• The Cat Who Walks through Walls

  • By: Robert Heinlein
  • Narrated by: Tom Weiner
  • Length: 13 hrs and 30 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (1,919 ratings)

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The Cat Who Walks through Walls  By  cover art

The Cat Who Walks through Walls

By: Robert Heinlein
Narrated by: Tom Weiner
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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)

What listeners say about The Cat Who Walks through Walls

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Abridge Version

This is an abridged version. Having read the paperback version of The Cat Who Walks though Wall several times I can understand why people give this version such a bad review. This supposedly unabridged reading goes from one scene to another leaving out serval paragraphs that where in the original paperback version. Save your Audible credits and spend your money on the paperback, you will enjoy the book more in its unedited form.

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83 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

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.

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Bundling rather than plot

Firstly, the narrator does a magnificent job with all the voices. You know who is speaking before their name is mentioned. Well Done!
It's a pity the narrator is let down by Heinlein with a slipshod plot concentrating more on "bundling" between anyone and everyone - it seems bundling is a sizable proportion of every character's conversations, actions and motivations. From an interesting start, the story wanders about with inexplicable action and mysterious unrelated antagonists settles into a loose and meandering meaningless conversation soaked middle and finally a rushed non ending. This book attempts to be a third in the Moon series - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Very Good), The Rolling Stones (Excellent) and finally this book (Pathetic). Characters have the same names as those in the earlier two books, but their outlook has changed. The moral standards of the Stone Family do not at all belong in the mythos Heinlein created with his "family" structure for Lunies and the free-for-all considered normal in this book.
As Heinlen often states, "There Aint No Such Thing As A Free Lunch" (TANSTAAFL), which doesn't excuse him from a book without a cogent plot. This is the first audible book I am deleting from my iTunes library.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

It's a RAH!

As I write this I'm amazed at this review process. I JUST moments ago clicked on 'Add to cart'. I've not yet even downloaded the audiobook files, yet I'm writing a review. Why you might ask? Simple, it's a Heinlien. For those of you who understand, that makes sense. For the rest of you, read on McDuff.

Robert A Heinline was my introduction to science fiction, as perhaps he was yours, almost fifty years ago (I'm barely 50). RAH is the standard against which I judge all science fiction. I have read this book many times in pulp, I know what's coming as well as I know my own comfy pillow.

My sole criterion when a new Heinlein comes out is simple - who's the narrator and can I stay awake through the narration. In all honesty, that always secondary and even a bad narrator rarely keeps me from a RAH classic. This narrator, previewed in the sample seems up to the task.

If you're already a Heinlein fan, quit reading. My review is already approacing 1000 words and you're wasting your time. You know you will buy. If you're new to Heinlein, have I got a treat for you. Pick ANYTHING with his name on the title and settle in for the ride.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Try another

This is an improbable anddisjointed story and seems to serve only the author's sexual fantasies. But I found it neither sexual or metal stimulating. A big waste of time.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty Good Book, but Too Dated For Me

I have always been a fan of Robert Heinlein. I especially loved Stranger in a Strange Land. However, now that I'm older, I think the dated style that Heinlein used is starting to grate on me. This one is done in the noir style of Raymond Chandler, et al. But his cutesy banter between men and women wasn't even realistic in the forties, let alone today. It appeared often enough that I got tired of rolling my eyes and searching for a way to skip past it in the audio-book (too bad they don't have a Skip Forward button!)

Also, the Everyman Yankee (AKA MacGyver) who can do the most random things that 99% of people can't do (and serendipitously progress the plot) has become less believable as I have grown more experienced. For example, how many readers can really pick a lock?

The story is pretty good, and the narration was quite good. But I guess I have just outgrown Heinlein. :(

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Old man Heinlein does it again &Tom Weiner's cool.

I've come across Robert Heinlein only recently, in the last 5 years... my favorites Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land, Friday. This story takes a lot from these a more, but uses Heinlein's more current understanding of how weird real world science is, quantum mechanics,etc... and he simply adds it to his palet to paint a tale that will require reading (listening) to it again, at least once or twice. But I really enjoyed the skill of the narrator, who obviously knows and loves the characters he narrates. I'd encourage anyone who liked the Moon, to take this ride too. Heinlein is spinning a yarn from the natural particles of time and space that we really need to grapple with, and like real, he doesn't tie the yarn into a tidy knot, but for me at least a very satisfying end where I can imagine my own next things to play out.

Enjoy!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best scifi novels around

Action, imagination, great ideas, great story telling, thrilling, full of twists. All you want is there. Heinlein excels in the The Cat Who Walks through Walls. More over the character interaction is not only interesting, it is flammable! The dramatic exchanges between the lead pair are so enjoyable. Author is not scared to include a few spicy twists, which are just rendering the novel more interesting. Don't listen to those religious purists who get red because of that, this novel is excellent. I have read this novel many times and always coming back. Full 5 stars well deserved.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Abstract storyline

If you could sum up The Cat Who Walks through Walls in three words, what would they be?

strange, fun, exciting

Who was your favorite character and why?

I honestly loved all the characters with the exception of one, who is a famous character from the "not so series" so ill say who i didn't like instead. Lassie long the annoying.....

What does Tom Weiner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

eh

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

prepare for the sequel

Any additional comments?

Although it strongly relies on other stories to finish its tale. This was a very fun odd book.I enjoyed it very much

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Stopped Part Way Through. Deliberately.

The Heinlein I love ("Stranger in a Strange Land") must have moved to another plane of existence. I could not stand listening to more than a half hour of this piece waiting for it to become palatable. It never occurred. This may not be an in-depth review, but it may save your having your expectations dashed.

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7 people found this helpful