Poul Anderson's extensive vocabulary includes many words that I have never seen before or since but also some that I had encountered although I am hard put to explain them, like "...mountebanks..." (p. 59). Bacaudae (ibid.) I have encountered before but only in Poul and Karen Anderson's King of Ys tetralogy where one such brigand or insurgent becomes the King's right hand man after unsuccessfully challenging him for the crown.
In Boat..., many flee social degradation to become serfs, slaves, itinerants, mountebanks, Bacaudae or barbarians. However, Lugo the immortal is better equipped to deal with changing times:
"Lugo had made better arrangements for himself, well in advance of need. He was accustomed to looking ahead." (p. 59)
Lugo has had to look ahead as an individual but humanity now needs to look ahead as a species.
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Like Lugo, in my tiny way, I too have tried to think or plan ahead. That is, saving and investing for when I'm no longer working. It worries me that so many in the US don't do that. That is, too many live pay cheque to pay cheque, never saving or investing. I don't mean those GENUINELY unable to do so, I have in mind those who can, but don't. People who live beyond their means, amassing dismaying levels of debts of all kinds (such as credit card debt).
More broadly, my view that the best way mankind can look ahead is by simply getting OFF this rock, by founding new nations and societies on other worlds. First in our Solar System (O'Neill habitats, Luna, Venus, Mars, the asteroid belt, etc.), and then on worlds of other stars. But I know you agree!
Sean
Sean,
Energy and resources from space could help Earth but might spatial industries pollute the Solar System? I think that a character in ORION SHALL RISE asks this question but I cannot pursue that right now because I am pursuing something else!
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I don't see how it's POSSIBLE to pollute space. Think of the vast distances between locations even "merely" in our Solar Sytem. Think as well of how extremes of heat and cold would seem logically to severely minimize pollution. I've thought a crater could be picked on the Moon to use as a safe dumping or storage place for the waste by products of nuclear power plants. After all, we might find a use for those wastes!
I don't recall any characters in ORION SHALL RISE talking about pollution in space. After all, in that book, mankind is just barely beginning AGAIN to take steps for getting off Earth.
No, a better example might be SATAN'S WORLD, showing a rogue planet being used to mass produce industrial goods that were too costly and risky to manufacture on a living planet.
Sean
Sean,
One character said something speculatively when the first test space vehicle was launched but precisely what he said I will have to check which will take a while.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Understood! The wisdom or not of getting OFF this rock, and it's costs and benefits, is a legitimate topic for another day. You already know I agree with Poul Anderson about the RIGHTNESS and necessity of mankind settling other worlds.
Sean
Sean,
Back from various excursions, I will respond in a post.
Paul.
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