After Strasbourg, Illinois and Chicago, the next setting is Mars. Anderson effortlessly moves from futuristic Terrestrial settings to a hypothetical Martian landscape.
We now are almost at the stage where a contemporary novelist would be able to alternate between scenes set on Earth and on Mars. At least, he could now describe a scientist on Earth and the movements of the rover that he is controlling on Mars. A contemporary novel could describe a team training for a Martian expedition. Could it end with them setting foot on Mars without thereby transforming itself into sf?
Anderson's Martian landscape:
Barney Rosenberg in his sandcat approaches Drygulch on a "...blurred track through sand and bush." (p. 39);
there are polar bogs, equatorial scrubwoods, cities, mines and ranches;
the desert is red, brown and tawny yellow;
mineral-coloured crags are worn by age and thin wind;
a sandstorm stirs gray-green brush;
hills are streaked with the blue and green of copper ores;
there are thorn-bushes, cactoids, leapers and ancient steps to a ruined cliff dwelling;
the sky is "...deep greenish blue-violet..." (p. 40);
stars are visible and a small moon hurtles;
a thin layer of ice crystals catches the sun;
the planet is rainless, oceanless and heatless;
the Syrtis forests have delicate day-flowers;
domed Drygulch is half underground;
genetic engineers adapt Terrestrial food plants to Mars and Martian plants to human needs;
the colonies have become self-supporting in essentials although meat still comes from yeast-culture factories;
there is less immigartion but a new generation is being born;
someday, atmosphere and weather will be made habitable;
Rosenberg passes a thorium mine.
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And, of course the Mars of Anderson's "Un-Man" is less terrestroid or habitable than the real Mars (but he didn't know that at the time he wrote that story). And I only wish we already had a manned expedition on Mars now, not mere robotic rovers! Given the will and determination, it could have been done decades ago. I'm glad Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, is seriously planning on sending an expedition to Mars.
Sean
Sean: that has a SFnal context -- Musk consciously models himself on characters in Heinlein ("The Man Who Sold the Moon") and elsewhere who have private space programs.
Poul was writing at the end of the period where a realistic SF writer could postulate a fairly Earth-like Mars. It wasn't until the late 50's and 60's that we learned in detail what Mars was really like -- quite surprisingly late. That was something I researched in detail for my Lords of Creation series, and it was very convenient for me.
It turned out that Earth's history would have been about the same until the 1920's, and very nearly the same until the 1950's, even if we -had- gotten the "pulp" Mars and Venus because we simply wouldn't have known. There would have been hints before, but nothing conclusive.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
I'm GLAD Elon Musk is modeling himself on "The Man Who Sold The Moon." Nicholas van Rijn is another worthy role model as well! My hope is that a private space program will DO and ACHIEVE more than any gov't space program can or will do.
And I loved your IN THE COURTS OF THE CRIMSON KINGS!Yes, the Mars of that story used to be like the Mars we know--till the mysterious Lords of Creation terraformed and transplanted hominids/humans there about 500,000 years ago.
Besides the story I already mentioned, Anderson's THE WAR OF TWO WORLDS was set at the very end of the period when SF writers could reasonably speculate Mars was fairly Earth-like. I loved the ingenious plot twists of that story!
Sean
Sean,
Don't you mean that Anderson's Mars is more terrestroid and habitable than the real one?
Paul.
Sean,
It is up to the private companies to prove themselves in space. It hasn't happened yet, I thought because the capital expenditure required was too great.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Oops, I goofed! You are right. I meant to say the Mars of Anderson's THE WAR OF TWO WORLDS was more terrestroid and habitable than we now know it to be. Drat!!!
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
The need for MASSIVE capital expenditure or investing, yes, that is a factor, I'm sure. But I would put more stress on the need for SOMEONE like D.D. Harriman, Nicholas van Rijn, and Anson Guthrie to actually start DOING what needs to be done to truly get us OFF this rock!
Sean
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