I am advised that
CJ Cherryh's aliens and multi-species interactions are as good as or sometimes better than Poul Anderson's. Can this be true? And would it be a reason for me to read
Downbelow Station? I think so. Anything that might be as good as or even better than human beings and Ythrians on Avalon, or human beings and Merseians on Dennitza, should be of interest to this blog. I compare other authors to Anderson and sometimes discuss their works independently while always returning to Anderson on the Poul Anderson Appreciation blog.
Today: a boat trip on Lake Windermere.
22 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I remember Anderson speaking well of Cherryh in some of his non-fictional writings. So it's likely her stories are worth reading. I've only read one or two of her things, so I can't really comment about her abilities.
And it was because of my urging that you took a chance with S.M. Stirling! I think THE PESHAWAR LANCERS was the first of his books you read.
Ad astra! Sean
Sort of as good, but a bit ‘narrower’ and very different.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I only read only one or two of Cherryhy's stories, and that is no where nearly enough for me to offer a reasonable opinion on her works in general. I will only say the few pieces I read did not "grab" me. But that has to be mostly a matter of extremely personal and very subjective taste. Cherryhy's stories might well affect other readers differently.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
THE PESHAWAR LANCERS and CONQUISTADOR are the best introductions to SM Stirling's works: a sense of adventure in new alternative histories.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
They were and are! I would recommend both of those books to newbies just starting to read Stirling. And I love his two Lords of Creation books. I would urge readers new to Stirling's works to start with those stories before tackling his Draka and Shadowspawn books, which has darker and grimmer themes.
And of course such readers should go on to his Emberverse series!
Ad astra! Sean
'twas this ppint. as bent paul's ear to this effect, upon the top deck of a 555 bus, so - having rediscovered where & how i'd filed the page, and discovering the question'd been asked, need to flesh things out at least a little - but my bus home from morecambe's pretty soon, now...
if links here will work, this should take you to a brief review/hook into one of the best places to try sampling cj's adventure sf and examinations of how mutually alien species may interact.
(''downbelow station'' is in some ways not so good a place to start, though a major sf novel, as it is a *lot* longer, a *lot* more human-political, and - though it does have a well-imagined intelligent alien species, it is only the one, and much of the novel is about the military rivalry between earth, colonial/commercial daughter worlds and habitats earth's immediate colonies established, that have since gained independence, and further complications arising between them, in several directions.)
- more, later; love, ppint.
The Poul Anderson Appreciation blog welcomes its newest correspondent and commentator, ppint.
Too late! We have already ordered DOWNBELOW STATION. But it all sounds sufficiently of interest to an Andersonian.
Kaor, ppint!
Thanks for leaving a comment here. And I hope we see more from you, because too many comments here are only from me! When I have more time I will look up the Cherryh link.
Ad astra! Sean
blogger is arguably prettier-looking (- or not) now, but definitely less human-friendly.
any thoughts on the - any? - c. j. cherryh so far read?
emwltk...
ppint,
I struggled with DOWNBELOW STATION and found its aliens unlikable. I have not tackled any other Cherryh's yet but, if you remind me which other particular title of hers you think I should read for its aliens, I will give that a go.
Paul.
Kaor, ppint!
Thanks for commenting again. Alas, I have to agree with Paul. I too struggled with Cherrhy's works, the ones I tried to read. They simply did not have that mysterious "story telling power" that makes readers, or at least me, want to read her tales.
Apologetically! Sean
yes, see my comments on ''downbelow station'', above.
for interesting aliens with distinct personalities as well as cultural variations with a race, as well as racial mental differences ultimately arising from their evolutionary antecedents and the conditions of their planetary origins, underlying and threading through and affecting some brilliant sf adventure,
i'll strongly (re-)recommend:
the first book of the chanur sequence
ppint,
THE PRDE OF CHANUR. OK.
Paul.
I take PRIDE in the accuracy of my comments.
Kaor, ppint!
Thanks for recommending THE PRIDE OF CHANUR. I might read it, despite the disappointment given me by some of Cherryh's other stories.
Ad astra! Sean
sean and paul, both: once you've completed the rollercoaster ride of ''pride'', put down in writing your immediate reactions here, please - and then, after maybe a day or so, what your considered thoughts about it are - ?
ppint,
We could but I tend to post briefly while reading rather than to read a book cover to cover, then post. But I will try it your way - the usual review way - this time. But I don't know who long the book will take to make its way to me.
Paul.
Kaor, ppint!
I fear that is not how I "operate." My most IMMEDIATE thoughts are the comments I leave in the comboxes. And it takes time for me to make longer, more considered statements, as you can see if you looked up some of the guest essays I've written that Paul so kindly publishes in his blog.
And I do admit some of my longer articles are rather nerdy and geeky! (Smiles)
Ad astra! Sean
hi paul; i so phrased my request that you give both your immediate and your considered reactions in this way, because i did not - and do not - want you to break the suspension of belief that the best adventure sf (and other superb fiction, including the best of historical novels and fantasy) engenders in one whilst reading it; because in the very best of these, the suspension of disbelief is not voluntary, though it may start off so, but involuntary - in which case, it can sometimes be hours, days, weeks or even months before one wishes to consider such mundanities as the methods of construction, like lapped, tenon, and dovetail joints, and the skill of craftsmanship with which these have been employed - ''i didn't want to break the spell before the wonder had already faded.''
- ppint.
ppint,
Well, thanks. A friend does my Amazon ordering for me and I don't want to hassle her by asking when this one is expected to arrive but I'll find out soon. Meanwhile, I am amazed at how much I can continue to say about Poul Anderson. I am still immersed in the Technic History and don't know where I'll go in terms of reading when I (temporarily) come to the end of that again, except that I will read this Cherryh one when it arrives.
Paul.
Kaor, ppint!
I certainly agree with you that good, well written stories inspire in their readers the willing suspension of disbelief. I've found that marvelous story telling quality in many writers: such as Jonathan Swift in his GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, for example. And in many of Rudyard Kipling's poems and stories. And in the pre-STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND works of Robert Heinlein. And in writers like Avram Davidson and S.M. Stirling. And, of course, in the works of Poul Anderson!
I could list more, but this is enough!
Ad astra! Sean
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