(i) An evocative cover with a British military theme suggesting a personal or at least sexual relationship and an airship visible through the window.
(ii) ...Lancers is copyright 2002. The twenty first century is no longer the future. (Of course it isn't but this has a particular resonance in science fiction.)
(iii) The dedication is In Memoriam: Poul Anderson 1926-2001. (Contemplate world events and changes in that three quarters of a century.)
(iv) Acknowledgements for inspiration start with Kipling.
(v) The novel concludes with five Appendices of background information and a list of King-Emperors. Victoria I's reign ends earlier than in our timeline. Elizabeth II's dates, 1989-2005, differentiate her from our current Queen.
(vi) The book contains no maps of the altered world but these are to be found on the Internet.
(vii) So far, then, quite fascinating.
Meanwhile, I am still carefully rereading Anderson's Fire Time. That novel remains on the blogging agenda to which ...Lancers has now been added.
3 comments:
Hi, Paul!
I'm going to be very interested in your comments about S.M. Stirling's THE PESHAWAR LANCERS. And, since Stirling dedicated this book to the memory of Poul Anderson (something I had forgotten), maybe there will be Andersonian allusions that careful readers will realize came from his works. To say nothing, of course, of Rudyard Kipling's influence!
Needless to say, THE PESHAWAR LANCERS will be very different in any number of ways from the works of Anderson and Kipling. Which is exactly as it should be.
Sean
Sean,
I have just completed the 85th post for this month and might try to desist until the beginning of next month. I must read some Latin and also think about some other correspondence!
THE PESHAWAR LANCERS is a very rich text. So far, I have posted four times and have read only pp. 1-3.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
One way of "postponing" further notes on ths blog till Sunday or Monday is that it gives you time to ponder, enlarge, or revise your next note.
S.M. Stirling tends to prever writing in series (e.g., the Draka books, the Change/Emberverse works, the Shadowspawn, etc.), but he can write stand alone works such as CONQUISTADOR, etc. Amd think one reason for finding Stirling's PESHAWAR a rich text. besides his own abilities, was due to the influence of Poul Anderson.
You already know this, but if Stirling has any weaknesses as a writer, it's his tendency to explain TOO much, here and there in his books. Iow, he doesn't quite handle "infodumps" as compactly and efficiently as Poul Anderson did. Mind you, these infodumps were still interesting to read, but not quite necessary for the story.
Sean
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