Earth has a World Union, not a Federation, Commonwealth, UN government etc. Different fictional futures have different political arrangements and terminologies. Joelle Ky:
"...had been born in North America, in what was left of the old United States before it federated with Canada." (p. 6)
Ironic. As I write, the current US President speaks of annexing Canada and other places. By its blunderbuss principle, decades-old sf sometimes resonates with a later period in which it is read.
The Elder Race which I have mentioned is referred to as "...the Others..." (p. 5)
The Andersonian hero whose name I could not remember is Dan Broderson.
Joelle Ky is a "...holothete...," (p. 3) able to link to the computer and instruments of a spaceship and to sense the universe in a way that makes her dismiss ordinary sensory perceptions as:
"...a veil that reality wore." (ibid.)
Later contact with the Others will make Joelle see her holothetic perceptions as also unreal.
Not Poul's best book, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteKaor, Mr. Stirling!
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing, the first time I read THE AVATAR. But I came to have a better opinion of the book the second time I read it. However, yes, not quite as good as others of Anderson's works.
Ad astra! Sean