Podkayne of Mars is compelling futuristic sciencefiction about an adolescent female traveling to Venus. Podkyane, or Poddy as shelikes to be called, is on the Tricorn - a high-speed spaceship that travels fromMars to Venus to Earth and back to Mars again - with her brother Clark and uncleTom. When they arrive, Heinlein graphically describes the conditions on Venus.Poddy must wear a mask and gloves for the first few days so her body can adjustto the heat of the nearby sun.

Clark is a pre-adolescent genius,constantly tricking his sister and coming up with plans for mischief. Poddy is aningenious, affectionate character. She risks her own safety to protect the ship'schildren. These unpredictable characters make the book exciting.

The storytakes place far in the future when there are civilizations on Earth, Mars andVenus. Poddy and Clark are supposedly on a relaxing vacation, but the purpose ofthe trip is actually so their uncle can attend a political conference to state animportant idea. Unfortunately, there are people on the Tricorn who will doanything to force Uncle Tom to present a different idea.

Podkayne ofMars has a well-developed, intricate plot. Heinlein sets up a compellingsituation with many twists, including futuristic politics. This combination of acreative setting, innovative characters and plot makes Podkayne of Mars asuperior novel that keeps the reader intrigued.