As we have seen, Poul Anderson's Technic History is a future history not only of humanity but also of several other intelligent species, notably Ythrians and Merseians. Some entire chapters recount conversations and interactions between nonhuman beings. We want the nonhumans to be genuinely alien. This is sometimes but not always the case. In an exchange between Diana Crowfeather (human) and Targovi (Tigery):
"'The Navy staked you, didn't it? I never really believed what you said about the pirates.'
"'Well, he growled,' miffed, 'we can talk further another time...'" (p. 244)
Targovi's conversational response is no different from that of a human male who realizes that his young female friend has seen through his cover story. He comes across, this time at least, not as an alien but as a man in an alien body.
In Ensign Flandry and The Game Of Empire, we learn that Merseians sleep in beds. This sounds too human. When awake, they do not sit on chairs but squat on their tails so that Chee Lan, visiting a Merseian residence, must sit on a table. Could the Merseians sleep squatting? Maybe that sounds unstable but the point is that we want to read about differences between intelligent species. And, often, they are.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I disagree, I don't think it was that implausible for Targovi to be slightly miffed Diana saw thru his cover story.
Nor do I think it's unlikely Meraeians use beds. I don't think their bodily structure makes it unnatural for them to lie down. Granted that, beds naturally follows.
Ad astra! Sean
And Targovi might be -literally- growling... 8-).
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
But in a friendly, if slightly grumpy way! (Smiles)
Ad astra! Sean
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