In Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic and Technic Histories, the hyperdrive is invented between installments although they are different versions of a hyperdrive. By contrast, in James Blish's
Cities In Flight, several chapters of the opening volume recount the investigations leading to the invention of the "spindizzy" FTL drive and, in Blish's Haertel Scholium, Adolph Haertel discovers anti-gravity in
Welcome To Mars, the Haertel overdrive is test-flown in "Common Time" and its temporary successor, the Arpe Drive, is tested in "Nor Iron Bars." Thus, although Anderson presents several scientific rationales for FTL, Blish invests more text in laying a foundation for interstellar travel.
In different works, Blish also imagines, and spends time explaining, other necessary adjuncts of interstellar travel:
anti-agathics;
the germanium-based Oc dollar for interstellar trade;
the instantaneous Dirac transmitter;
pantropy, the science of adapting human beings to other planetary environments;
Thus, readers of Anderson's works might appreciate Blish's alternative takes on similar themes.
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Intriguing concepts by Blish, I agree. But I did not always find the ways he chose for presenting them all that INTERESTING to read. Also, I have strong doubts about the practicality of pantropy. Because I it hard to believe it would be possible to miniaturize humans into water breathers as we see in "Surface Tension."
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
That miniaturization is impossible but other "Adaptations" would be feasible.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Possibly, yes, along the lines of the Lunarians we see in Anderson's HARVEST OF STARS books.
Ad astra! Sean
Or like the other Adapted MEN in Blish's book.
Kaor, Paul!
I can't comment, because "Surface Tension" is the only one of Blish's "Adapted Men" stories I recall reading.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
The other Adapted Men are not microscopic.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That might make these "adapted men" more plausible.
Ad astra! Sean
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