Heinlein's "Starship Troopers"

[starsinmyeyes44]

One of my first posts here was about trying to find some good reads for my 12 year old son (just now turned 13). He just got through reading Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" and has been going on and on for the last two days about how much better the book is than the movie. I was cooking dinner tonight and he just comes into the kitchen and says "You know how in the movie they had this weapon (goes into mind-numbing detail as only 13 year olds can)....well, in the book..." <br />I just have to smile. I told him that it is usually that way....that the book is better than the movie. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[etavaunt]

<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Give him War of the Worlds next!<br /><br />Or " Who goes there " by J W Campbell Jr, they made that into "The Thing".

 

[etavaunt]

Actually, you should ask him to sit down and write out the science mistakes that THEY made while changing RA Heinleins book into the movie. And for him to make an alternate script for the movie, based on the book. Then you tell him to sit down with you and you can discuss his logic together!.<br /><br />Excellent teaching tool I would think.

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

That's really a good idea...and right up his alley, too. He wrote a letter last year (actually 2006) to Bungie Studios about how some things in the Halo game didn't make sense and how to make it better. (He got a form letter back this summer... thanking him for writing. He was kind of let down that they didn't take his advice.)<img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[weeman]

Just curious, what advice did he give Bungie? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

Something about Master Chief and something about the weapons. He's not awake this morning yet. I'll ask him before he goes to school and get back to you. (I know I proofread his letter before he sent it, but I can't remember exactly what he said.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

<i>The Warrior's Apprentice</i> by Lois McMaster Bujold. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

I forgot that he wrote it on the computer...and I found it.<br /><br />Dear Bungie Studios,<br /> My friends and I are big Halo fans, but recently I’ve thought of some things that could make Halo3 or Halo 2 Vista a little better.<br /> First of all, I’ve noticed that the number of weapons humans have is a lot less than the Covenant. So, I have some ideas for new human weapons. The first idea was a grenade launcher that can be added to the assault rifle. This weapon could help the player get through parts with lots of vehicles, but little heavy weaponry. Another idea is an Uzi type of gun. You could take a pistol design and improve it. I think the Uzi would be good if you don’t have an assault rifle but need an automatic weapon.<br /> Second, I was thinking of the Master Chief being in control of the marines because ,on their own, the marines don‘t make good decisions. For example, one time I saw an Elite throw a plasma grenade at a marine and the marine, attempting to escape the explosion, actually jumped off of a cliff. If the player had control of the marines, we could order them to scout ahead and clean out enemies from a room before going in. Plus, Master Chief outranks the marines, so he should command them.<br /> Third, I think that Master Chief should be able to fly a Pelican drop ship. If he had that capability, he could pick up marines and deposit marines into the battlefield. Also, as a challenging objective, you could have the Master Chief fly into hostile territories and try to rescue a stranded group of marines that is surrounded by Covenant forces.<br /> In conclusion, I think that if you add all of these improvements to Halo 3 or Halo 2 Vista, it will make a much better Halo game. Please consider these ideas. I think my friends and I would like these improvements and other players will too.<br /> <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[etavaunt]

Man. I would be bursting with pride in a job well done, if my son thought to do that, and then structured his thoughts so well, at 11.<br /><br />I must second Yevauds comment, Warriors Apprentice would be an excellent book for him.<br />Really great concepts such as perseverance against all odds, the supreme value of education, the value of loyalty, the correct attitude towards ones Sovereign . . . . oh, well maybe that last one you may consider no virtue!, but it IS a virtue when you consider that a Sovereign is only a people compressed into one man for the sake of its concentrated effect. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />I am sure he would enjoy the STORY for itself, and the ideas seem fit fodder for a young mans brain too.

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

Yes...I'm pretty proud of him. He does have the tendency to go around talking like a military/Army/Marine encyclopedia most of the time...which I must confess I have a hard time following. Lately, he states that he is going to join the Marines when he finishes school. To this, I purse my lips and don't say too much....that's the mom in me. He's one of those kids that would be at the front lines throwing all he had into the fight and thinking that he's invincible. Maybe by the time he finishes school, there won't be any fights......one can only hope. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[space_tycoon]

Sounds like a smart kid. I went through a similar phase at that age, although my fixation was more towards fighter aircraft and astronautics. The Right Stuff did it for me, that and the films of the Apollo landings.<br /><br />Get him to read Lord of the Rings next... <br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

He read The Hobbit, but got bogged down in the detail of The Lord of the Rings. I think he prefers more sustained action and not so much narrative. <br />Right now, he has started The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It's about a boy that finds out that he is the son of Poseidon. My son loves Greek and Roman history and anything having to do with ancient Greece and Rome, including mythology. This book combines Greek mythology with a modern day setting. So far, he really likes it. <br />He is also reading Roughneck Nine-One, a book about a special forces team. (I don't know how he can read two books at the same time, but he does it all the time.)<br />I have already written down two of the books suggested....Who Goes There and The Warriors Apprentice. They both seem like books he would like. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[etavaunt]

There are worse things than an idealistc young man joining the miltary. You probably have picked up by now my ambivalent attitude to the soldiery yet there are few places a moral and gifted man can make more of a difference. Explain to him the point that whatever good he could do his people (Hopfully he considers this the human race at one remove) as a Private Marine, is a shadow to the good he could achieve as an officer.<br /><br />I fully understand you not liking the idea that he would be in harms way. No mother ever has. It is a mans job to do it anyway obviously, or we would never have armies in the first place. . . . there's a thought . . . <br /><br />I don't think the future holds peace though I would be ecstatic to be proved wrong.<br /><br />Maybe if you don't like the idea of him being in harms way, steer him towards a job in the Airforce?. for every one of them that ever sees danger, 99 work behind the scenes in well paid technical fields (Should he decide to go further in a civilian role.)<br /><br />Maybe Miles Vorkosigan ain't such a good role model for him, eh?. What with the military motif.<br /><br /><br />OH,(edit to add,) and "Who goes there" isn't in print as a book, it is only a novella, a longish story. But that link in the post above is the whole story online for free.<br /><img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" />

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

My father was a career Air Force man and he, too, has told me that if my son really wants to pursue a military career that he should seriously consider the AF. Whatever he does, I want him to go through college first. <br />Although he seems very dedicated at this point, I know that as he goes through the next few years, he may change his mind more than once about his "final" career. (Many people think that they will only have one, final career....but change to something drastically different after some years.) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[space_tycoon]

I often wish I had been in the military for at least awhile. <br /><br />At age 35, it may be too late, but then perhaps not. I sometimes think about joining--usually after the third beer. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[summoner]

Here's a free book from the Baen online library that is also a combination of Greek mythology and scifi.<br /><br />Pyramid Scheme <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[starsinmyeyes44]

Thanks so much, Summoner.<br /><br />You know, I really love this forum. All of you are like the big brothers I never had. Just want all of you to know that I really appreciate all of your comments and your help....you're all so great. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff00ff">In the book of life, the answers aren't in the back.<br /></font><strong>Charlie Brown</strong></p> </div>

 

[docm]

<img src="/images/icons/blush.gif" /><br /><br />Speaking for us all; you're very welcome <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[etavaunt]

<img src="/images/icons/blush.gif" /><br /><br />Gee thanks for answering her mate, I was all tongue-tied, and I felt very much like I had been taken by surprise. Kiwi men of my circa kick for the goal and turn instantly with their head down and return to position. And get flumoxed by that sort of carry on, which of course they also secretly lap up.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[gunsandrockets]

<He's one of those kids that would be at the front lines throwing all he had into the fight and thinking that he's invincible.><br /><br />Well if you want to cure him of any notion of invulnerability let him play some games of paintball. The notion quickly becomes instintive that no matter how good you are, getting hit is inevitable!

 

[lampblack]

As I have noted in another thread (somewhere), the coed shower scene is the only thing even remotely cool about the movie version of Starship Troopers.<br /><br />It crosses the line from being merely bad to being insulting. The main premise is that alien bugs hurl huge rocks at earth from a neighboring star system -- and somehow, earth has no way of detecting the big rocks en route.<br /><br />And earth responds to the threat by sending troops en masse -- armed with loud repeating pea shooters. Somebody get those soldiers some phasers, for crying out loud! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[docm]

Phasers, schmasers.....drop a a few antimatter bombs on 'em and be done with it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[juliemac]

1)Enders Game<br />2) Ring World<br />And thats just to name a few. Ender really needs a movie <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[dragon04]

Starship Troopers is a very rare instance of where I've seen the movie and not read the book.<br /><br />Seeing 2001 before reading the book forever ruined the movie for me.<br /><br />Reading 2010 made the movie unbearable. SOmeone should have spaced John Lithgow before the Leonov left Earth orbit, and why in the name of GOD did they cast a white dude as Dr. Chandrasekhar?<br /><br />SHould I read Starship Troopers? I love Heinlein. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>