MATHEMATICAL FICTION:

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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The Pursuit of the Pankera: A Parallel Novel About Parallel Universes (2020)
Robert A. Heinlein
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This alternative version of the much derided Heinlein novel The Number of the Beast was published in 2020 based on notes by the author who died back in 1988. Apparently, "Pursuit of Pankera" was actually written earlier, a sort of first draft. Appropriately for a pair of novels about alternate universes, the two plots start off the same and then diverge dramatically. Both novels also use mathematics nonsensically to somehow explain the parallel universes and their connection to the number 666. When asked about it, my brother Rabbi Robert Kasman said "Yes. Very tedious math in the new part too." Although many reviewers have said that the new book is closer to Heinlein's best writing than the despised Number of the Beast, it apparently isn't close enough. So far, it only seems to have been published in electronic format.

Contributed by Deborah Newbury

'Pursuit' does not suffer from the flaws of 'Number.' There is no endless wrangling over who is captain. Deety's annoying verbal tic appears only enough to remind you she has one, and not so frequently you want to slap her. The ERB Mars we visit in PotP is far more interesting than the British Colonial Mars of NotB. Hilda 'Sharpie' Corners is a more interesting character, and quite appealing to older women like myself who learned that it was OK to be smart from Heinlein juveniles. Although I am not familiar with the Lensman universe, PotP seems to visit in more depth and is far more engaging. All in all, "The Pursuit of the Pankera" is far more akin to Middle Period Heinlein than Late Period Heinlein.

I quote from the Publisher's Note:"...A recent examination of the manuscript (along with Heinlein's handwritten notes) made it clear that the fragments, if put together properly, would constitute the complete unpublished book...Other than regular editorial work, no additional author was asked to provide "fillers." So this book is ALL Robert Heinlein.

I am sitting here looking at my hardbound copy of "Pursuit of the Pankera," and have a leather-bound copy downstairs where the cat can't get to it. Both were printed in limited editions. Which, since bringing this book to life was very much a labor of love, only makes sense; a small publisher like Arc Manor cannot afford to take a huge risk on speculative project like this one. Indeed, there were a number of hurdles and delays along the way, and only those of us, like myself, who were willing to gamble on Shahid and Arc Manor eventually received their numbered limited edition of the book.

It was well worth the wait. after the disappointments of "Variable Star" and "For Us, The Living," it was wonderful to get a real Heinlein in his unmistakable voice so many years after his death.

More information about this work can be found at www.amazon.com.
(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to The Pursuit of the Pankera: A Parallel Novel About Parallel Universes
According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:
  1. The Number of the Beast by Robert A. Heinlein
  2. Solenoid by Mircea Cartarescu
  3. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
  4. The Way Inn by Will Wiles
  5. Equations of Life by Simon Morden
  6. Eversion by Alastair Reynolds
  7. The Singularities by John Banville
  8. Beyond the Hallowed Sky: Book One of the Lightspeed Trilogy by Ken MacLeod
  9. Exordia by Seth Dickson
  10. The Circumference of the World by Lavie Tidhar
Ratings for The Pursuit of the Pankera: A Parallel Novel About Parallel Universes:
RatingsHave you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.
Mathematical Content:
1/5 (1 votes)
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Literary Quality:
4/5 (1 votes)
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Categories:
GenreScience Fiction,
Motif
Topic
MediumNovels,

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Exciting News: The 1,600th entry was recently added to this database of mathematical fiction! Also, for those of you interested in non-fictional math books let me (shamelessly) plug the recent release of the second edition of my soliton theory textbook.

(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)