible - from the fused minds of RAH and yourself! Herb spake soothly when he opined that the Master was standing at your side.

Around here, it went on sale yesterday (2006-09-19); I immediately purchased two copies, and am glad to say that both will be intensely appreciated. (My best girlfriend received her copy yesterday as an only-slightly early birthday gift ... your timing was indeed perfect.)

I confess that my expectations were reserved - and after reading the Aferword, I only dimly begin to realize the paucity of material with which you had to work. Suffice it to say that all of my expectations have been blown out the ramjet and I am enjoying one hell of a rush. And it is my fond hope that you are enjoying one as well!

Somewhere out to sea, numerous scattered molecules of the Master are gently smiling down upon you. For whatever it's worth, your nomination as the successor is hereby confirmed.

May a benevolent deity keep you in good health and chained to your desk in productive writing mode for many, many years.

On 9/20/06 4:05 PM, "Carroll, Kathie" wrote:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Robinson,

I just want to let you know how much I've enjoyed your writings. Visions of a hopeful future are always in order and your visions (versions?), in particular, are wonderful, wonder-filled, and offer everyone a better world.

Thank you so very much. I look forward to your next endeavors. (I'll start Variable Star tonight!)

Dearest friend Spider,

Earlier today, at about 12:05 PM, I completed chapter 7 of Variable Star. I closed the book and held it to my chest.

A tear flowed down my cheek.

My wife Caroline, sitting across from me in our living room, looked at me and asked if anything was the matter? I shook my head and croaked "No"...and proceeded to cry, full boar (sobs and everything.)

She asked if it was the book, I said "Yes" and continued to expell any hint of manly composure.

Of course I began to mist for the obvious reason - [plot spoiler]. But my more exaggerated crying jag this afternoon was my thanks to the universe for my having the extreme good fortune to be reading a collaboration by my two favorite authors - and have the resultant piece be so amazingly superior than anything I could have hoped or imagined. My sobs were sobs of joy, cryinghappy (I'm talking more than "Man Who Traveled in Elephants" crying.) Spider, I am a man of very few wants. I am enormously successful in business and have a beautiful, genius wife and wonderful, intelligent children. I am the proverbial "man who has everything" (I'm still looking for that proverb, it's here somewhere.)

All my Maslovian needs are taken care of, I plan to start self actualizing any second now, but you gave me a gift so profound - that cry was also a cry of relief and mourning for a void in my heart that I didn't know existed until you filled it.

I am proud to say I finished Variable Start today and only teared up two more times.

Brazil Novo, Spider, Brazil Novo!

Dear Spider,

I've just finished reading Variable Star. While there's a lot of stuff in there that I don't think RAH would've written, especially in a juvenile... I think that you and Robert between you have written the best Heinlein novel ever. I only wish that the two of you had had the opportunity to do more collaborations. Like Niven and Pournelle, the collaboration has created a better book than either one could write solo.

Like you, Spider, I grew up on the Heinlein juveniles. And ever since you appeared on the SF scene ("The Guy With the Eyes", Analog) I've greeted each of your new stories and books with the enthusiasm formerly reserved for a new Heinlein. Between the two of you, you are about fifteen per cent of my all-time favorite writers. I don't normally write fan mail. It's generally counterproductive, since reading it takes time that the writer ought to be using to write MORE stuff for my enjoyment! But in this case I just had to say thanks... not only for all the fine stories that each of you have given us over the years, but for the wonderful way that you, Spider, have taken that bare, half-finished outline, added your own sweat, inspiration, and voice... and yet still produced a work that unmistakably bears the hallmarks of RAH as well.

Variable Star could, like For Us, the Living or Grumbles from the Grave, have been largely a curiosity -- a bit of the Heinlein canon that was of interest primarily to collectors and fans. And it certainly is a part of the canon. But it's much more than that, thanks to you. It's a story that stands up on its own two legs and says "Read me! And re-read me!"

Well done. VERY well done. Thank you!!!!!!!! (You may assume as large a number of exclamation points as you wish!)

From: Lynn

Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:02:22 -0400 (EDT)

Subject: Thank you

I have been reading Heinlein for 55 years -- I started when I was 8. I just finished Variable Star. Certainly there is much Spider Robinson in it -- the experience of our generation is echoed in the book -- but the hand of the Master is clearly there. Had I not known when it was written, I would have placed it among RAH's novels of the mid or late 1960's. Ny heart is so glad to have another fine Heinlein -- and Robinson -- novel to read and reread. Thank you.

From: Brad Goodman

Date: Saturday, October 7, 2006 6:08 am

Subject: Thank you...

Spider,

Having been a fan of RAH since I was too young to understand the implications of being so tragically, emotionally scarred by his writings, I can't tell you the depth of the shudder that passed through my mind when I saw the new book. I've also been a fan of yours since StarDance, and, not religiously, but certainly with intent, acquired most of your writings.

I'm ~85% through Variable Star, having just read (most of) Hideo's Star Chamber speech. I had to stop and look up your email address to thank you (and to take care of my morning coffee, but that's not entirely germane to this email).

For the last five years, I've been saying "Bush leads to Scudder" but, of course, who but a handful understand my reference to a quasi- obscure character by a two-decade-dead author. And, given that not many of my friends are aware of my less-than-sophisticated reading tastes (pity them not, for they know only scoreboard numbers and are satisfied), I've been the lone voice with a deeper insight. We are in The Crazy Years.

Scudder may have been The Prophet but RAH was a prophet (and it's too late to give him the cassandra-like kicking around)

I can't believe that your fan base doesn't intersect with RAH's. Consequently, my gift(s) this holiday season for my non-literary friends will come from a case of Variable Star.

...

From: Kate

Date: October 7, 2549 BE 6:43:34 AM PDT (CA)

Subject: Praise for Variable Star, please pass along if possible, thank you.

Dear Spider and Jeanne; Thank you. Variable Star is everything I hoped it would be after two years of waiting, and so much more.

In your After word you said something to the effect that the executors didn't want an imitation Heinlein, they wanted the best Spider Robinson book ever, using Heinlein s ideas and notes. Variable Star is truly the best Spider Robinson* book ever, and I genuinely believe Mr. Heinlein was and is so proud of what you created together.

I recently had to make an emergency cross country move from California to Ohio and I could only take with me what would fit into a '71 VW bus, along with my Spice, my son and our 2 cats. Of a library of approximately 600+ books I had room in the bus for 2 medium sized boxes. All of your books, including original editions of Melancholy Elephants, Telempath, and Antinomy as well as the Stardancers and the copy of Starmind autographed by both of you, and my complete Heinlein collection made up the larger of the 2 boxes. As I said, we packed only essentials; your books contained my hope for a positive future, not just for my family, but for all of us.

I am in your debt. I will continue to pay that debt forward by raving in every medium I have available to me what a treasure your books are and seeing that my nearest and dearest read them too.

Again I give you greatest thanks and applause,