Double Star

Originally posted at FanLit:

Most of Robert A. Heinlein???s adult novels have interesting ideas or premises but many lack likeable characters and/or fun quickly-moving plots. Fortunately Double Star has all the right elements and is entertaining from start to finish. It???s one of Heinlein???s best novels, I think, and I must not be alone in that opinion since it won the Hugo Award in 1956 and was nominated for Locus??? All-Time Best Science Fiction Novels. Double Star is a character-based novel that explores some important political issues without getting preachy.

Lorenzo Smythe, who styles himself ???The Great Lorenzo,??? is a down-and-out actor who has a lot more self-esteem than he has job offers. In fact, he???s a pompous ass and nobody wants to hire him. Just after he???s spent his last penny, he???s offered an acting job that pays a lot more money than he???s ever been offered before. He will be playing... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/double-star/

This isn't really science fiction, as the sf elements have little bearing on the story. Sure there are rocketships and aliens and all that, but it is mostly scenery for Heinlein to ponder politics and personality types (again).

To be honest I was a little bit surprised at how progressive he was (for the times) at this point in his career.