Re: Mileage: yes. I am less fond of Heinlein than Bester. I'm trying to put my finger on why, but a reasonably concise explanation is escaping me. I suspect it has something to do with Heinlein's larger body of work: I know Heinlein's authorial quirks in a way I don't know Bester's, because I haven't read enough of Bester's works to notice where he starts repeating himself.

Doesn't the library have a copy of Graveyeard Game? Or are you avoiding checking it out? It's very much a middle-of-series book (plus it has the Stupid Plot Spoiler which consistently infuriates me) but it's got sufficient plottishness and amusing writing to be worth reading.