In Poul Anderson's
The High Crusade, medieval Englishmen capture an interstellar spaceship and export
feudalism. In Poul and Karen Anderson's King of Ys Tetralogy, the ex-king must organize military defense after the withdrawal of the Roman Empire. In fact, he helps to initiate the feudalism that is exported in
The High Crusade. In Poul Anderson's History of Technic Civilization, planets pay tribute to, and are protected by, the Terran Empire.
In SM Stirling's
Dies The Fire (New York, 2005), Mike "Lord Bear" Havel must organize society and defense and apportion land without money as a means of exchange. When he has outlined his plans, it is suggested that he call the land grants
fiefs and the apprentices
pages...
He is told:
"'...yeah, Boss. Something a little
like it has happened before.'" (p. 559)
"Boss" was the title adopted by Mark Twain's Connecticut Yankee.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
We see Poul Anderson experimenting with feudalism not only in THE HIGH CRUSADE and THE KING OF YS, but also in "No Truce With Kings." The first and second arose for ordinary enough but crucial need to find some means of preserving order and organizing military defense. The third was esp. interesting in Anderson speculating how feudalism could be used to advance LIBERTARIAN ends.
And I recall Lord Hauksberg mentioning in ENSIGN FLANDRY that feudalism was evolving inside the Terran Empire. And I think either he or Flandry said that would civilization SOMETHING to fall back if/when the Empire fell.
And Anderson used something like "Boss" in "No Truce With Kings." The local barons who arose in California after the US fell were called "bossmen." Stirling also came to use "Bossman" as the title used by the de facto kings who arose in parts of the former US after the Change. But I don't want to say too much! (Smiles)
Sean
This is probably my favorite of all his books.
Baloo,
I prefer lots others. Maybe some of us could say which was our favorite book and why.
Paul.
Hi, Baloo and Paul!
Baloo, I'm not sure which author and which of his books you are referring to, either Anderson or Stirling. Anderson's THE HIGH CRUSADE, THE KING OF YS, or ENSIGN FLANDRY? Or Stirling's DIES THE FIRE?
Paul, it's hard to say which of Anderson and Stirling's books would be my favorites. The Anderson books I named here can easily be among my favorites. And I esp. enjoyed Stirling's THE PESHAWAR LANCERS, CONQUISTADOR, and the two Lords of Creation books. In other words, these authors have written too many VERY FINE books for me to really be able to choose a single favorite.
Sean
Sean,
Right on.
Paul.
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