The Cat Who Walks through Walls

By: Robert Heinlein

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 13 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Robert A. Heinlein wrote some of the best-selling science-fiction novels of all time, including the beloved classic Stranger in a Strange Land. In The Cat Who Walks through Walls, he created his most compelling character ever: Dr. Richard Ames, ex-military man, sometime writer, and unfortunate victim of mistaken identity.

When a stranger attempting to deliver a cryptic message is shot dead at his dinner table, Ames is thrown headfirst into danger, intrigue, and other dimensions where Lazarus Long still thrives, where Jubal Harshaw lives surrounded by beautiful women, and where a daring plot to rescue the sentient computer called Mike can change the direction of all human history.

©1985 Robert Heinlein (P)2007 Blackstone Audio

Critic reviews

"Dialogue as witty as Oscar Wilde's, action as rollicking as Edgar Rice Burroughs', and satire as spicy as Jonathan Swift's." ( New York Times)

Not his best

Too much time spent with the Long family and a tacked on ending. The first half was great.

Very Good, But Not Made For Novices

Where does The Cat Who Walks through Walls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favorites.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I could say, "Walker Evans," but that would be cheating! :-)


Heinlein himself turned out to be my favorite character. He was trying to cheat death, and if the place of this book in series is done properly, he actually does it, in a way. I saw one reviewer place the book improperly as part of a "trilogy" when the "set" in which it belongs is actually at least 6 books deep, including Time Enough For Love, Number of the Beast, and To Sail Beyond the Sunset, with a definite nod to Friday and ALL of his other books as well.

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending line, which was in the tradition of Glory Road.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

One of the Grand Master's main points in this book as in others was that while sex is potentially everywhere, real LOVE takes manners and intelligence. He specifically refers to the book as a comedy of manners....like the Emperor's New Clothes, it was built so that people who don't "get" RAH or what he put between the lines, so to speak, won't enjoy the ride AS MUCH as those who have done their homework.

Any additional comments?

I feel no shame at downgrading the reviews of naysayers...when you can point to a Hugo or a Nebula with your name on it, then I'll listen harder. :-)

24:56 for a fart ...

words. words. a fly car gnat bus ape sty eye dub toy foy shy nor

Great book, presentation was disappointing

I love this book, and decided to try it as an audiobook. I have to say, I was somewhat disappointed from a production standpoint. When reading the book, the dialogue sounds witty and bantering, yet very literate - when read aloud, it often sounds stilted (In fairness, I have not heard another reader attempt this, so cannot say whether this is the writing not translating to spoken word or poor presentation on the part of the narrator). I was somewhat underwhelmed by the emotional range shown by the narrator. Additionally, anyone who has read Heinlein knows that he comments on the "tall corn, rusty Midwest" accents. Unfortunately, the narrator takes this to extreme, with most character's voices representing some variant of "hick accent". Having listened to Lloyd James' presentation of "Moon Is A Harsh Mistress", I wished he had been available for this one as well.

Typical Heinlein Story

As with a lot of Robert Heinlein's books he puts too much in to the sexual background

I didn't care for it

You might find it tremendously funny. I didn't. I found the relentless banter tedious, but that's just me.

Classic Heinlein. Reader droll and monotonous.

Great book. Read Stranger in a Strange Land first. Performer a bit dull even with the voices.

Disappointing

I have recently reread Heinlein's "Stranger In A Strange Land" and "The Puppet Masters" and enjoyed them very much.

I simply could not get interested in this book. I gave up at Chapter 12. The dialogue seemed stilted and old fashioned, like the script from a mediocre 1940's film. In fact I did an internet search to see when this book was written, thinking that it might be an early effort. I was surprised to learn that the book was published in the 1980's (if the information on Wikipedia is correct).

Perhaps one day I'll try to finish the book. I just can't listen to anymore of it right now.

ripped off

Is there anything you would change about this book?

finished the story

What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?

Tom was great, he has a great voice

Was The Cat Who Walks through Walls worth the listening time?

no it was a waste

Any additional comments?

Heinlein seemed to start out with a purpose and then left off the last half of the book. Set the reader up for a sequel but never delivered. Lost his mind, died?

Not RAH's best

Some good chapters and vignettes, but not a strong story. Main characters recover and develop a strong relationship through repeated adversity. The book brings to gather story lines from many of the latter Heinlein books: Lazarus Long, Maureen Long, Gay Deceiver and Pankara adventurers, the Moon is a Harsh Mistress crew and characters, and the Free Luna minor character cast. The story revolves around trying to time travel to save and recover the essence of Mycroft. Mike is the self-aware computer that was key to the Lunar Revolution success some 15 or so years before the setting of this book.
The adversaries are never identified or resolved, but repeatedly appear as viscious attackers. Our heroes mostly survive (damaged) and continue. We never know if the mission re. Mycroft succeeded or not. The last assault wrecked damage, but character survival was not resolved or disclosed. Great beginning, interesting middle, no ending.