Saturday 17 July 2021

Galactic River

Starfarers, 40.

We want to learn more about the newly discovered quantum life but first Brent mutinies so that we have to read an Andersonian action sequence. Fortunately, Brent is quickly isolated. While this is happening:

"Viewscreens showed stars, the minute, hazy blue of the accretion disk, and the frosty galactic river." (p. 380)

Here, at the bottom of a page, we find yet another description of the Milky Way and one that echoes the titles of Gregory Benford's Galactic Center Saga.

The galactic setting is more interesting than power politics.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Well, some readers like stories featuring intrigues and power politics. And they might find stories saying a lot about that galactic setting too remote and abstract for their taste. Fortunately, Anderson did both kinds of writing very well.

Brent would never have been able to mutiny if there had not been discontent among some of the crew of the "Envoy" on how long their journey was taking. Fortunately, only Cleland was firmly on his side.

Ad astra! Sean