Sunday, 6 November 2022

Wind On A Planet In The Cloud Universe

"Starfog."

Poul Anderson describes the natural setting in detail but I have become used to focusing on the wind and usually find multiple references. When Laure, exploring the centre of the Cloud Universe cluster, lands on a planet:

"An unexpectedly strong wind shoved at him. Though thin, the air was moving fast. He heard it wail through his helmet." (p. 779)

When there has been a burst of radiation in the sky:

"...after a minute, no shock wave had hit him, no sound other than a rising wind..." (p. 780)

"The wind screamed louder still. He felt how it pushed him..." (ibid.)

"The wind yelled. It began driving ferrous dust against him..." (p. 782)

When he rises on his gravsled:

"No sense in resisting the wind. He was quite happy to be blown toward the night side." (ibid.)

When he has survived being cast against a mountain by the thin, high-velocity atmosphere:

"Wind hooted. Dust went hissing and scouring." (p. 783)

While he hopes for rescue by Jaccvarie:

"Jaccvarie could overmaster any wind. But the dust would blind both her and him. And deafen and mute them..." (p. 784)

"When he awoke, the wind had dropped from a full to a half gale..." (p. 785)

"The wind yammered." (ibid.)

Then he is rescued. But notice how large a part the wind plays.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I'm slowly rereading THE LORD OF THE RINGS and I've noticed how Tolkien includes many very similar background details in his story.

Ad astra! Sean