Ghost 5

Author: Robert Heinlein
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Ghost Five collects twenty-eight of Heinlein's best works, most of which were selected by another renowned American science fiction writer, Roger Zelazny, for Robert Heinlein's Best Science Fiction. Heinlein seems to be a writer who enjoys playing tricks on his readers. He loves putting his protagonists in tricky situations and then watching them perform hilariously absurd actions alongside the readers. Heinlein's alignment with the readers, combined with his elegant tone and skillful use of humor, gives his works a strong readability. Unobtainable is a typical example of such works. The story depicts a spaceship with its food supplies exhausted, forced to land on a planet with an endless chain of peaks. Here, two astronauts discover a giant alien warehouse. However, despite the countless cans inside, they cannot determine which ones are suitable for humans. The two astronauts finally find something that looks like jelly, just about to take a bite, when it emits a sharp, mocking laugh. The laughter seems to imply that everything here is unobtainable. Yet, with hunger gnawing at them, what can they do? Livestock Transport is equally amusing. The AAA, an interstellar disinfection company that dreams of making a big profit, finally gets a job transporting livestock to the Formin star system. However, halfway through the journey, the two partners of AAA realize that the three types of animals they are transporting cannot coexist in the same environment, and the death of any one of them means their bankruptcy. The two poor souls suffer greatly and finally arrive at the Formin star system. But the consignee, controlled by competitors, refuses to accept the goods. The animals on the ship reproduce rapidly, and the two protagonists find themselves in another predicament. Heinlein is a master of humor, giving science fiction a light and pleasant tone. However, humor is not his only specialty; his skillful critiques and biting satire of numerous social realities are often hidden within the humorous and absurd plots. The Welcome Ceremony is a case in point. The story depicts two starving astronauts arriving on a planet famous for its. The locals treat them as gods and hold a grand welcome ceremony. The two are lifted onto a pedestal, and the celebrants begin dancing day and night. The two astronauts, who have not eaten or drunk for several days, are tortured to the brink of death. At this moment, dark clouds gather in the sky, and it begins to rain. The two open their mouths to the sky, thinking they have been saved, only to hear the loud shouts of the highest-ranking official: "Quick, bring the sunshade canopy! Before the ceremony ends, don't let the gods get wet." Although the story takes place on a foreign planet, the satire of human society's bureaucratic system reaches an incisive level. Heinlein also has a deep concern for individual fate. His The Seventh Victim depicts the tragic fate of a small man in a bleak future. In the future imagined by Heinlein, humans pass a voluntary killing law to vent their inner desire for killing. As long as they register, they can take turns being killers and prey. The protagonist has always dreamed of becoming a member of the "Kill Ten Club" and has successfully killed six people. However, he never expected that his seventh victim would be a stunning beauty. The killer feels that his future has become colorful, and he decides to give up his original dream and travel far away with the beauty for a lifetime of love. The story seems to be heading toward a warm and satisfying conclusion. However, suddenly, the dark, gaping barrel of a gun appears. After a gunshot, he hears her happy voice: "Now I can join the club." This ending shocks everyone who longs for a better life. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that the story was adapted into a film in 1965 (titled The Tenth Victim). What about the other stories? I think it's better for the readers to taste them themselves.