Book reviews

Citizen of the Galaxy
Robert A. Heinlein Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Robert A. Heinlein Books
New book search
Robert A. Heinlein Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Citizen of the Galaxy
"Thorby starts out a slave owned by a beggar. But he works his way up in this rags to riches story from slave to begger to merchantman to soldier to ultrarich. This story focuses on what it's like for him as he joins new cultures."
Steve, Resident Scholar

"This is probably Heinlein's finest juvenile novel. It explores the themes of slavery, betrayal and courage. The settings are vivid, varied and imaginative. This is probably one of Heinlein's most strongly-plotted novels."
Jack Kelly, Resident Scholar

"Heinlein's best Juvenile novel. Involves fight against slace trade. "
Philip A. Petmecky, Resident Scholar

"We are introduced to Thorby as a slave, being auctioned off. From that point, we follow his exceptional life as he learns about himself, the galaxy, and his place in it. Thorby's owner ("Pop"), Baslim, is one of Heinlein's standard rough and tumble's, an endearing character."
Kim Marks, Resident Scholar

" The Citizen of the Galaxy is Robert Heinlein's classic coming science-fiction coming of age novel. The books starts with a young unknown boy being sold as a slave in a backwater, brutal part of the galaxy known the Sargon. Baslim the beggar buys him at the auction not to use him as a slave, but to raise him as a son.

This book takes over several years and several settings. The first part describes Thorby's (our hero) adventures on the Sargon as a young boy. Thorby escapes the planet on a trader ship after Baslim's death. The second part of the book describes Thorby's life amoung the pecuilar society of the traders as a youth. The third part desribes the search for his birth family with the intergalactic space police force. The final part takes place on earth after he found his birth parents on earth as an adult. Thorby works on earth to eradicate slavery.

"

Jamie, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Citizen of the Galaxy
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - an adult (general)
Training/Apprent. Yes
Working up the ranks of... - business
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one human from different culture of other humans

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - slave
Age: - a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - none - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Space, need spacesuit
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - very controlled society
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a moderate amount of scientific explanation
Sex in book? Yes
How much dialogue? - little dialog
Most similar books to Citizen of the Galaxy
Merchanter's Luck by C.J. Cherryh
This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman
Young Rissa by F.M. Busby
Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein
Finity's End by C.J. Cherryh


Click here for more information about this book


Robert A. Heinlein Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Philip A. Petmecky  

SCHOLARS:
stan  John McCoy  Tamaal Ghosh  Chris  Melody Crookes  Jamie  Harriet Klausner  David Loftus  Annette Spence  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Funny Videos
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
George W. Bush 11:54:14 PM
Deric Longden 7:00:31 PM
Suzanne Weyn 6:24:19 PM
Robert Segarra 4:10:47 PM
Colin Forbes 12:23:54 PM
John Christopher 5:12:45 AM
Anonymous 4:47:09 AM
Tom Clancy 2:19:45 AM
Margaret Peterson Haddix 5:36:55 PM
Nikolai Tolstoy 7:46:16 AM
J.K. Rowling 11:40:22 PM
Jack Higgins 4:54:08 PM
Eloise Jarvis McGraw 12:51:17 PM
Jane Rubino 1:21:00 PM
Lori Wick 2:11:45 AM
Betty Mahmoody 5:57:33 PM
Patricia Cornwell 2:48:17 PM
Andrew Clements 9:13:44 PM
General Discussion (All Topics) 2:00:07 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 1:51:06 AM

Silicon Valley
More message boards