the introduction presents a philosopher at Alpha Centauri in a further future;
Chapters 1 and 3 present the Lunarian, Lilisaire, her employee, Ian Kenmuir, and her opponent, Venator, in the narrative present;
Chapters 2 and 4 present Anson Guthrie and Dagny Ebbeson in historical flashbacks to a period even earlier than the previous volume;
Chapter 5, returning to the narrative present, presents new characters on Earth, including an intelligent seal.
Thus:
a true future history;
not necessarily an easy read;
further rereading to be shelved until tomorrow!
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree the HARVEST OF STARS books is a true SFnal "Future History," and there were many times I had trouble with the strange concepts Anderson used in these books. And somehow raising animals like seals to human levels of intelligence was fascinating, albeit hard to wrap my mind around.
Sean
I'm pretty sure David Brin had written the earliest of his 'Uplift' novels before Anderson wrote 'The Stars are Also Fire'. SFAIK Brin introduced the idea of increasing the intelligence of animals by genetic engineering and selective breeding, to make another species into partners to humanity.
On 2nd thought maybe Olaf Stapledon's "Sirius" counts as an earlier example.
Kaor, Jim!
The idea of "uplifting" animals can be found very early in Anderson, BRAIN WAVE (1955), albeit that shows accidental, not deliberate upliftings.
I did read "Sirius," but I don't remember much about it.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment