The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
A writer flees assassins through time and space.
Robert A. Heinlein's 1985 science fiction novel, The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, includes his recurring characters Lazarus Long and Jubal Harshaw in supporting roles, as do several of his later works.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Robert A. Heinlein
- Cover artist
- Michael Whelan
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Genre
- Science fiction
- Publisher
- Putnam Publishing Group
- Released
- 1985
- Format
- Print (Paperback)
Facts from the source article.
Plot summary
A writer dining at the space habitat "Golden Rule" is approached by a man who insists that "Tolliver must die" and is then shot before the writer's eyes. The writer, Colonel Colin Campbell (who uses aliases including his pen name "Richard Ames"), is joined by Gwendolyn Novak, a sophisticated woman who helps him escape to Luna with a bonsai maple and a would-be murderer named Bill. On the Moon, Gwen claims to have been present during the revolt described in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. Still pursued by assassins, Campbell and Novak are rescued by the Time Corps, led by Lazarus Long. After receiving a new foot to replace one lost in combat, Campbell agrees to help the Time Corps retrieve the decommissioned sentient computer Mike, introduced in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. The Time Corps' frequent time-travel has created alternate universes, and Mike is needed to predict conditions in each new timeline. Campbell's assassins are revealed to be agents of contemporary agencies also manipulating time, who oppose Mike's rescue. During the mission, Gwen is severely wounded and Campbell loses his foot again, though the Time Corps succeed in retrieving Mike. The story ends with Campbell dictating into a recorder, reflecting on the mission and his relationship with Gwen.
Background
This novel fits into Heinlein’s multiverse series and works as a follow-up to both The Number of the Beast and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. At one point, the Council of the Time Scouts holds a meeting where characters from every major Heinlein timeline show up, including those from Glory Road and Starship Troopers, and the story also nods to works by other authors. The book’s title comes from a cat named Pixel, who keeps showing up wherever the narrator is for no clear reason. In one scene, Pixel actually passes through a wall, and the explanation given is that he is simply too young to realize that such a thing is impossible.
Connections to other Heinlein works
Gwen Novak turns out to be Hazel Stone, who first appeared in The Rolling Stones and later had a minor yet key part in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. Campbell is later identified as a son of Lazarus Long, a figure first seen in Methuselah's Children and later in Time Enough for Love, The Number of the Beast, and To Sail Beyond the Sunset. Other familiar faces include Jubal Harshaw from Stranger in a Strange Land, Galahad from Time Enough for Love, and Manuel Garcia O'Kelly Davis, the first-person narrator of The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.
Reception
Dave Langford reviewed The Cat Who Walks Through Walls for White Dwarf #76, stating that it was "Heinlein self-indulgence time again" featuring inter-universal travellers from Number of the Beast and walk-ons from several other Heinlein works. Wendy Graham reviewed the novel for Adventurer magazine, noting that the only thing she liked about the second half was the cat, Pixel, and that she prefers books with endings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who published The Cat Who Walks Through Walls?
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls was published by Putnam Publishing Group.
Who illustrated The Cat Who Walks Through Walls?
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls was illustrated by Michael Whelan.
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