Both species speak. However, Ythrians also communicate by rippling feathers and Ramnuans by rippling extensors.
Ythrians attend Khruaths whereas Ramnuans attend moots and assemblies. Neither species finds it easy to understand the human concept of government.
Merseians need League help to survive supernova radiation whereas Ramnuans need Imperial help to survive an Ice Age.
Human beings and Ythrians live together on Avalon in the Domain of Ythri whereas human beings and Merseians live together on Dennitza in the Terran Empire.
13 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
You overlooked the Diomedeans, another intelligent race which flew, using wings described as like those of bats. And I think some discontented Diomedeams om A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS thought the Domain might be willing to help them, to stir up trouble for the Empire.
Am I right thinking you like THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND more than THE MAN WHO COUNTS? And Ythrians more than the Diomedeans? It might have been interesting if Anderson had shown us Diomedeans and Ythrians meeting each other!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Yes, I prefer THE PEOPLE... to THE MAN... and Ythrians to Diomedeans.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
While I might try guessing why you like THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND more than THE MAN WHO COUNTS, and Ythrians to Diomedeans, why is that the case?
THE MAN WYO COUNTS is more action oriented, has more derring do in it, than is to be found in THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND, and I know that is not entirely to your taste. So that is one reason for not liking MAN as much as you do THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND. I am personally more inclined to favor THE MAN WHO COUNTS over the other book.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I really like Avalon and its culture and the Ythrians are surely more admirable than the Diomedeans.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I like Avalon as well, but I don't consider the Ythrians to be any more admirable or better than humans, Diomedeans, Merseians, Wodenites, Trillians, and so on.
Ad astra! Sean
Hi Sean and Paul,
I liked THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND better than THE MAN WHO COUNTS too, although it is still among my favourite technic histories.
I enjoyed very much the depiction of both sides as honourable and well-meaning. Actually, the first time I read it, I rooted for the Terrans and thought Rochefort was the protagonist in the traditional sense until I came to the end and realized my mistake. Chris/Arrinan was to me the least likeable of the "good guys", Admiral Cajal the most. Hell, I even have a soft spot for that old rascal Saracouglou!
It is a rare gem of a novel when you mistake the "bad" from the good guys, and not because everyone is more or less evil, but quite the contrary.
Also, I enjoyed immensly seing the Terran Empire in it's prime. I guess I'm a Terran Imperialist at heart, born in the wrong time! :)
Glory to the Emperor - but bring on the Commonalty!
Kaor, Johan and Paul!
Johan: I basically agree with you, the "bad" guys in THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND are not indeed bad people. If you want really, really BAD people as villains, Stirling's books gives you people we love to hate!
Paul: I have no objection to the Commonalty, but keep in mind that in time it too would have to struggle with problems and crises of the kind that troubled the League and the Empire.
Ad astra! Sean
There aren't any really bad guys in THE MAN WHO COUNTS -- just people clashing in situations not of their making and doing their best. The Diomedian prince/heir to the Admiralty who van Rijn tricks into biting him on the arse is the closest to a bad person.
THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND is a little less ambiguous, but the characters are handled very deftly.
I don't much like Chris in PEOPLE: he's a prig, and alienated from his ancestors, which I disapprove of.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree with your comments about THE MAN WHO COUNTS and THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND. And for most of the second book I too disliked Christopher Holm (who pompously called himself "Arinnian"). Priggish and irritating. But, to be fair, he seems to have learned some wisdom by the end of the book.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: the problem is that being a prig is more a matter of emotional inclinations than of specific convictions.
Which is why changes in belief are more convincing than changes in character. Saul was a zealot both before and after Christ appeared to him.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, but I still think Christopher Holm was becoming less priggish by the end of THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND.
And one of the most interesting books I've read about St. Paul was Sarah Ruden's PAUL AMONG THE PEOPLE. Ruden used to believe the usual liberal/modernist attacks on St. Paul until she had an inspiration: she reread Paul's letters from the POV of the people of his times, which she could do because of her Classical learning, and suddenly the Apostle made sense to her.
Ad astra! Sean
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