Wednesday 19 September 2018

Anderson And Blish II

Poul Anderson's main future history series, the History of Technic Civilization, is complete in seven omnibus volumes whereas James Blish's main future history series, the Okie history, is complete in a single omnibus volume, Cities In Flight.

Anderson wrote five volumes of "straight" historical fiction, without any admixture of sf or fantasy, whereas Blish wrote one historical novel, Doctor Mirabilis - incorporating ambiguity as to whether Roger Bacon's inner voice was literally demonic.

Anderson wrote four novels of historical (Correction: heroic) fantasy whereas Blish wrote two volumes of contemporary fantasy, retroactively united as a single work.

Anderson addressed theological issues in different works whereas Blish wrote a theological trilogy comprising his historical novel, his contemporary fantasy and one futuristic sf novel.

Anderson's output was much bigger which is at least one reason why this Poul Anderson Appreciation blog is much longer than the James Blish Appreciation blog.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Anderson did not actually write "...four novels of historical fantasy..." if you meant THE KING OF YS, which is a single novel in four volumes. Or did you mean THE BROKEN SWORD, THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS, A MIDSUMMER TEMPEST, and the two OPERATION books?

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
I should have written "heroic fantasy" and I meant CONAN THE REBEL, THE BROKEN SWORD, WAR OF THE GODS and HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Now I understand better what you meant! And I should have thought of the books you listed!

Sean