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Extended Audio Sample Starman Jones Audiobook, by Robert A. Heinlein Click for printable size audiobook cover
3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 3.00 (3,522 ratings) (rate this audio book) Author: Robert A. Heinlein Narrator: Paul Michael Garcia Publisher: Blackstone Audio Format: Unabridged Audiobook Delivery: Instant Download Audio Length: Release Date: August 2008 ISBN: 9781455193912
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The stars were closed to Max Jones. To get into space you either needed connections, a membership in the arcane Guild, or a whole lot more money than Max, the son of a widowed, poor mother, was ever going to have. What Max does have going for him are his uncle’s prized astrogation manuals—books on star navigation that Max literally commits to memory word for word, equation for equation. When Max’s mother decides to remarry a bullying oaf, Max takes to the road, only to discover that his uncle Chet’s manuals, and Max’s near complete memorization of them, is a ticket to the stars. But serving on a spaceship is no easy task.  Duty is everything, and a mistake can mean you and all aboard are lost forever. Max loves every minute of his new life, and he steadily grows in the trust of his superior officers. He seems to be on course for a command track position—but then disaster strikes, and it’s going to take every trick Max ever learned from his tough life and his uncle’s manuals to save himself and the ship from a doom beyond extinction itself.  

From the First Golden Age of Heinlein, this is the so-called juvenile (written, Heinlein always claims, just as much for adults) that started them all and made Heinlein a legend for multiple generations of readers.

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Quotes & Awards

  • “Superior science-fiction. . . . carefully plotted, lucidly and beautifully written.”

    New York Times

  • “With its bold symbolism, the book makes a universal appeal.”

    Jack Williamson, science fiction writer

  • “Paul Michael Garcia perfectly captures the author’s trademark mix of adventure, tension, and frequent shipboard monotony. With a well-tuned dramatic ear, Garcia beautifully unfolds the story of young Max Jones…Extra points go to Garcia for his impressive range…Young listeners will especially enjoy this production.”

    AudioFile

  • “Paul Michael Garcia is ably suited to reading Heinlein’s well chosen words, giving the dialogue-heavy prose a banter-like give and take. Garcia’s range, too, is very impressive…It really is the ideal reading.”

    SFFAudio.com

Listener Opinions

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Danielle | 2/8/2014

    " Just a darn fun time. The second Heinlein juvee I've read (first being Red Planet). Prefer Red Planet; this one is too actiony for me. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Susan | 1/13/2014

    " Science fiction. A desperate young man snags a job on a space ship with plans of jumping ship elsewhere. Friendship, integrity, adventure. Good book. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Stel Pavlou | 1/8/2014

    " A lot has been made of where Star Wars got its inspiration. Dune is the most obvious comparison. The one book that is often overlooked is Starman Jones. If you really want to grasp where Luke and Han were cribbed from, this is the book. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Squeaky | 1/2/2014

    " It's not the most fabulous of Heinlein's books, but I enjoyed it. The ending caught me a little off-guard. Doesn't the hero usually get the girl? Yet another author the middle school students don't seem to be interested in reading. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Bruce | 12/1/2013

    " Even after the umpteenth time, Still one of my favorite Heinlein books. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Marisa Ikstrums | 11/15/2013

    " Another wonderful romp in Heinlein and a very fun juvenile! Fast-paced, great characters and a nail-biting ending! "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Steve | 9/20/2013

    " A fun read, full of intriguing twists and turns. I'm not sure how compelling the science is, but the fiction is pretty entertaining. Pretty good light reading. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Barry | 9/18/2013

    " A Heinlein juvenile with a coming of age story. Somewhat dated but still excellent 60 years later. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Joseph Bolton | 7/16/2013

    " This was the first Sci-Fi book I ever read. It was an amazing journey that hooked me for life. I think I was about 9 or 10 years old. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Agbag | 5/28/2013

    " This book gets bonus points for the nostalgia rating. I have always loved the heinlein juveniles. Accept it as the product of its era and enjoy it as the Boy's Life space adventure that it is. And giggle at the idea of computing space travel with a sliderule and book of log tables. :) "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Don McDonald | 8/22/2012

    " Good book with a decent story but science does not age well. Using photographic plates shows its age. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Aintlds | 7/18/2012

    " Heinlein's YA books just get better and better. This one's got an excellent, fairly fast-paced story with a few interesting twists. It's a fast read that just pulls you in and won't let go. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Matt Howard | 7/2/2012

    " I enjoyed this book, but I didn't find it very memorable. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Jonathan | 6/23/2012

    " A pretty breezy sci-fi read. Really good build-up, but the ending seemed a little hurried. Definitely enjoyable, however. "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Kira | 5/1/2012

    " I have read this book many times since I found it in my Da's Si-Fi collection. It is a good read. I wish that I had a memory like Max's. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Roman | 4/17/2012

    " Starman Jones by Robert A. Heinlein (1981) "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Foxtower | 8/20/2011

    " This is one of four Heinlein novels that remain in my library. In thirty years I've found my tastes have changed and I don't like much of his work anymore. Yet I marked this particular book "great". "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Jeff | 6/30/2011

    " It was a good simple romp through space. It is funny to see the dynamic between the hero and heroine. So naive and from a simpler time. You knew he wasn't going to marry her. I think that Patsie was added to get Heinlein out of a corner he wrote himself into. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Stel | 3/27/2011

    " A lot has been made of where Star Wars got its inspiration. Dune is the most obvious comparison. The one book that is often overlooked is Starman Jones. If you really want to grasp where Luke and Han were cribbed from, this is the book. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 John | 3/14/2011

    " A bit trite, but also sweet and optimistic ... I love Heinlein, it had been a lot of years since I read one of his books. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Sandy | 11/23/2010

    " Nice science fiction story by one of the old masters. It is dated, and it was fun to consider starships navigated by "astrogators" weilding slide rules and logorhythmic tables. Despite that, a solid story, of "farm boy dreams of space and makes good because he is dang smart" "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Dennis | 9/12/2010

    " I really liked this book. A lot of modern sci-fi themes and ideas can be traced back to this book; warp speed, possible parallel universes, etc. Good story and characters, geared toward young readers because it's more or less a coming of age story, but I loved it and I'm nearly 40. Hard to beat. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Steve | 7/2/2010

    " A fun read, full of intriguing twists and turns. I'm not sure how compelling the science is, but the fiction is pretty entertaining. Pretty good light reading. "

  • 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Danielle | 6/9/2010

    " Just a darn fun time. The second Heinlein juvee I've read (first being Red Planet). Prefer Red Planet; this one is too actiony for me. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Aintlds | 3/7/2010

    " Heinlein's YA books just get better and better. This one's got an excellent, fairly fast-paced story with a few interesting twists. It's a fast read that just pulls you in and won't let go. "

  • 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Agbag | 3/5/2010

    " This book gets bonus points for the nostalgia rating. I have always loved the heinlein juveniles. Accept it as the product of its era and enjoy it as the Boy's Life space adventure that it is. And giggle at the idea of computing space travel with a sliderule and book of log tables. :) "

  • 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Mark | 12/8/2009

    " My all time favourite book. I read it at least once a year! I just love the planet they find themselves on. Very inspirational stuff. Great characters. Great story. Heinlein at his finest. "

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About the Author
Author Robert A. Heinlein

Robert Anson Heinlein (1907–1988) was born in Missouri. He served five years in the US Navy and then attended graduate classes in mathematics and physics at UCLA. After a variety of jobs, he began to write science fiction in 1939. He is a four-time winner of the Hugo Award and a recipient of three Retro Hugos, and in 1975 he was named the first recipient of the Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Several of his books were New York Times bestsellers, and his worldwide bestsellers have been translated into twenty-two languages. 

About the Narrator

Paul Michael Garcia, an AudioFile Earphones Award winner and former company member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, received his classical training in theater from Southern Oregon University, where he worked as an actor, director, and designer.

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