Starship Troopers (Robert A. Heinlein)

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Starship Troopers
by Robert A. Heinlein

**
Although considered a classic by many, I found Starship Troopers dull and pretentious, with a kind of one-note emphasis on certain aspects that became irritating over time. I might add that the movie, based very, very loosely on the novel, was a more enjoyable experience, albeit a dumber one. (Whoever doesn't think that the movie was making fun of the book should make note of the Nazi uniforms and the ridiculously over-the-top propaganda videos which are nowhere to be found in the novel.)

The story, in a nutshell, is as follows. Johnny Rico, an everyman-type character, enlists in the mobile infantry to combat bugs from outer space. During his training, he learns all about what it means to be a soldier and a citizen of the Earth Federation, and in the end develops an intense patriotism for his planet. Some people have claimed that Orson Scott Card borrowed some material from this novel to construct his own Ender's Game. If so, his finished product is definitely superior to its precursor.

In Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein presents a future society whose ideals remain somewhat controversial even today. For instance, corporal punishment is the only education for those who have violated the law. Also, society is run by war veterans because they are the only people who have served society directly—by fighting for it. Heinlein also takes the opportunity in this novel to criticize our own society (he wrote this novel in the fifties.) He lashes against democracy, stating that today's society is governed by voters who know nothing about responsibility. And some passages relating to the pretentiousness of child psychologists and social workers seems particularly bitter and cynical.

I give credit to Heinlein for his daring ideas, some of which are genuinely thought-provoking. However, no amount of social criticism can hide the lack of commitment to story. Starship Troopers is devoid of plot, characterization, excitement, or even a good setting. Instead, most of the book is comprised of conversational essays on the arguments above, making the book seem like some kind of elaborate editorial column.

Even Heinlein's controversial ideas tire after awhile. He provides his readers with a portrait of an ideal society, and like all ideal societies this one is static, as if the characters knew only how to reminisce on the faults of our past. Although it has occurred to me that this was the point Heinlein was trying to convey, this possibility does not make the novel more enjoyable.

The moments of action in Starship Troopers are also relatively weak. I had the constant feeling of being distanced from the battle, since I had difficulty picturing what was going on due to Heinlein's poor—or perhaps just overly technical—descriptions. Also, Johnny relates some of his battles in flashbacks or overviews, which ruin the excitement. Granted, some of the inventions used in Heinlein's futuristic warfare are clever, but I've seen better. During one of the landing sequences, I was reminded of the magnificent para-trooping scene from Eon, and I realized that Starship Troopers leaves a lot to be desired.