The Man Who Wanted Stars, Dean McLaughlin
I picked this book out of a Bookcrossing bookbox almost 20 years ago and am ashamed to say it's been stored away all these years instead of out travelling around. It will be released into my Little Free Library.
I can't say this was the most enjoyable vintage sci-fi book I have read. The main character really wasn't likable, he was a cold, hard man, focused on reinstating space flight at whatever cost. It was interesting to see what he had to do in order to make it happen, which one would not have guessed or seen coming until halfway through the book.
The women in this book were stereotypical, the main one, Marty, was overly sexual, jumping around naked and flirtatious most of the time, and the other was a quiet and subdued homemaker always running back loyally to her abusive husband no matter how he treated or spoke to her, and no other thought was given to how these women were treated. Both were pretty much just objects for men to use and make babies with. They could have had so much more added to their characters...but then again this was written in the mid-1960s.
I feel like it could have been better, could have even been a series, if the author would have added more depth to the characters and situation. He could have taken this idea and gone to the moon with it...pardon the play on words...
