| The Number of the Beast | |
|---|---|
 First paperback edition cover |
|
| Author | Robert A. Heinlein |
| Cover artist | Richard M. Powers |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Fawcett |
| Publication date | July 12, 1980 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-449-13070-3 |
| OCLC Number | 21020774 |
| Followed by | The Cat Who Walks Through Walls |
The Number of the Beast is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein published in 1980. The first (paperback) edition featured a cover and interior illustrations by Richard M. Powers. Excerpts from the novel were serialised in the magazine Omni (1979 October, November).
Contents |
Plot introduction
The book is a series of diary entries by each of the four main characters, Zebadiah Carter, programmer Dejah Thoris "Deety" Burroughs Carter and her mathematics professor father Jacob Burroughs, and a non-student socialite named Hilda Corners. Zeb and Deety's names are homages to John Carter and Dejah Thoris, the main protagonists of the Barsoom or Martian novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the surname of whom is apparently the inspiration for that of Jacob Burroughs.
The odd foursome rush away in Gay Deceiver, Zeb's sports car spaceship, outfitted with the professor's continua device and armed by Australian Defence Force, into various fictional universes. There is sex, rivalry, and even a trip to Oz. An attempt to visit Barsoom, curiously, takes the quartet to a different version of Mars, seemingly under the colonial rule of the British Empire. However, near the end of the novel, it is hinted by Lazarus Long that they had in fact been to Barsoom, the "colonial Mars" being an illusion imposed on them by the telepathically adept Barsoomians:
... E.R.B.'s universe is no harder to reach than any other and Mars is in its usual orbit. But that does not mean that you will find Jolly Green Giants and gorgeous red princesses dressed only in jewels. Unless invited, you are likely to find a Potemkin Village illusion tailored to your subconscious....
Explanation of the novel's title
In the novel, the Biblical number of the beast turns out to be, not 666, but (66)6, or 10,314,424,798,490,535,546,171,949,056, which is the number of parallel universes accessible through the continua device to the protagonists.
Plot summary
The plot of the story mainly concerns Jacob's "Continua Device," a strange machine that can move the characters anywhere and anywhen. The continua device was built by Professor Burroughs while he was formulating his theories of n-dimensional non-euclidean geometry. Burroughs believes, and proves during the story, that there are six dimensions; the three spatial dimensions familiar to everyone and three additional chronological dimensions: t (our axis of time), τ (tau), and т (teh). The continua device can move the characters on all six axes.
The novel is a parody because of its deliberate use of the style of the 1930s' pulp magazine novels. Many of the plot lines and characters are derived directly from magazine stories, as referenced by the first line of the novel:
"He's a Mad Scientist and I'm his Beautiful Daughter." —Deety
The Number of the Beast contains many "in-jokes" and references. For instance, the name of every villain is an anagram of a name or pen name of Robert or Virginia Heinlein.
As in other works, Heinlein mentions the philosophical idea of solipsism, but in this book he elaborates it by the concept of "pantheistic solipsism" or "world-as-myth" — the theory that universes are created by the act of imagining them, so that somewhere even fictional worlds (Oz is one of the examples Heinlein uses) are real. Burroughs' device is simply a means of accessing these universes.
Literary significance and reception
Jack Kirwan wrote in the National Review that the novel is "about two men and two women in a time machine safari through this and other universes." He later says that Heinlein celebrates the "competent person".[1]
Sue K. Hurwitz said in her review for the School Library Journal that it is "a catalog of Heinlein's sins as an author; it is sophomoric, sexist, militantly right wing, and excessively verbose." She comments that the book's ending was "a devastating parody of SF conventions—will have genre addicts rolling on the floor. It's garbage, but right from the top of the heap."[2]
Notable USENET poster Gharlane of Eddore believed that the book is a "a MANUAL on How To Write Good Fiction" [3]. Some incidents represent bad writing techniques, and are contrasted with examples on good writing techniques which are used in the same scenes.
Allusions to other works
Near the end, this book is associated with Time Enough for Love, and through it to several others of Heinlein's later works. Many characters from earlier Heinlein works make an appearance, and a few notable real-world authors, including Heinlein himself, are mentioned as being present in the final chapter.
References
External links
- The Number of the Beast publication history at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
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