After enjoying Robert Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress I looked for other books by the science fiction author to enjoy. Time Enough for Love came fairly well recommended, so I gave it a shot. It’s the far-future (mostly) story of Lazarus Long, the oldest human being EVAR. Long has, he thinks, come to the end of a very protracted life and is ready to die. But first, he talks about some of the crazy stuff he has done to some kinky lab assistants.
Honestly, I didn’t care for it. The book takes the form of several novellas, most of which focus on a different adventure from Long’s past. So you get stories about when he helped colonize a new planet, when he bought and freed some crazy space slaves, and when he did some other stuff that wasn’t terribly interesting. You can see common themes about love, humanity, responsibility, and survival running through all these stories, and it’s admirable how Heinlein has more going on under the surface than you think at first, but really — I found it all just boring and not particularly thought provoking.
I’m not saying that all science fiction has to be space operas with evil galactic overlords and zapp-o ray guns, but there was WAY too much “talking head syndrome” going on here, with Lazarus Long just blathering on and spitting out pearls of wisdom all over the place until they made a slimy carpet two inches thick. And don’t even get me started about the time travel shenanagains that happen towards the end of the book. Let’s just say that Heinlein’s weirdo sexual proclivities soar to new heights when Lazarus Long goes back in time to meet his mother. Bleh.
So, not one I’d recommend, though I’m sure others will disagree with me.
This is one of the few books I have read halfway through then just quit.