Thursday, 1 July 2021

Kith Stories

Poul Anderson's Starfarers (New York, 1998) is divided into fifty two chapters, numbered 1-52:

Chapter 17 is a revised version of the Kith story, "The Tale of the Cat," (Analog, 1998);

Chapter 21 is a revised version of the Kith story, "Ghetto." (FSF, 1954);

Chapter 46 is an original Kith story.

Chapter 17 features Ormer Shaun, second mate of the Kith ship, Fleetwing, which is at the Tau Cetian planet, Harbor, at the same time as Argosy and Eagle. Consequently, there is a Fair outside the Kith village on Harbor. Shaun recounts a tale about a visit of Fleetwing to the human colony planet, Aerie.

Chapter 21 features Kenri Shaun of Fleetwing, who knows Jong Errifans of the Golden Flyer, the central character of the Kith story, "The Horn of Time the Hunter." (Amazing Stories, 1963) In this chapter, the Golden Flyer should be en route back to Earth from Aerie. Also in this chapter, Fleetwing, Flying Cloud, High Barbaree and Princess Karen are at Earth so there will be a Fair in Kith Town which is low dark buildings between lighted towers that have grown up around it. Most Kith houses are empty, tended by machines, while their owners travel between the stars.

Chapter 41 features Vodra Shaun of Fleetwing on the planet, Brent, which the Fleetwing crew have named after a member of the Envoy crew. The ten thousand year round trip of the Envoy is the main subject matter of Starfarers.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

One thing I remember about the original and revised versions of "Ghetto" was how there was a "Star Empire" in the former but a "Domination" in the latter, with the Stars and its sub castes comprising the ruling elites.

Ad astra! Sean