Saturday 9 February 2019

Shield And The Future History

We compare Poul Anderson's future histories with Robert Heinlein's Future History but can also compare individual works with the Future History.

In the Future History, Martians "grow together" by sitting in silence whereas, in Anderson's Shield, Martians are psychologically one when they communicate multi-linguistically.

The Future History mentions a World War III whereas there have been two atomic wars in Shield.

In the Future History, the Patrol keeps the nuclear peace and some of its members attempt a military coup whereas, in Shield, the Protectorate keeps the nuclear peace and Military Security become dictatorial.

There is civil and industrial unrest in both works.

The dates are comparable. In the Future History Time Chart, 1970-2020 is the "PERIOD OF IMPERIAL EXPLOITATION." In Shield, there are preparations for the World War One Centennial.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I don't see any logical connection between Heinlein's "PERIOD OF IMPERIAL EXPLOITATION" and mention of remembrances of the centennial of WW I in Anderson's SHIELD. A "connection" due to the dates alone is THIN.

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Yes, I just meant that they cover roughly the same period which is no longer future to us.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

That explains what you meant!

Sean