Attribute to L. Neil Smith’s The Libertarian Enterprise

In 1980 Robert A. Heinlein published The Number of the Beast. This tome enjoys mixed reviews. Read as the prequel to The Cat Who Walked Through Walls and RAH’s swansong To Sail Beyond the Sunset it works somewhat better. I happened to enjoy these books but respect that other people don’t.

Turns out that Number has a parallel novel that just got released this year. The book’s title is The Pursuit of the Pankara, subtitled “A Parallel Novel About Parallel Universes”. Pursuit is was reconstituted from fragments and notes, It concentrates more on the protagonists recruiting allies and pursuing their struggle against baddies of the two novels (the Pankara). It does include a reasonable amount of material from Number.

I don’t know what else to say without throwing out too many spoilers. The editors/publishers did have to work some stuff out with the estates of Edgar Rice Burroughs and E.E. “Doc” Smith. The auctorial voice is definitely Heinlein. David Weber was the primary editor and it would have shown if he tried to “hijack” the story and rewrite his way, and the story does afford the opportunity.

If you are a Heinlein fan it is worth it to buy The Pursuit of the Pankera, preferably in hardback. If you are not that big a fan, wait for the paperback or download the Kindle version.

The publishing house is Phoenix Pick/Arc Manor, the same guys who print TLE’s Esteemed Publisher’s newer works. Order though Amazon using TLE’s link.

Sorry if I am light on review, but you will note this is titled “A Plug”. I confess I am too big a Heinlein fan to give an objective review.

Click to goto Amazon.com