Recently I discussed "Two Ways" that are mentioned in Poul Anderson's fiction. They are also mentioned in his non-fiction, i.e., in the article "Wellsprings of Dream" on pp. 237-247 of All One Universe (New York, 1997). The ultimate state of the universe might all be in one mind. I need to reread this article and maybe also the story, to continue rereading Operation Chaos and, when it arrives, to start reading SM Stirling's Against The Tide Of Years.
The human imagination encompasses this entire universe and every conceivable universe.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I immediately thought of "Journeys End," but this story makes no mention of brain surgery, so it can't be the one you mean.
I look forward to any comments you care to make about Stirling's AGAINST THE TIDE OF YEARS. I'm somewhere page 430 of my paperback copy of ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME. My chief criticism being the implausible use of large numbers of women by Nantucket as soldiers. I simply don't think that would be the case in "real" life. For one thing women are simply not as STRONG as men. So, rare exceptions aside, this was a weak point in Stirling's book.
And I have more than once found Andersonian echoes in ISLAND. One being Stirling's use of "angry strangers," which goes back to Anderson's "No Truce With Kings."
Sean
Woman Soldiers:
Yes. Pit 10 men against 10 women & I will bet on the men in a fight.
Pit 10 men against 10 men AND 10 women & I will bet on the larger gang. (Other things being equal.)
The other thing is that sometimes some factor will reduce the advantage that greater size & strength gives.
Eg: I read a book "Amazons" by Adrienne Mayor on the archeological & written evidence for the existence of woman warriors. The evidence points to them being most common among the horse nomad people of the Eurasion Steppe.
I have the hypothesis that this is because, if you are fighting from the backs of not particularly large horses a horse with a smaller rider can run faster. So a smaller fighter will be able to get in & out of arrow range faster.
Yes, this is offset by greater arm strength, but it still leaves men & women fighters more nearly equal.
Kaor, Jim!
And I agree! There will be exceptions to the general rule about the practicality of women fighters.
Ad astra! Sean
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