Kandemir has subjugated its former conqueror, T'sjuda. See here. We also mentioned Xo but now learn more about it as well as something (less) about two other planets:
"'Independent planets such as Unya and Yann tremble on the brink of declaring war...'" (10, p. 87)
(They would join Vorlak in its war against Kandemir.)
A quadrupedal Xoan expresses his assessment of humanity:
"'I tell you they were mad. The whole race was mad. Best they die, before their lunacy threatened everyone else.'" (11, p. 92)
Would an extra-terrestrial say that about us? Of course, it is us that are, if not saying, then at least contemplating, this judgement against ourselves, Poul Anderson by writing After Doomsday and the rest of us by reading it. We project external, even cosmic, judges of mankind but, by making such projections, we in fact judge ourselves. And this is the judgement that counts.
See also:
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I recall how another race of xenosophonts thought similarly of mankind in STARFARERS. My response is this: whatever it is that makes Homo sapiens "mad," It's What Human Beings Do (IWHBD) and it's not going to change. And that was Anderson's belief as well.
Ad astra! Sean
Nothing in this universe remains unchanging. The way things are now is not the way they will always be.
Kaor, Paul!
But if something is too good to be true or believable, I feel no need to believe such a thing will ever exist. And I don't.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
By that argument, we should still be primitive hunter-gatherers.
Paul.
Post a Comment