Space Cadet (1948)

Robert A. Heinlein

Ballantine Books, New York; ISBN: 0-345-35311-0; Pages: 221

Yet another "juvenile" with a theme somewhat reminiscent of "Starship Troopers." Four boys -- Matt, Tex (Terrans), Oscar (Venerian), and Pierre (Ganymedian) -- train to become officers in the Patrol, the elite guardians of the peace in the solar system. Most of the book is an account of their training, beginning with trick psychological tests and endurance physical examinations to determine their fitness and then to the actual study/training/indoctrination as part of being Space Cadets. Unfortunately, almost all of the first 140 pages or so deal with these issues in gory and sometimes dull detail. No sooner than the story picks up, it is over, with a happy ending nonetheless.

The weakness of this novel is not just in the unbalanced pace -- it would have been fine had RAH made the effort to create a convincing future world, something he seldom fails to achieve. As far as I can tell, the Earth has undergone a political change and with nuclear warheads orbiting around the globe, an international (but admittedly mostly North American) organization, the Patrol, is charged with keeping the peace. Or, in simpler terms, to try diplomacy before sending in the marines and, failing that, nuke the pests out of existence. The idea being that proliferation of nuclear weapons had made it all too easy for a Hitler aspirant to strike first with his victim having no chance to defend itself or retaliate. The Patrol is ostensibly to guard against just such a possibility by, if necessary, striking preventively.

So far so good but although RAH asks the question, quis custodiet ipsos custodes, he never gives an answer. Apparently, the Tradition is what keeps the Patrol from degenerating into an oligarchy (or a hunta). Heinlein takes some pains to describe the gradual process that transforms a Des Moines native, Matt, into a spaceman, with his loyalties slowly changing and his value system acquiring new anchors. The account, however, is sorely lacking in the conviction department. Not only is simple training of the sort described insufficient to instill values, but it is not clear why the officers would ever stick to their code. You can study your little heart out with history, math, economics, politics, biology, chemistry, and a host of more esoteric sciences, but it is hardly a recipe for the unselfish high values the Patrol seems to embody. Thus, RAH gives us nary a clue as to what keeps the system together.

This, obviously, is my biggest complaint. There is another one, which RAH could not have possibly anticipated. I am talking about the reliance on computer-based individual education. With specialized courses that people can take whenever they want, without classes, where they could "sleep while the instructor quizzes someone else," the system seems like one of the slogans pouring encomia on the current trends in education. But computers can never substitute for a proper teacher, whose main role is not only to transmit knowledge but also to instill values. This is precisely what is lacking in the elaborate setup RAH presents. Teacher, in his opinion, are hardly anything more than glorified walking and talking books who can be replaced as soon as technology is sufficiently advanced. However, the human relations between students and teachers is ignored when it should not be.

The story finally shifts into high gear when the search & rescue expedition for the "Pathfinder" turns up evidence that the asteroid belt had not only been a planet but it was apparently blown up by its own inhabitants. An extremely provocative idea that could have been fruitfully used and developed in conjunction with re-defining the role of the Patrol. RAH, however, abandons it and switches to a scout trip through the (decidedly unscientific) marshes and lakes of Venus. Matt, Oscar, and Tex go to investigate a distress call from a Terran ship and an alleged local uprising. There is a slim description of Venerian (or is it Venusian?) people, their customs, and even some of their knowledge. Definitely not enough to make the story stick in a measly 40 pages. Just as things seem to get promising, the story is over, the three return triumphantly with the rocket ship from the first "lost" expedition to Venus. Happy ending.

This has to be one of the weaker of RAH's "juvies" and it lacks in most aspects: slow (sometimes even boring) prose with too much description and little action, a political system that needs more justification than explanation, and a largely contrived adventure where the characters never seem in any real danger. It would be wise to put off reading this until after some of the better juvies.

March 6, 2000. BLS