@RUTGERS.ARPA:Newman.pasa@Xerox.ARPA (04/23/85)
From: Newman.pasa@Xerox.ARPA
The thing that I found most annoying about FRIDAY was that it seemed as
thought Heinlein had an idea for a novel, and wrote it, but he couldn't
end the story well. Then he remembered this little short story idea that
he couldn't sell (for good reason) so he changed the short story around
a bit and made it into the ending for the novel.
I am not saying that this was how it really happened, just that this is
how I imagined it happening after reading the book! Did anyone else
notice the huge discontinuity?
>>Dave
PS I thought TNotB was an interesting change of pace and a fun read,
though hardly worth the attention it has been getting lately.barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry) (04/24/85)
>The thing that I found most annoying about FRIDAY was that it seemed as >thought Heinlein had an idea for a novel, and wrote it, but he couldn't >end the story well. Then he remembered this little short story idea that >he couldn't sell (for good reason) so he changed the short story around >a bit and made it into the ending for the novel. I think you will find this flaw in many of Heinlein's novels. His plots often tend to peter out in midstream, or to be aborted in mid- flight. As examples, consider TIME FOR THE STARS, where the ship's voyages are suddenly ended by the discovery of FTL offstage, or TUNNEL IN THE SKY, where the survival efforts of the protagonists are halted abruptly by the repair of the transmitter back on Earth, or PODKAYNE OF MARS, where Poddy sets out for Earth, but hasn't even gotten there when the novel ends. The most extreme example is probably TNoTB, where the original plot (with the "black hats") is simply denied and cancelled, but the book goes on (and on). Heinlein is my favorite SF writer, but he ain't perfect. - From the Crow's Nest - Kenn Barry NASA-Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USENET: {ihnp4,vortex,dual,hao,menlo70,hplabs}!ames!barry
ted@usceast.UUCP (Ted Nolan) (04/27/85)
In article <1730@topaz.ARPA> @RUTGERS.ARPA:Newman.pasa@Xerox.ARPA writes: >From: Newman.pasa@Xerox.ARPA > >The thing that I found most annoying about FRIDAY was that it seemed as >thought Heinlein had an idea for a novel, and wrote it, but he couldn't >end the story well. Then he remembered this little short story idea that >he couldn't sell (for good reason) so he changed the short story around >a bit and made it into the ending for the novel. > >I am not saying that this was how it really happened, just that this is >how I imagined it happening after reading the book! Did anyone else >notice the huge discontinuity? > Another thing that has been worrying me a little lately, it that the ending of _Friday_ (starting with her off planet mission I think) had a fatal plot flaw in it. The reason it worries me, is because I can't remember what it is now! But I'm not kidding, at the time I caught it, I saw that it made the motivation for her last mission completely implausible. Did anyone else see it, and WHAT THE HECK WAS IT?! They say the memory is the first thing to uh.. Ted Nolan ..usceast!ted -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ted Nolan ...decvax!mcnc!ncsu!ncrcae!usceast!ted (UUCP) 6536 Brookside Circle ...akgua!usceast!ted Columbia, SC 29206 allegra!usceast!ted@seismo (ARPA, maybe) ("Deep space is my dwelling place, the stars my destination") -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
brust@hyper.UUCP (Steven Brust) (05/02/85)
> > > > Another thing that has been worrying me a little lately, it that the ending > of _Friday_ (starting with her off planet mission I think) had a fatal > plot flaw in it. The reason it worries me, is because I can't remember > what it is now! But I'm not kidding, at the time I caught it, I saw that > it made the motivation for her last mission completely implausible. Did > anyone else see it, and WHAT THE HECK WAS IT?! > > They say the memory is the first thing to uh.. > Ted Nolan ..usceast!ted > -- Yes, I remember that plot flaw as well. Unfortunately, this screen is too small to hold it. -- SKZB
cberry@muddcs.UUCP (Craig Berry) (05/07/85)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE AT YOUR OWN RISK *** >> The thing that has been worrying me a little lately, is that the ending >> of _Friday_ (starting with her off planet mission I think) had a fatal >> plot flaw in it. The reason it worries me, is because I can't remember >> what it is now! But I'm not kidding, at the time I caught it, I saw that >> it made the motivation for her last mission completely implausible. Did >> anyone else see it, and WHAT THE HECK WAS IT?! >> >> They say the memory is the first thing to uh.. >> Ted Nolan ..usceast!ted >Yes, I remember that plot flaw as well. >Unfortunately, this screen is too small >to hold it. > -- SKZB Seems that a famous mathematician once had a similar problem...solved it using NROFF. Hence the term "Text Fermatter." (Flame all you like, kids--I'm off this net in two weeks! [insert diabolical laughter here]) Craig Berry {allegra!scgvaxd | ucla-cs}!muddcs!cberry ----------------------------------------- "Rock is dead they say, long live rock!" - The Who
royt@gitpyr.UUCP (Roy M. Turner) (05/09/85)
In article <177@hyper.UUCP> brust@hyper.UUCP (Steven Brust) writes: > >Yes, I remember that plot flaw as well. >Unfortunately, this screen is too small >to hold it. > -- SKZB This is great! The second time in two days that I've seen allusions to Fermat...'course, the first time was when I used a similar answer as a proof on a midterm on Monday... Roy -- The above opinions aren't necessarily those of etc, etc...but they should be!! Roy Turner (a transplanted Kentucky hillbilly) School of Information and Computer Science Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 ...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!royt
johnnyr@ihu1m.UUCP (John R. Rosenberg) (05/10/85)
In article <177@hyper.UUCP> brust@hyper.UUCP (Steven Brust) writes: > >Yes, I remember that plot flaw as well. >Unfortunately, this screen is too small >to hold it. > -- SKZB Just for those of us who read Friday a while ago and aren't too clear on the details, could someone please explain the fatal flaw in the plot? Thanks. John Rosenberg AT&T-NS ihnp4!ihu1m!johnnyr