Double StarDouble Star
Score Classic
What it's about
Lorenzo Smythe is an out-of-work actor drinking in a bar when a spaceman offers him a job: impersonate John Joseph Bonforte, one of the most important politicians in the solar system, who has been kidnapped just before a crucial ceremony on Mars. Lorenzo thinks it'll be one performance. It turns into much more.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award. It's a short, witty political adventure, and Lorenzo's transformation is genuinely moving.
You'll love it if you liked
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Demolished ManGood to know
It's short and light. Some attitudes are dated.
By the numbers
- Readers29 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller14 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #128 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #187 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #538 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1877 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by Robert A. Heinlein
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Starship TroopersStranger in a Strange Land
FridayIf you like this, read next
Invisible Man
Seventh Son
Empire of the Sun
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
The Wasp Factory
The GiverExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Double Star worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award. It ranks #1,877 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Double Star about?
Lorenzo Smythe is an out-of-work actor drinking in a bar when a spaceman offers him a job: impersonate John Joseph Bonforte, one of the most important politicians in the solar system, who has been kidnapped just before a crucial ceremony on Mars. Lorenzo thinks it'll be one performance. It turns into much more.
How long does it take to read Double Star?
About 4 hours (142 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Double Star won?
Hugo Award winner (1956).
What should I read after Double Star?
If you liked it, try The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein or The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.