crisply paced , neatly plotted and peopled with agreeable characters , `` red planet `` -lrb- also `` tunnel in the sky , '' `` starman jones , '' `` farmer in the sky `` and `` time for the stars '' -rrb- still can entertain readers , while such `` adult '' works as `` glory road '' and `` farnham 's freehold `` have been consigned to the shelves reserved for pretentious bores .