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The Pursuit of the Pankera

First edition
Author	Robert A. Heinlein
Cover artist	Scott Grimando
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction
Publisher	Caezik SF & Fantasy, Shahid Mahmud (US)
Publication date	March 24, 2020
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print, eBook
ISBN	9781647100018

The Pursuit of the Pankera is a science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, published in 2020 based on a rediscovered manuscript. As such is it the last published work by this iconic author.

History

The Number of the Beast was published in 1980. However, an earlier version or variant of the book, fully written, was never published. No one is exactly sure why the other text was never published, but many theories have been put forth. One is that Virginia Heinlein was not happy with the manuscript. However there were significant copyright issues which may have been a major hurdle at that time.

Both The Number of the Beast and this other variant took liberties with characters and settings created by other authors, in particular with E. E. Smith's Lensman series and Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series. Heinlein was a major fan of these writers and used these elements as a tribute to his favorite authors.

Whatever the reason, this variant of the book never got published and over the years, the original manuscript only survived in fragments, primarily in academic institutions.

Shahid Mahmudthe owner of Arc Manorsecured the US rights to publish this variant, originally titled by Arc Manor as '666' as a reference to the sister novel 'The Number of the Beast.' This title was eventually changed to 'The Pursuit of the Panerka,' a direct reference to the book's plot, which concerns itself with the pursuit of the alien race known as the Pankera. The novel was published in March 2020 by Arc Manor's flagship imprint, Caezik SF & Fantasy, with permission from the estates of both Edgar Rice Burroughs and E.E. Doc Smith.

Plot

The Novel revolves around four main characters: Zebadiah Carter, Dejah Thoris "Deety" Burroughs, her father Jacob Burroughs, and Hilda Corners. They use a specially equipped vehicle, the "Gay Deceiver," capable of traveling through different dimensions.

The story begins with the group escaping an assassination attempt by jumping to an alternate universe. The attack appears connected to Jacob's invention that facilitates their universe-hopping ability. The group, realizing they are being targeted, uses the "Gay Deceiver" to flee across multiple universes to elude their unknown assailants.

As they navigate through various parallel Earths, each with its unique characteristics and challenges, they encounter different versions of themselves and familiar figures from their own world, leading to confusing and complex interactions.

Their journey to understand who is behind the attacks and why leads them deeper into a web of multiverse intrigue. They discover that the motive behind the assassination attempts is tied to control over the technology that enables interdimensional travel.

The climax of the novel occurs when the group confronts the main antagonist in one of the parallel universes. They engage in a battle of wits and technology to stop the villain's plan, which threatens the stability of multiple universes.

The resolution sees the group successfully thwarting the antagonist, securing their safety and the safety of the dimensions they've traveled. They return to their original universe, more aware of the vast possibilities and dangers of multiverse travel.

Differences between The Number of the Beast and The Pursuit of the Pankera

In the novel, the biblical number of the beast turns out to be not 666 but ${\displaystyle (6^{6})^{6}}$ = 10,314,424,798,490,535,546,171,949,056, the initial number of parallel universes accessible through the continua device. It is later theorized by the character Jacob that the number may be merely the instantly accessible universes from a given location and that there is a larger structure that implies an infinite number of universes.

Literary significance and reception

Jack Kirwan wrote in National Review that the novel is "about two men and two women in a time machine safari through this and other universes. But describing The Number of the Beast thus is like saying Moby Dick is about a one-legged guy trying to catch a fish." He went on to state that Heinlein celebrates the "competent person".

Sue K. Hurwitz wrote in her review for the School Library Journal that it is "a catalog of Heinlein's sins as an author; it is sophomoric, sexist, militantly right wing, and excessively verbose" and commentary that the book's ending was "a devastating parody of SF conventions—will have genre addicts rolling on the floor. It's garbage, but right from the top of the heap."

Heinlein buff David Potter explained on alt.fan.heinlein, in a posting reprinted on the Heinlein Society, that the entire book is actually "one of the greatest textbooks on narrative fiction ever produced, with a truly magnificent set of examples of how not to do it right there in the foreground, and constant explanations of how to do it right, with literary references to people and books that did do it right, in the background." He noted that "every single time there's a boring lecture or tedious character interaction going on in the foreground, there's an example of how to do it right in the background."

Greg Costikyan reviewed The Number of the Beast in Ares Magazine #5 and commented: "No one writes like Heinlein, and what is a disappointment from him would be a smashing success from anyone else."

James Nicoll has credited it as having taught him that he does not have to finish reading every book he begins.

The Pursuit of the Pankera

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In 2020, a previously unpublished manuscript by Heinlein was released as The Pursuit of the Pankera. Using the same premise and characters as The Number of the Beast, the first third of the two novels are the same. In the remainder of The Pursuit of the Pankera, the characters visit fictional universes, primarily Barsoom, Oz, and the world of E. E. Doc Smith's Lensman series.

References

1. Note: not ${\displaystyle 6^{6^{6}}}$, which is a far bigger number, roughly 2.66 × 10^36305.
2. Kirwan, Jack (1980-12-12). "Books In Brief". National Review. 32 (25): 1522–1523. ISSN 0028-0038.
3. Hurwitz, Sue K. (November 1980). "The Number of the Beast (Book Review)". School Library Journal. 27 (3): 93. ISSN 0362-8930.
4. "Heinlein Society". heinleinsociety.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
5. Costikyan, Greg (November 1980). "Books". Ares Magazine (5). Simulations Publications, Inc.: 10.
6. Nicoll, James (May 1, 2015). "The Man Who Didn't Learn Better". James Nicoll Reviews. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
7. Keogh, John (March 1, 2020). "The Pursuit of the Pankera". The Booklist. 116 (13): 34. ProQuest 2369759093.
8. Davidson, Dan (July 17, 2020). "An alternate take on an alternative realities book". Whitehorse Star. p. A.28. ProQuest 2424714878.

External links

• The Number of the Beast title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• The Number of the Beast at Open Library

• Books based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• 1980 American novels
• 1980 science fiction novels
• American science fiction novels
• Barsoom
• Metafictional novels
• Fiction about flying cars
• Novels by Robert A. Heinlein
• Works originally published in Omni (magazine)
• New English Library books