Time Enough for Love

Well, after listening / reading Heinlein’s 1973 novel over the course of six days, investing nearly four hours into it and reaching page 89 (a glacial pace set by the “performer” of the audio book), I had to, just had to, give it up.

Why?

Simple. It was excruciatingly agonizingly boring.

Nothing happened. Nothing except two guys talking in a room. There was a short segue where two other people talked (and we were told they did something else, wink-wink). There was a loooooonnnnnng passage about one guy telling us about another guy who liked to do as little as possible in everything possible. And more talking, talking, talking. When I gave it up, they were talking to a computer.

I just can’t do any more of this. I’m not that stoical. Or sado-masochistical. Whatever. The book has close to 600 pages, so that would entail a little over twenty more hours of listening / reading. Too much. Too too much.

Mr. Heinlein, I loved all the “juvenile” SF you’ve written (read as both a juvenile and adult myself). I loved The Puppet Masters, which is aimed at adults, I guess. But I just can’t get through Time Enough for Love. Just like I couldn’t get through Stranger in a Strange Land and I Will Fear No Evil.

Sensing a trend here, but that’s a subject for another post, after some rumination.

Anyway, off to my next reading project. Not sure what that’ll be, but be assured I will let you all know once I do.