hard sf (Heinlein, Anderson, Niven etc);
soft sf (Bradbury, Simak, Lewis);
Lewis' combination of interplanetary travel and supernatural beings in a single narrative;
Anderson's Old Phoenix Inn where van Rijn from a hard sf series can meet fantasy characters;
fantasy.
Thus, maybe three intermediate categories. Poul Anderson wrote hard sf, the Old Phoenix and fantasy and, in some of his hard sf works, addressed the same theological issues as Lewis. Anderson did not touch soft sf - except maybe in some early pulp mag stories, e.g., "Witch of the Demon Seas." See here.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I wonder how WE would do if ever met a REAL Nicholas van Rijn or Dominic Flandry in some interuniversal nexus point like the Old Phoenix? (Smiles)
I looked up the link to your comments about Anderson's "Witch Of The Demon Seas." I get the impression that you thought it only a so so story by PA. What do you think of the dozen or so stories he wrote for PLANET STORIES? Too purple and action adventure oriented for your taste?
And I did like those of Anderson's PS stories I managed to read, such as "Lord Of A Thousand Suns."
Sean
Sean,
They were well-written early stories.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Good, I agree. Well written, entertaining stories. And I don't object to Anderson saying that at the time he was writing those stories he needed the money PS paid to do some traveling.
Sean
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