"Esau" is included:
"...because it shows a little more of the philosophy and practice which once animated the Polesotechnic League." (p. 101)
"The Season of Forgiveness" is included first because it shows more of a planet where Falkayn had "...had a significant adventure..." (p. 131) and secondly because it gives a second perspective on a certain "...major human faith..." (ibid.)
The Man Who Counts, set on Diomedes, is included as:
"A major sky-dance portraying Nicholas van Rijn..." (p. 146)
Also:
van Rijn's actions/activities/antics on Diomedes had important consequences for Falkayn's home planet;
winged sophonts are rare and of special interest to Ythrians;
Diomedes is a reminder of that awesomeness before which even deathpride must be humbled.
Notice the connectednesses here:
Diomedes, Hermes and Avalon;
the need for Ythrians to study other flying races and to humble their deathpride.
Anderson and Hloch think of good reasons for inclusion. Three stories remain to be accounted for but can wait until another post. It is time for other late night reading. Having today attended a "Discover Islam" exhibition and event at Lancaster Town Hall, I have some Muslim propaganda to read, an interesting alternative to the various Christian sects.
The Earth Book Of Stormgate reads like a scripture. It has an exodus, a new world, the history of a people, reflections on God the Hunter, conflicting responses to death, Peter Berg's struggle with his God after his wife's death and also other characters going about their secular lives without asking ultimate questions as many do in real life and some in the Bible.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I would be interested to know how you regard that Muslim propaganda after you read it.
The best Of all the books I've read about Islam Harry Austryn Wolfson's THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE KALAM, basically about how the early Muslims reacted to contact with Classical philosophy and Christian faith and theology. But it's far from easy reading!
An easier, more "popular," but still solid book would be INSIDE ISLAM: A GUIDE FOR CATHOLICS, by Daniel Ali and Robert Spencer. And any of the books of Bernard Lewis, such ISLAM AND THE WEST (which I've read).
But discussing a long list of books won't interest most people!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
For a start: it is claimed that the Koran contains precise scientific information and this sounds exaggerated. I will read the claims in greater detail.
The illiterate Prophet heard words and repeated them. Others repeated them, then wrote them down on different materials like pieces of parchment. It was compiled as a book immediately after his death. An unusual process but not one that warrants the conclusion that God was responsible.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And the Yemeni or San'a fragments of the Koran shows that text has a more complicated textual history than many Muslims like to admit! Including VARIATIONS in Koranic texts, something many or most Muslims deny is the case.
I've read Dawood's translation of the Koran, and it most certainly does NOT contain precise scientific information. For scientific knowledge as it was known in Mohammed's time you have to go to the works of Aristotle, Galen, and Claudius Ptolemy, etc.
Ad astra! Sean
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