We have reread to the point where the Staurn Trekkers, as we might call them, cut their way through a forest only to find that it moves. See The Walking Forest. It does not attack them as I mistakenly stated before. Instead, they are simply in its way and must escape in order in order not to be crushed. This forest is neither intelligent nor even conscious. It merely pulls up its roots and puts them down again as an animal picks up its feet and puts them down again but, whereas an animal consciously approaches food or avoids danger, the forest unconsciously follows the mineral that it needs. When the Trekkers have hacked their way out, that is the end of the matter although next:
"...we've got to get past the Slaughter Machines." (p. 115)
I have not posted a great deal about these Machines (see here) (scroll down) but now they will have to wait until tomorrow.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
The Walking Forest of Staurn reminded me of the Huorns of Fangorn Forest in Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But were the Huorns conscious?
Paul.
Paul: occasionally conscious, IIRC.
Kaor, Paul!
As Stirling said, Huorns were occasionally conscious. They were very, very old Ents who gradually more and more sleepy and "treeish."
Old Man Willow, in the Old Forest adjoining Brandyland, might have been a truly ancient Huorn which had gone bad.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
Also, those Slaughter Machines reminded me of Fred Saberhagen's Berserkers, computerized machines in warships programmed to kill all living things. Anderson contributed "Deathwomb" to that series.
Ad astra! Sean
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