I read it today before watching the trailer for the film, and i came away unimpressed; I guessed almost all of it right off the bat. This isn’t an “I’m so smart” boast, I just have heard that it’s a great short story. Is that because it was one of the first time-travel stories, or am I missing something?
Probably because it’s the very first of its kind, and it’s been replicated, ripped off and used as inspiration for 50 years now. The army of clones have devalued the original.
I am looking forward to the film. I have yet to hear anything about it that doesn’t make me think the makers really, really got the point and were intent on preserving the original vision.
Between this story, and “By His Bootstraps”, his other time-travel short, Heinlein petty much rang all the possible changes on the time-travel concept, including paradox, free-will, closed time loops, and predestination. Pretty much anyone writing on the subject since has to at least tip their hat to the Master.
His other good one, at least. He also wrote a number of other terrible time-travel stories.
I liked the story, but thought the narrator (also, perhaps the only person in the universe…) was kind of a jerk.
One of the best time travel stories ever written
There are no actual, brain-eating zombies in it. Therefore it sucked.
I’m not a great fan of Heinlein’s novels but he really is one of the most influential of 20th century SF writers and All You Zombies and By His Bootstraps are most certainly two of the greatest SF stories ever written.
Earlier thread on the movie: Predestination: New Heinlein movie has been made [edited title] - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board
This might also be of interest: Explain the ending "All You Zombies" Heinlein story (open spoilers) - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board
I hope you are not referring to “Door into Summer!”
While By His Bootstraps was great, All You Zombies had the advantage of being shorter, wilder, and more precise. A little gem of a story.
And there were tons of time travel stories before them, including one by the young Mr. Wells.
Some people get squicky at the sorta-pedophilia in that one. I happen to like it a great deal.
He’s probably referring to the Long Family chronicles beginning with the last part of TEFL. Which, IMHO, was another strong time-travel story but not everyone likes the post-1970 stuff, either.
And yet less of a jerk than the protagonist of By His Bootstraps.
Actually, when I said “story”, I meant “short story”, and was objecting to the likes of “Elsewhen” (which I can only assume was written while under the influence of some seriously impure drugs). The Door into Summer is one of my personal favorites (the pseudo-pedophilia is enough on the safe side of the line not to bother me), though I’ll agree that the multiverse stuff was… not good.
Ah. Elsewhen isn’t really a time travel story. More a gloss on John Carter style wish driven world hopping. I found it… amusing.
I liked Elsewhen. Definitely more than I liked Job or Glory Road (which are the only two comparable non-multiverse things I can think of.)