Thursday 16 March 2017

Niyork


Poul Anderson's works present versions of:

York;
New York;
Niyork.

Niyork is New York three thousand years hence with ivy and lichen growing on its mostly empty towers.

After flying from Niyork to a small forest village in Maine, Captain Argens reflects:

"This was Manhome. No matter how far we range, the salt and the rhythm of her tides will always be in our blood."
-Poul Anderson, World Without Stars (New York, 1966), Chapter XVII, p. 124.

Argens and his unaging contemporaries range much farther than is usual even in science fiction. Fast forward New York to Niyork, then accompany Argens beyond the galaxy through centuries of life.

We know that Argens will die but will Valland keep travelling:

"'As long as the stars wheel the years down the heavens...'"? (p. 125)

And, in all that time, will someone find a way to resurrect Mary O'Meara?

There is no limit to what science fiction writers - or sometimes their readers - can imagine.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

No, simple men will not be able to resurrect persons who had been technically dead more than a few minutes. That will remain always something God alone can do.

Sean