"The Rolling Stones" by Robert A. Heinlein (1908-1988)

Publisher: Ballantine Del-Rey
Copyright: 1952
ISBN: Unknown

This book is the sixth in what is known as the Heinlein juveniles series. Unlike Between Planets, which I reviewed on April 15, 2019, this novel definitely falls within the same timeline as Red Planet, Space Cadet, and a few of his short stories.

This novel in fact takes place approximately 30 years after Red Planet, as some of the events that happened in that book are referred to in this one. For example the atmosphere project - which is now complete. The climatic concluding event in Red Planet is also referred to in this book and is given as the reason why Martians are no longer easily found on Mars.

The story itself revolves around the seven members of the Stone family, who decide to leave their home on Luna and travel the solar system after purchasing a spaceship. The characters in this novel are also very well written. The two primary protagonists are Castor and Pollux, two redheaded twins, that have a distinct talent for getting in trouble. Their father (an engineer), mother (an MD), and grandmother (another engineer, and one of the original lunar colonists), as well as her two siblings join them in their adventures which have them visiting Mars, then taking a trip to the astroid belt where uranium and other ores are being mined.

Mr. Heinlein goes into a fair bit of detail with regard to the science behind travel with in the solar system, how this would be accomplished, the equipment needed etc. The addition of these details make the book very realistic, and from the first time I read it it was one of my favourites.

A very enjoyable book that I think all readers young and old will enjoy.