Stirling's "Draka" is a noun derived from the surname of Sir Francis Drake whereas Anderson's "Draka" is an adjective in a language of an extra-solar planet so, on the face of it, there is no connection.
In a Stirling alternative history, the Draka are a human national and racial group whereas, in an Anderson future history, the Drak'honai or Drakska are a Diomedean nation/race. The Drak'honai have an internal master-serf culture whereas the Draka, although using the term "serf," aim to enslave all other human beings.
Nicholas van Rijn helps the enemies of the Drak'honai but only because it is in his interests to do so. The Drak'honai find it easier than their enemies to accept integration into a technological economy. The Draka are unintegratable and bad news for everyone else.
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Also, Poul Anderson wrote THE MAN WHO COUNTS long before S.M. Stirling wrote any of his Draka books. So Anderson's "DRAK'honai" had nothing to do with Stirling's Draka. Additionally, since Stirling derived "Draka" from Sir Francis Drake's surname, he very likely did not have Anderson's Drak'honai in mind.
Yes, I agree the world view of the Drak'honai made it much easier for them to accept integration into a technological culture and economy than it was for their former enemies.
And Stirling's Draka were indeed absolutely bad news for everybody else! One reason I enjoyed reading DRAKON was because we don't see them winning in that book! Gwen Ingolfsson was killed and the Draka thwarted in their attempt to invade our Earth.
Stirling wrote, or planned to write, a fifth Draka book featuring Gwen's clone daughter, UNTO US A CHILD. But legal difficulties unfortunately prevented it from being published. Pity! Oh, well!
Sean
Sean,
I do not understand what the legal difficulties can have been.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Nor do I! I'm only summarizing here the hints I got when I read about this abortive book elsewhere on the Internet.
Sean
I didn't stay with that publisher; the publisher has the rights to that series (they've never gone out of print, and hence haven't reverted to me) and no other publisher would do a book that's fifth or sixth in an ongoing series without the rights to the earlier ones.
Mr Stirling,
Thank you. Fans speculate. The author in question may (or may not!) answer our questions.
Paul.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
Like Paul, thank you for explaining! While I regret how UNTO US A CHILD was never published, I realize that sometimes things don't work out well. At least we do have the books you wrote after the Draka series. Some of my favorites being THE PESHAWAR LANCERS, CONQUISTADOR, and the two Lords of Creation books.
Sean
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