You have to admit this about Robert A. Heinlein: He provokes strong reactions. Whether or not he is still the most popular and influential living author of science fiction, as he has probably been for four decades, Mr. Heinlein remains the most controversial, with hordes of fans and foes. "Friday" will convert few from one camp to the other.

One of Mr. Heinlein's self-images is that of a lone genius in the role of a carnival showman, providing fun for the masses, money for himself and deep truths for the select few who penetrate his disguise. So "Friday" is meant to have something for everyone: laughs and tears, thrilling adventures, titillating sex, delicious fantasies of power, and profound messages.

Like most of Mr. Heinlein's heroes, Friday is a superbeing. Engineered from the finest genes, and trained to be a secret courier in a future world of chaotic ferocity...