Just finished reading ... Moon Is A Harsh Mistress

Just finished reading the above book, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A Heinlein.

This is a cracking book, it's actually the first one of Heinlein's books I read and it got me comprehensively hooked. It's written from the point of view of one Manuel O'Kelly Davis (Manny for short), who is a humble computerman looking after the Lunar Authority's main computer. A computer that's had so much hooked into it that it has woken up and become sentient.

It's name is Mike, short for Mycroft, a name that extends from its model type : HOLMES. Holmes being short for High-Optional, Logical, Multi-Evaluating Supervisor. What Mike has trouble understanding is jokes and the opening sequences of the book have him getting a bit of attention from Manny due to playing one of those jokes. It then breaks into 3 phases :

Setting up the revolution
Calm before the storm
Interplanetary war

It's not a long book at 288 pages but packs a decent amount into those 288 pages. Even reading it now, at 42 years after it was written, this is one book that is most certainly Not Dated. Ok, it's maybe a little behind the times when it comes to the effort needed for Mike to put a moving picture on a screen for him talking but that's about the only place where the age of the book shows.

It's a standalone book, although the sequel (The Cat Who Walks Through Walls) hooks into the Lazarus Long universe. The sequel is The Next Book. It's not all about revolution on the moon, there's bits in here about living up there plus Heinlein's usual intelligent observations on society.

Excellent book, very well worth a read. The central character, Manny, keeps a level head running through it with the tone always being one of good humour. It keeps a good pace up and the ending chapter or two will definitely have you remembering this book.