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Orion Shall Rise
/ Poul Anderson
(1991)
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| Book Details |
| Genre |
Science Fiction |
| Publication Date |
01-10-1991 |
| Nr of Pages |
463 |
| Format (size) |
Paperback |
| Publisher |
Baen |
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| Plot |
| This may be Poul Anderson's best long novel, which is saying something. Hundreds of years after the nuclear Doom, new cultures and empires have arisen. Science has recovered and even advanced, but its technological expression is stifled in a world that is desperately resource-poor. Earth's dominant power is the Maurai, a deeply conservative culture that is committed to long-term ecological and political stability. The Maurai's chief rivals are the Norresterners, anarchic technophiles who think that atomic energy might not be so bad after all. The Maurai have defeated and occupied the Norresterners, but you just know it can't last. This big, sprawling novel also sketches several other fascinating cultures, including a feudal republic dominated by a floating city that survived the nuclear war. About half-way through the book the general plot pattern may begin to look familiar. If you're acquainted with Norse mythology, you're in for a treat, because Anderson rings some truly marvelous changes on those oft-told tales. Even if you're not, though, this is still a solid read, hard SF mixed with some very plausible anthropology and politics. Some wooden characters and an overly pat ending are the only things that keep it from being a perfect "10". Highly recommended |
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