 First Edition cover for Farmer in the Sky |
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| Author | Robert A. Heinlein |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Clifford Geary |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Publication date | 1950 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| ISBN | NA |
| Preceded by | Red Planet |
| Followed by | Between Planets |
Farmer In The Sky is a 1950 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein about a teenage boy who emigrates with his family to Jupiter's moon Ganymede, which is in the process of being terraformed. First published in Boys' Life magazine, in serial form (August, September, October, November 1950), under the title "Satellite Scout". It was published in hardcover that year by Scribner's as part of the Heinlein juveniles. Passing references by the lead character to the song "The Green Hills of Earth" three times and to its author, Rhysling, once, have caused some to consider it part of Heinlein's "Future History" series. The novel also refers to the "Space Patrol," the interplanetary peace-keeping organization described in Space Cadet.
Plot summary
In a future, overcrowded Earth, where food is carefully rationed and teenagers fly helicopters, a widower gets married and emigrates with his teenage son Bill and his new wife's daughter Peggy to a new colony and a new future. On the journey, Bill saves his bunkmates from asphyxiation by improvising a patch when a meteor punctures their torchship compartment. To combat the boredom of the long journey, the Boy Scouts in the group form troops and the children attend classes. When the newcomers arrive, an unpleasant surprise awaits them. The group is much larger than the colony can easily absorb. The farms they were promised do not yet exist. In fact, the "soil" has to be created from scratch by pulverizing rocks and seeding the resulting dust with carefully prepared organic material. While some predictably whine about the injustice, Bill lands a job with an already-established farmer and his family to learn how things are done, while his father signs on as an engineer in town. Peggy is unable to adjust to the low pressure atmosphere and has to live inside. The air is being thickened by "matter converters", but progress is slow, given the size of the moon. Eventually, the family gets its own homestead, including a pressurized room for Peggy. One day, a rare alignment of Jupiter's moons causes a devastating moonquake which depressurizes Peggy's room and knocks out the machines that maintain the colony's heat shield. The temperature drops rapidly and the family is lucky to make it to the safety of the town. Peggy dies, as do most of the other colonists. The family considers returning to Earth, but in true pioneer spirit, decides to stay. The colony gradually recovers and an expedition is organized to survey more of Ganymede. Bill goes along as a cook. While exploring, he and a friend discover artifacts of an alien civilization, including a working land vehicle that uses legs. This proves fortuitous as Bill's appendix bursts and they miss the rendezvous with the shuttle that transports the rest of the group to another site. They travel cross country to the next landing point and get Bill to a doctor.
Comments
This is the first appearance (in Heinlein's novels) of the concept of overpopulation threatening to bring on a war (back on Earth). The book takes up consciously many of the themes of the 19th Century American Frontier and homesteading, including a character with the nickname "Johnny Appleseed," having the same role as the original one, who became a legend in American history. Because it was written to be serialized in the Boy Scouts' magazine Boy's Life, Bill's participation in the Scouts is pervasive, mentioned at least once per chapter. Variable Star, a novel written by Spider Robinson based on an outline by Heinlein, pays tribute to this novel. The lead character is a farmer from Ganymede, and one of the major cities there is Lermer City, named for the lead character of this book.
External links
- Farmer in the Sky publication history at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
