Poul Anderson's Harvest Of Stars is copyright 1993. While he was still a human being, Anson Guthrie was attacked by Sendero Luminoso, Shining Path. The founder of this group was captured in 1992 and died last month. His successor was captured in 2012 and is still alive. Since 2012, the group has declined. Thus, Chapter 10 of Harvest Of Stars is pertinent contemporary fiction. Although readers might miss this aspect, on the current rereading, I spotted "Sendero Luminoso" as meaning "Shining Path" and googled for the above information. A comprehensive speculative sf novel sometimes informs its readers not only about a fictional future but also about their current period.
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I have heard of the so called "Shining Path" terrorists, and I'm glad they were defeated. See what Stirling said is what we most often from revolutions. I am so SICK of them!
Ad astra! Sean
Drat! I meant: "...what we SHOULD most often EXPECT from revolutions."
Sean
The Shining Path was right up there with the Tamil Tigers and Pol Pot's gang for lunatic ferocity.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree. I recall reading about their atrocities back in the 1990's. I am so sick of fanatical revolutionaries!
Ad astra! Sean
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