On pp. 241-255, Dominic Flandry is taken as a prisoner to the planet, Scotha. On p. 255, they arrive. See Scotha and The Scothani Empire.
Sf writers do different things with fictional planets. Early in an adventure story about planetary exploration, the author might graphically describe the viewpoint character's sensory experiences immediately after arrival on the surface of Mars, Ythri or wherever it is. See At First Sight. However, in this story, Anderson is primarily interested in Scotha not as a newly discovered planet but as a setting for Flandry's Machiavellian manipulations of his gullible enemies. See:
CS Lewis and Brian Aldiss criticized sf that merely exported Terrestrial issues into space. See Aldiss, Amis, Anderson, Asimov, Lewis. However, in the first place, Anderson exported exceptionally well and, in the second place, he did a lot more than merely export! Genesis transcends.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I have been wondering, would ALL the Scothanians we see in "Tiger By The Tail" really be as gullible in a real life setting as we see them in the story? Wouldn't at least one or two have seen thru Flandry? But we do! And that was Queen Gunli, the Ilrian born wife of Penda. She came from a more civilized nation of Scotha than the Frithians who conquered and unified the planet. Gunli very quickly grasped what Flandry was doing.
I understand the point Lewis and Aldiss made. But, if non human intelligent races not only exist, but are Fallen, then I can easily see many Terrestrial situations being analogous to what they are likely to have.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment