History Literature / ThePuppetMasters

!!Provides Examples Of:

** Actually, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microform microform]] remains one of the most prominent methods of information storage and retrieval available to researchers of any kind, given the truly ''massive'' amount of paper-printed historical materials that have never been put into digital form in any way. In turn, on any website that shows such things, someone somewhere eventually had to go out and scan it.

** Actually, this remains one of the most [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microform prominent methods of information storage and retrieval]], for researchers of all kinds, given the truly ''massive'' amount of paper-printed historical materials that have never been put into digital form in any way. In turn, on any website that shows such things, someone somewhere eventually had to go out and scan it.

** Actually, this remains [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microform a prominent method used by modern researchers]], both of UFOs and practically anything else, given the truly ''massive'' amount of historical reference materials, especially newspapers, that have never been put into digital form in any way. On any website that shows such things, eventually someone somewhere had to go out and scan it.

For the film see: ''Film/ThePuppetMasters''

* SpreadingDisasterMapGraphic

* ExtendedDisarming: There are several tongue-in-cheek references to Mary being [[ActionGirl excessively armed]].

* PuppeteerParasite: This is pretty much the main theme of the book.
** It's worth noting that this book was the former TropeNamer.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The novel was published in 1951 and set in 2007. Although the heroine is just as tough and capable as the male lead (sometimes more so), the moment gender roles or romantic relationships come up she turns, hilariously, into June Cleaver.

* AliensAreBastards: Though it may also be an example of BlueAndOrangeMorality, as the aliens claim that they want [[spoiler:humans to be truly free]], and the reader is never told whether they are lying. Or, it may be an allusion to DirtyCommunists.

* BizarreAlienReproduction: Their reproductive processes are activated by [[spoiler:the closeness of potential victims]].

* ItsPersonal: Things really get personal for Sam when [[spoiler:his beloved cat Pirate dies after being infected]]. He mentions his need for revenge in the closing of the book.

* ShootTheDog:[[spoiler: Pirate's death.]]

* SpaceElves: They are [[spoiler:the race which the aliens apparently exploit on their home planet]]. Supposedly, they were the original inhabitants of [[UsefulNotes/TheMoonsOfSaturn Titan]].

* SyntheticPlague: [[spoiler:The only way to stop the aliens from taking over the Earth.]]

* SpaceElves: They are [[spoiler:the race which the aliens apparently exploit on their home planet]]. Supposedly, they were the original inhabitants of [[TheMoonsOfSaturn Titan]].

* DistractedByTheSexy: Mary uses this to detect men who've been possessed by the Alien Invaders. Those NotDistractedByTheSexy are assumed to be "hag-ridden", though as the President points out at one stage, it could also mean they're "[[UnusualEuphemism harem guards]]"--it is unclear whether Heinlein meant they were eunuchs or gay.
** One assumes he meant gay, as he was referring to a number of boys and men encountered by Mary.

!!Associated Tropes:

''The Puppet Masters'' is a novel by RobertAHeinlein about an AlienInvasion, first published in 1951. This was the only novel Heinlein published on the subject and he cemented most of the tropes usually associated with invasion stories.

* AlienAbduction: The aliens have been abducting humans for years, possibly centuries, as part of the plan to conquer Earth. It turns out that the protagonist's LoveInterest was abducted from a human colony on Venus as a child; this provides a key to the eventual defeat of the invasion.

* EmbarrassingFirstName: Sam goes through several false identities. Only late in the novel does he go right up to his father and asks, "Dad, why did you name me Elihu?"

* IfYouWontIWill: Sam is asked to allow one of the title monsters to take control of him as an experiment. He refuses, and discovers that his girlfriend Mary has volunteered to do it and will be going in his place. He reverses himself and agrees to take part.

* MisanthropeSupreme: There are some human beings who do not have masters riding them, who are so vile that they serve as Fifth Columnists to the masters.

* ReCut: As with several other Heinlein books, ''The Puppet Masters'' was released in an expanded edition by his wife Virginia after his death. Most of the added material is graphic violent/sexual content censored at the time of the original release.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The novel was published in 1951 and set in 2007. Although the heroine is just as tough and capable as the male lead (sometimes more so), the moment gender roles or romantic relationships come up she turns, hilariously, into June Cleaver.

* SpaceElves: They are [[spoiler:the race which the aliens apparently exploit on their home planet]]. Supposedly, they were the original inhabitants of the Titan.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Nowadays, there's very little in the book that will seem original to the average reader. Back when it was first released, however...

* [[spoiler:MentalFusion]]: The aliens.

* [[spoiler:PuppeteerParasite]]: This is pretty much the main theme of the book.

** It's worth noting that this book was the former TroperNamer.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Nowadays, there's very little in the book that will seem original. Back when it was first released, however...

* ActionGirlfriend: Mary. To be precise, she's a [[GirlsWithGuns Gunwoman]].