Orphans of the Sky
by Robert A. Heinlein
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Book Summary Information
Author: Robert A. HeinleinEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-11-27
ISBN: 0671318454
Number of pages: 224
Publisher: Baen
Book Reviews of Orphans of the Sky
Book Review: A classic Heinlein read
Summary: 5 Stars
A classic Heinlein read.
Orphans of the Sky tells the story of a "multigenerational ship" (which, with a sleeper ship, is still what the human race would use to escape from our solar system) who were sent towards Alpha Centauri. The journey would have taken 60 years (according to plan).
At some point during the journey, a mutiny occurs and all of the ship's officers are killed. With no trained officers, it simply drifts through space, with the highly advanced life support of the ship ensures that the people inside it still have air to breathe and water to drink.
Many generations later, no one has any direct memory of the mutiny or the original purpose of the ship's mission, and mythology and superstition have replaced knowledge and scientific reasoning.
The "crew" members of the ship (living near the outer skin) conduct border skirmishes with the "muties" (mutants/mutiners) who live in the upper (interior) levels of the ship. Captured during a skirmish, the hero meets a two-headed mutant warlord that enables our hero to discover the truth about his "universe" that is is actually a moving vessel capable of being steered and guided to a specific destination.
Shame the novel isn't expanded on - lot's of potential additional story material. I recommend this one highly.
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