in space in "Margin of Profit," "Hiding Place" and "Lodestar";
on Diomedes in The Man Who Counts;
on t'Kela in "Territory" -
- but sits in comfort on Earth in "Esau" and "The Master Key."
I have left out of account Satan's World and Mirkheim because these two novels are slightly more complicated and because it is getting late here. I hope to be a bit more lively tomorrow or the day after.
Every evening, TV news shows us situations as lethal as those recounted in Poul Anderson's works of fiction. Will the human race survive the Chaos?
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I love that part of SATAN'S WORLD where we see Old Nick whining about how hard it was to run SP & L--with his tigerish non-human secretary sharply telling him that if he didn't want to work he could sell his company for money than he could spend in ten lifetimes!
As for the Chaos I have repeatedly suggested that one solution could be an Anglosphere, an alliance of English speaking nations evolving to become something like the Solar Commonwealth. Either that or some Napoleon type conquers the world (preferably not by someone ruling China!).
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
The Anglosphere is a recipe for indefinitely prolonged conflicts. It is these armed nation states that are the problem.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I absolutely disagree, for many reasons. First, it is not armed nation states which is the problem. The fact remains fact that all human beings are flawed, imperfect, and prone to being contentious, quarrelsome, aggressive, violent, etc. We have armed nation states because their peoples rightly feel the need to be on their guard against ambitious neighbors. I can easily list any number of current examples!
Second, like it or not, any unification of the world is not going to be achieved peacefully or rationally. Far more likely that will be done by a single power or alliance of powers. I recall how Hloch, in THE EARTH BOOK OF STORMGATE, discussed how the story of the rise of the Solar Commonwealth was long and terrible. I see no reason to expect that to be different in real life.
Third, it is my conviction that an alliance of English speaking nations sharing common origins, ideas/ideals, etc., makes sense. And other nations where English has been adopted or is widely used might join such an alliance. And that does not have to exclude other nations, Western/Westernized or not, such as Japan, S Korea, or Taiwan. Because this alliance could be protection from aggressive neighbors.
Realism is what we need, not hopeless Utopianism!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
"Ambitious neighbours" are armed nation states. The system justifies itself. Hopeless "realism" is taking us to disaster.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And those armed nation states springs from human beings and the flaws we all have. They are not somehow alien to or from humans.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
I know, but I think some of your comments could make some readers think you do.
Ad astra! Sean
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