Ordeal in Space

Future History or "Heinlein Timeline" #15

by Robert A. Heinlein

CONTENTS:
The Black Pits of Luna (1948)
'It's Great to Be Back!' (1947)
'--We Also Walk Dogs' (1950)
Searchlight (1962)
Ordeal in Space (1948)
Logic of Empire (1941)
If This Goes On (1940)

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Space

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1990

About the author

Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often posed provocative situations which challenged conventional social mores. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.
Heinlein used his science fiction as a way to explore provocative social and political ideas and to speculate how progress in science and engineering might shape the future of politics, race, religion, and sex. Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought. He also speculated on the influence of space travel on human cultural practices.
Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.
Also wrote under Pen names: Anson McDonald, Lyle Monroe, Caleb Saunders, John Riverside and Simon York.

Reviews

[Angela Blount · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

An internal journey through acute acrophobia, as a space-worker endures a horrific ordeal that leaves him physically unharmed but mentally scarred. His space career seemingly over, he finds new and mundane employment safely on-planet. But readers aren't privileged with the details of what happened to him until there is an incident involving a kitten on a high ledge that induces a flashback...

I begin to think that Heinlein wasn't too keen on physical descriptions. Either that, or this is another case of what has to be cut in order to keep a short story appropriately short. (About the only description I can recall is a repeated use of the word "old".)

I wasn't sure most of the way through if I should brace for a sinister twist in events. While I won't give the resolution away, I can at least say it had a satisfying ending.

[Anatoly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ordeal in Space by Robert A. Heinlein - Review

“Ordeal in Space” by Robert A. Heinlein is the story of a man who becomes a hero of space when he is called to repair a spaceship and the aftermath of that event.

The fear of heights and open space is so strong that he tries not to even be in the open air on the street. In general, it is possible to live with this, and he even somehow adapts, changing his job, environment and lifestyle.

But staying at a friend's house, he hears a cat meowing outside the window of a high-rise building …

This is a link to the text of the story:
https://litlife.club/books/126598/rea...

[Read Ng · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good tale of human psychological stress. It would be about PTSD if written with current events.

Have a GoodReads.

[Ray Daley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another one I'd read before but didn't realise until very late into it.

[Katerina Margaritova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great inspiring short story.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best Future History stories. Unlike most of these stories which treat character development as an afterthought, it is front and center here.

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catastrophic

[Steve LaForest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story features anti-gravity / gravity control.

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

TEPT de un trabajador espacial y como lo afecta en su vida social. Me gustó.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

#14/ Prueba en el espacio (1948)

Periodo en el que está basada: 2000, posterior a la era ‘ también paseamos perros’ y su cumbre de planetas

Un antiguo cadete espacial es retirado del servicio, con una pequeña paga por motivos psicológicos causados por un incidente de trabajo en el espacio exterior. Ahora le queda vivir como un ciudadano más en la tierra, buscar una un trabajo nuevamente, ocultando su identidad y estigma personal, estando alejado de las alturas, el cielo abierto y aferrado a la gravedad.
En éste relato, y en el episodio del Flash back e incidente espacial, se hace mención del sistema de Pseudo gravedad instalado en la nave, anterior a la invención de gravedad artificial ( ‘ también paseamos perros’)

Aquí se desarrolla el tema de la Acrofobia, mencionado con anterioridad en el relato ‘ caballeros, permanezcan sentados’. NUEVAMENTE ESTAMOS ANTE UN RELATO ACERCA DE LAS CONSECUENCIAS DEL REGRESO A CASA, POR IMPERIOSA NECESIDAD, DE UN EMIGRANTE (no como en ‘ ¡Qué grande es estar de vuelta!) Y SUS REPERCUSIONES. NOS ADENTRAREMOS EN LAS PESADILLAS, REFLEXIONES, FLASHBACKS (SENSACIONAL CLIMAX Y AMBIENTACIÓN LA DEL PASAJE INCIDENTE DEL CADETE) , NOSTALGIA Y TEMORES DEL DIA A DIA DEL PROTAGONISTA, ADEMÁS DE LOS ENFRENTAMIENTOS QUE CONLLEVA LA INCLUSIÓN EN UNA SOCIEDAD HUMANA TAN ARBITRARIA. ES, POR LO CUAL, UNA CRÍTICA, A LA ADAPTACIÓN Y TRATAMIENTO DEL OFICIAL RETIRADO QUE VUELVE A SU SUPUESTO HOGAR (EX COMBATIENTE DE VIETMAN, VERSIÓN LUNAR), ADEMÁS DE UNA ‘CARGA’ CONTRA LOS EEUU Y SU NECESIDAD DE GOBERNAR ,MANDAR, OPRIMIR Y CATALOGAR TODO Y A TODOS (LOS QUE HAYAN LEÍDO AL AUTOR YA SABRÁN DE SOBRAS LO POCO AMIGO QUE ES DEL FACISMO DE SUS COMPATRIOTAS), Y POR ENDE, DE LOS HUMANOS (reflejado en un pasaje en el que se desarrolla una discusión entre el antiguo cadete y un amigo de un compañero de trabajo, que critica a los marcianos y el tratado de los tres planetas para el derecho de los nativos de diferentes galaxias habitadas..algo así como la versión de los indios desterrados de sus tierras en tiempos modernos)

Los animales (gatos) y su poder terapéutico:
Aquí Heinlein nos habla del poder curativo, tan de actualidad en la práctica, de los animales. Un gatito será la solución al trauma psicológico de ‘caída libre’ del protagonista. Y es que todos los dueños de un felino sabrán del irresistible atractivo de ‘súplica inquisitiva’ de éstos para conseguir sus propósitos. Encantadora escena final de un hombre y un gato al borde del abismo, en el cual ‘el no racional’ salva al otro ( adorable, por otra parte y como siempre, descripción del carismático comportamiento felino)

Avances y/ o predicciones Tecnológicas:
-Sistema de Pseudo gravedad en naves espaciales

Avances y / o predicciones sociales:
- Tratado de los tres planetas para la preservación de los derechos de los nativos

[Austin Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

#15 out of #21 for Heinlein's "Future History". Once again, a wonderful story gets bogged down by horrific sexism. Such gems include:

"It wouldn't be speculation if the government wasn't made up of a bunch of weak-spined old
women."

and

"My old lady does her own cooking - that's why I keep her.'"

[Frank]

“Ordeal in Space” by Robert A. Heinlein is a short story about the aftermath of a space accident. While the explanation and exploration of the space accident is key to the story, I didn’t find the journey that interesting. Once again the reader is brought to earth in Heinlein’s Future History series, but oddly enough nothing interesting is going on.

The story is an exploration on how the main character overcomes his fear. However I don’t think it’s a particularly interesting story. Heinlein shows the reader the fear and the reader experiences the terror, but honestly I didn’t care. The resolution doesn’t link well to the the story either. The protagonist does something that feels unnecessary, but doesn’t directly link with what has caused his terror.

Overall I thought this was a miss. It wasn’t a bad story, but it wasn’t a good story. I don’t dislike it, yet I don’t like it, it’s perfectly average. Oh well.

[Old Man Aries · Rating 4 out of 5]

CONTENTS:
The Black Pits of Luna (1948)
'It's Great to Be Back!' (1947)
'--We Also Walk Dogs' (1950)
Searchlight (1962)
Ordeal in Space (1948)
Logic of Empire (1941)
If This Goes On (1940)

[Jeff Yoak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heinlein's short story of an accident in space giving a spaceman a fear of falling, and then regaining his courage is quick, sweet and inspiring.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the titular story on the way to work.

[Abigail]

CAT