I just finished reading _Stranger in a Strange Land_ by Robert Heinlein and I'd greatly appreciate it if someone could fill me in on why this is considered such a classic. I enjoyed the first half of the book, it moved at a nice pace and it definitely set itself up for an interesting second act.

However, after they get the Evil and Corrupt One World Government off their backs and Mike and Jill go out on their own, the book falls apart and just becomes Heinlen's great rambling commentary on Life, the Universe and Everything Else.

The "plot" at this point basically becomes nothing more than a series of events that lead up to long monologues that let Heinlein prove how smart and open minded he is. To illustrate my point, I'm think I'm going to do my own BAM of SiaSL (this is in no way knocking Sam and Dave's current one, I found that quite funny):

* * *

(A HUMAN is brought back from MARS. He can do COOL stuff. He meets some FRIENDS while running from the MAN.)

Robert Heinlein:

Uhh, where was I going with all this? Oh bother, I think I'll just drink a bit and write whatever comes to mind.

Fans:

Man, I wish I was as free-thinking as Heinlein. I grok this book.

* * *

Any thoughts? Am I just a moron? I dunno, like I said I really liked the first half. I read through it really quickly, but I think it took me twice as long to get through the second just because I kept staring off into space wondering when SOMETHING else was going to happen...