Have Space Suit - Will Travel

By: Robert A. Heinlein

Narrated by: Mark Turetsky

Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

From the mind of the storyteller who has captured the imagination of readers from around the worldand across generations comes this classic work of science fiction.

First prize in the Skyway Soap slogan contest was an all-expenses-paid trip to the moon. The consolation prize was an authenticspace suit, and when scientifically minded high school senior Kip Russell wonit, he knew for certain he would use it one day to make a sojourn of his own tothe stars. But "one day" comes sooner than he thinks when he tries the suit on in his backyard - and finds himself worlds away, a prisoner aboard a space pirate's ship. The whole thing seems like a bad dream until he discovers he's not theonly prisoner on board. Kip - along with the daughter of a world-renownedscientist and a beautiful creature from another planet - has been kidnapped by amonstrous extraterrestrial, and they are heading straight for what could be Kip's final destination.

©2005 Robert A. Heinlein (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

Wry humor obliterated by inept reading

This is my favorite Heinlein book since I first read it in the 1960's. A fun and entertaining story with the kind of snide humor that only first-person telling can capture.
The narration, however, is just not professional quality. Mark Turetsky's voice has an adolescent twang, which is fine, considering the age of the main character, but his inability to read fluently totally trashes some of the best and funniest lines in the book. The narration starts out okay, but seems to become more and more distracted as the book nears the end, demolishing the imagery as it goes.
I guessed all this before purchasing the book, but went ahead anyway. Many parts of it are read just fine, and I can't express any real regret at listening to it—only the regret that they couldn't find a more competent narrator.

Classic tale, One of Heinlein's best.

Would you listen to Have Space Suit - Will Travel again? Why?

Yes I would listen to it again, it is one if not the best of Heinlein's tales.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It is a toss up between Kip and PeeWee. Both are very strong characters.

What three words best describe Mark Turetsky’s voice?

Just misses the mark.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The title of course, Have Space Suit - Will Travel

Any additional comments?

The tale was one of my favorites, The narrator M Turetsky some how just misses the tone of the book. Granted I read this tale many, well many many years ago for the first time, as a boy. Given the characters, Kip is just graduating High School and PeeWee at 11, it calls for a voice that can capture that flavor. At one time Audible offered the same book by Whole Cast Audio which fit the book perfectly. But while the narration wasn't as I would like it the tale is still very much worth hearing.

A Light Hearted Space Fantasy, Just a fun Read

What did you love best about Have Space Suit - Will Travel?

A great fantasy about a young man you works hard to get what he wants and along the way has a great adventure. Truly loved the the way the story came together from beginning to end.

What did you like best about this story?

The amazing thing about this book is the space suit takes on a personality of it's own. The type and function of the suite plays a key role. Detail where needed but not too much to slow the book down.

Have you listened to any of Mark Turetsky’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not but his performance was excellent.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this entire book while brewing a batch of beer listened to it from beginning to end in on shot.

Any additional comments?

This is a great juvenile fiction book which has an appeal for adults as well. If you looking for a good book for your teenagers this is a good choice. One thing I enjoy is it does not have the violence of modern teenage books like Hunger Games or even Divergent. This big is a good listen for a family on a car trip a great fantasy that every one would love to be a part of.

Read this one or wait for another narrator

How could the performance have been better?

This is the first review I've ever left here. I've listened to so many audiobooks and not all narrators have been great, but I've been able to shake it off and listen, but not with this. The inflection in the narrators voice made me think the narrator was a 10 year old boy instead of a high school senior and that was the least of it. If I could go back, I would have read this one instead of listening. I hope that I can revisit this book again to really experience Heinlein's story. Such a shame. This was a great disservice to the author.

Have Space Suit will get boored

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, unless they like very long out dated stories

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Updated the characters to modern times, had the two main characters a similar in age to keep an underlying romantic story line rather than a "brother/sister" feel.

Was Have Space Suit - Will Travel worth the listening time?

It was okay, I'll probably listen to it again, just because it's loaded in my CD jukebox player with other CD audiobooks.

Any additional comments?

Sounds like it was written in the 40's with the author projecting the same social values of that time in the future. What was it...a nickel for an ice cream float from a "soda jerk".

Had to have this one!

This was a must have for me! This is the first book I remember reading entirely on my own and by my own choice. Because of this story, I gained a lifelong fascination with reading fiction. How fun to have found it again nearly 40 years later!

Enjoyable YA adventure - even for adults

I'll start by saying I agree with the others that the narrator made the central character sounded more like a 10 or 12 year old than a 17 or 18 year old high school grad, but I don't think that's a make-or-break issue - I still found the narration good and the story good fun. It's an adventure story that begins with an accidental kidnapping into space, and runs from there.....with adventures of trying to help newfound friends, get back home, and save the world. What more could a kid want in his summer before heading off to college?

Great story for young and old.

First read this book when I was 10. Enjoyed it just as much at 53. Great car trip audio book for parents and kids.

My childhood favorite.

Heinlein wrote about ten of these so called juvenile scifi novels. In the year 1968, I found "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" on the shelf of my elementary school library. I sped through it more than once. It is the book that most expanded my world.

Great book!

Space adventure of the highest caliber, one of Heinlein's best. The performance was great. I highly recommend to fans of classic sci-fi.