(i) Both are future historians. I have tried but failed to get into Cherryh's future history series but don't let me discourage anyone else from trying. Better men than me are well into Cherryh's series.
(ii) Just as Anderson has contributed to some other authors' fictional universes (see here), Cherryh has done likewise at least once. Furthermore, her contribution has been to Superman which I have said that I would have liked Anderson to have done. (See here.) From what I remember, Cherryh, like Maggin, conveys some sense of what it would be like to fly at super-speed. However fantastic the content, a novelist, working only with words, must present not only visual descriptions but also the characters' points of views.
Anderson presents fliers (Ythrians) and mermen.
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I've also tried reading one of Cherryh's books, but it didn't "grab" me.
Anderson invented flying Diomedeans before he came up with Ythrians (partly because of a suggestion from Campbell). And reused "Ythri," which he took from the original version of "Honorable Enemies."
Ad astra! Sean
I’m a huge Cherryh fan, but her writing style doesn’t appeal to everyone. For “realistic” science fiction, though, her stuff is hard to beat - especially the Alliance-Union universe around the Company Wars era with its strong focus on stations as opposed to the endless colonizable planets we see so much elsewhere. She also absolutely nails space combat at high fractions of c in a way that no one else has come close to.
So glad I found your blog. I was trying to refresh my memory on Hans Molitor and you’re damned near the only source online, my friend. It’s a tragedy how the giants like Anderson and Dickson are fading away. Thirty years ago their books were still all over the shelves of the used bookstores, and now they’ve almost vanished from even there. Thanks for keeping it alive!
TJ,
Thank you. This is very encouraging. You make me want to post more about Manuel Argos but maybe not tonight.
Paul.
Kaor, TJ!
It's good to see another voice here! As you say re Cherryh tastes will differ as regards her works. I would argue that Anderson handled futuristic war very well, such as the space navy battle between the Terrans and Merseians in ENSIGN FLANDRY. I would also recommend Stirling's Draka books for extensive examination of how advanced tech might affect war (esp. the third vol., THE STONE DOGS).
I have nothing against "stations" (O'Neill habitats?) and I hope they will be built. But I still think that if it becomes possible to colonize other planets most humans would prefer that.
Your mention of the Reluctant Usurper, Hans Molitor, made me think of two guest articles Paul kindly uploaded here: "The Imperial Gardener" and "The Widow of Georgios," which may possibly interest you. I mentioned Hans in at least one of them.
I agree, it's tragic how the works of Anderson and other fine SF writers are disappearing. I get so irked every time I look over the science fiction section at Barnes & Noble to find so many of Asimov's overrated books and nothing by Anderson!
I would suggest looking up NESFA Press because it republished many of the short works of Anderson and many other SF writers in high quality hard backs.
Ad astra! Sean
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