-NEIL GAIMAN
-quoted IN Hy Bender, The Sandman Companion (London, 2000), introduction, pp. xi-xiv AT p. xiv.
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."
-ALBERT EINSTEIN
-quoted in ibid., 1, p. 2.
Theses two quotations epitomize Poul Anderson. Old stories are retold in new ways in:
The King of Ys (with Karen Anderson)
Hrolf Kraki's Saga
War of the Gods
The Merman's Children
Tau Zero
Starfarers
Genesis
etc
The old and the mysterious meet when Hugh Valland retells a story of Thor in World Without Stars. Characters from mythical and scientific backgrounds meet in the Old Phoenix. Poul Anderson strongly parallels Neil Gaiman in several ways but also is more cosmic and comprehensive than him.
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And THE GOLDEN SLAVE gives us Anderson's speculations about the origins of the Aesir seen in the books you listed.
I've read elsewhere that Anderson was not satisfied with TAU ZERO, largely because pressure from his publisher forced him to turn in a text before Anderson was ready to do so. STARFARERS and GENESIS are, IMO, much better examples of cosmological SF by this author.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
I remember how, the first time I read WAR OF THE GOD, I thought it one of Anderson's weaker books, too obviously based on Scandinavian legends. However, the next time I read it, I came to have a much higher opinion of it.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment