Note: The Collected Short Work of Poul Anderson, Volume 3: The Saturn Game was a free review copy provided to Luke Reviews by NESFA Press.
As I discovered when reading a previous volume of Poul Anderson’s short works, I was really missing out having not read much from this accomplished author. I got the chance to dive into more of his work with the brand new collection out from NESFA Press, The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 3: The Saturn Game.
The third volume of this series contains a number of classic works from Anderson, including “The Saturn Game,” a wonderful stand alone story, “No Truce with Kings,” and a personal favorite of mine, “Operation Salamander,” a follow up to “Operation Afreet,” found in the previous volume. Anderson’s characters, along with his scientific-feeling magic system, make for a wonderful story. Series characters Manse Everard, David Falkyn, and Nicholas van Rijn all make appearances.
Added to the stories, filling out the volume, are a string of limericks and songs that are quite fun, especially the last, which explains the problems an astronomer runs into while driving.
Anderson’s sense of Sherlockian mystery, consideration of all points of view, sympathy for antagonists, and broad imagination make this volume yet another worth diving into. Anderson is a true gem of the genre, and any fan should consider this a required course in their history of the genre.
Showing posts with label The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson. Show all posts
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness by Poul Anderson – Part 2
NOTE: The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness was a free review copy provided to Luke Reviews by NESFA Press.
It is part 2 of my review of The Collected Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness out from NESFA Press. For those interested in a prelude to the review, as well as the reviews of the stories from the first section, please see Part 1 of this review.
“Brake”: After a spaceship mutiny, the ship’s captain must stop a group of fanatics from either taking over or destroying the ship, and put a stopping block in front of a much larger conspiracy. This story showcases Anderson’s ability to write near-perfect hard science fiction action/adventure stories. Completely wonderful in both its action and its characterization.
“The Burning Bridge”: Another tale of space, this one is a bit quieter, yet with deep ethical considerations, as a ship on the brink of reaching a new world has received a message from their old one saying they can come back home. Another very strong story, this one rooted in character as well as ethical drama that reaches new extremes in the world of space exploration.
“A World Called Maanerek”: A man living on a planet, among a more primitive society, knows that he is not the same as everyone else. However, after a victorious hunt, it takes a UFO to show him just how different he is, and what destiny awaits him. At first, this story felt a little slow, but once I got into it, the plot fell into place beautifully, working in the twists and turns, the losses, and yet creating a satisfying ending. A strong piece.
“The Pirate”: When a less-than-honorable man claims to have come clean, a galactic police force of sorts isn’t quite so sure, and what they find when they begin to dig is far more than anyone expected. Another tautly written story, that unwraps perfectly as you read along.
“To Build a World”: After a disaster on the moon as the terraforming project seems to flounder, a plot begins to unfold that might reveal a conspiracy against making the moon into a new Earth. Another well-thought-out future, with strong characters, and plenty of grey characters, rather than black and white.
“Say It with Flowers”: A fun story of a man who is captured while trying to deliver a message in war time, and how he manages to find a way to get the message out. Flowers is a fun character, and his adventure was quick-paced and engaging.
There are also two essays:
“Science Fiction and Science: The Hardness of Hard Science Fiction”: An interesting look at both the hard science fiction out there, as well as Anderson’s own thought processes as he sets out to create a believable, science-based world.
“Science Fiction and History”: A look at history’s lessons, and what they may mean for the future, and also a critique on both well-envisioned futures and those that skimp on thoughtful analysis. An interesting essay, an intriguing point of view, and well-written. This one would find fans outside of the genre for what it has to say about humanity’s time.
And the following poems: “Jennifer’s Song” and “Veleda Speaks.”
The second part of the collection was simply brilliant. Anderson displays his versatility at writing quieter stories of introspection, and following them up with tales of action and hard science. He displays a knowledge of societal interworkings and thoughtful explorations of science and humanity that make for top notch reading. The more I delve into Anderson’s work, the more I find to like. Truly, he is revealing himself to be a literary and genre treasure, and I cannot wait to finish this collection.
It is part 2 of my review of The Collected Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness out from NESFA Press. For those interested in a prelude to the review, as well as the reviews of the stories from the first section, please see Part 1 of this review.
“Brake”: After a spaceship mutiny, the ship’s captain must stop a group of fanatics from either taking over or destroying the ship, and put a stopping block in front of a much larger conspiracy. This story showcases Anderson’s ability to write near-perfect hard science fiction action/adventure stories. Completely wonderful in both its action and its characterization.
“The Burning Bridge”: Another tale of space, this one is a bit quieter, yet with deep ethical considerations, as a ship on the brink of reaching a new world has received a message from their old one saying they can come back home. Another very strong story, this one rooted in character as well as ethical drama that reaches new extremes in the world of space exploration.
“A World Called Maanerek”: A man living on a planet, among a more primitive society, knows that he is not the same as everyone else. However, after a victorious hunt, it takes a UFO to show him just how different he is, and what destiny awaits him. At first, this story felt a little slow, but once I got into it, the plot fell into place beautifully, working in the twists and turns, the losses, and yet creating a satisfying ending. A strong piece.
“The Pirate”: When a less-than-honorable man claims to have come clean, a galactic police force of sorts isn’t quite so sure, and what they find when they begin to dig is far more than anyone expected. Another tautly written story, that unwraps perfectly as you read along.
“To Build a World”: After a disaster on the moon as the terraforming project seems to flounder, a plot begins to unfold that might reveal a conspiracy against making the moon into a new Earth. Another well-thought-out future, with strong characters, and plenty of grey characters, rather than black and white.
“Say It with Flowers”: A fun story of a man who is captured while trying to deliver a message in war time, and how he manages to find a way to get the message out. Flowers is a fun character, and his adventure was quick-paced and engaging.
There are also two essays:
“Science Fiction and Science: The Hardness of Hard Science Fiction”: An interesting look at both the hard science fiction out there, as well as Anderson’s own thought processes as he sets out to create a believable, science-based world.
“Science Fiction and History”: A look at history’s lessons, and what they may mean for the future, and also a critique on both well-envisioned futures and those that skimp on thoughtful analysis. An interesting essay, an intriguing point of view, and well-written. This one would find fans outside of the genre for what it has to say about humanity’s time.
And the following poems: “Jennifer’s Song” and “Veleda Speaks.”
The second part of the collection was simply brilliant. Anderson displays his versatility at writing quieter stories of introspection, and following them up with tales of action and hard science. He displays a knowledge of societal interworkings and thoughtful explorations of science and humanity that make for top notch reading. The more I delve into Anderson’s work, the more I find to like. Truly, he is revealing himself to be a literary and genre treasure, and I cannot wait to finish this collection.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness - Part 1
NOTE: The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness was a free review copy provided to Luke Reviews by NESFA Press.
It seems that NESFA Press is trying to educate me my genre of preference. No, it isn’t true that I haven’t read the classics. From Mary Shelley to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the pulp era of Hugo Gernsbeck to John W. Capmbell, Jr., Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, A. E. van Vogt, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Ursula K. Le Guin, on to more recent figures, such as Joe Haldeman, Robert Silverberg, etc. I’m obviously missing a host of authors in this bunch, but such is the fate of any list of names like this. Yet, somehow NESFA Press has put up three books in a row that fit right into gaps in my genre education. First James Blish, then Roger Zelazny, and now Poul Anderson. Prior to this, I had a very brief introduction to Poul Anderson, in the form of a single short story and mention of him in I. Asimov, Isaac Asimov’s third volume of his autobiography. So, with the excitement generated from the previous two volumes of NESFA Press collections, I dove into this hefty tome, which I am breaking apart into three reviews, both to focus on the stories a bit more, and to let me get in more reviews for you.
The first third I’m looking at begins after an editor’s note and an introduction by Mike Resnick. The stories are as follows:
“The Queen of Air and Darkness”: Likely the most famous story of the bunch in this section, it was also the one I liked least. Go figure. After a slow start, this story of a world seemingly populated by creatures from fairy tales picks up a bit, finally reaching a satisfying conclusion. Not bad, but not my favorite.
“Industrial Revolution”: A wonderful story of a moment in time that led to a war between Earth and the citizens of the asteroids. Exciting, intriguing, and fast-paced, this one was a lot of fun.
“Operation Afreet”: Absolutely wonderful. In a modern world with magic bound by the laws of physics and an army of mythical, mystical creatures, a werewolf and a witch set out on a secret mission to stop the linchpin of an Islamic terrorist army’s plans. A great combination of magic as rationalized by physics, this story was engaging, with very fun characters.
“The Longest Voyage”: Another of the more famous stories here, and another that I didn’t love. Fast paced, with an interesting premise, this story of sailors and island natives who discover a messiah from the sky had a conclusion that I found imminently predictable. It reminded me of a Ray Bradbury story, “The Flying Machine” I think is the title, where a man discovers a wondrous new technology to a rather odd reaction from his emperor. Perhaps this one suffers from being immolated too often in the genre, but regardless, it was good, but predictable.
“Brave to Be a King”: Part of Anderson’s Time Patrol series, this story of a man trapped in the Iran of 2500 years ago was very fun and fast paced. This is one to keep you entertained, with a thoroughly explored plot and entertaining characters.
The section also contains one essay:
“Science Fiction and Science: On Imaginary Science”: An interesting look at how stories have used science, stretched science, and warped science, in the name of science fiction.
Also included are a number of poems: “Jennifer’s Lament,” “Cradle Song,” “Upon the Occasion of Being Asked at a Court of Love to Declare That About His Lady Which Pleases Him the Most,” “Midsummer Song,” and “Christa McAuliffe.” Anderson’s work in verse is quite well done.
At the end of this segment of The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness, I’m having a lot of fun with this volume. The first story left me a little unsure, but the stories that came after were a lot of fun. I look forward to diving back into this one, and reading the second third, which has a number of stories that look appealing. So far, so good!
It seems that NESFA Press is trying to educate me my genre of preference. No, it isn’t true that I haven’t read the classics. From Mary Shelley to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the pulp era of Hugo Gernsbeck to John W. Capmbell, Jr., Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, A. E. van Vogt, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Ursula K. Le Guin, on to more recent figures, such as Joe Haldeman, Robert Silverberg, etc. I’m obviously missing a host of authors in this bunch, but such is the fate of any list of names like this. Yet, somehow NESFA Press has put up three books in a row that fit right into gaps in my genre education. First James Blish, then Roger Zelazny, and now Poul Anderson. Prior to this, I had a very brief introduction to Poul Anderson, in the form of a single short story and mention of him in I. Asimov, Isaac Asimov’s third volume of his autobiography. So, with the excitement generated from the previous two volumes of NESFA Press collections, I dove into this hefty tome, which I am breaking apart into three reviews, both to focus on the stories a bit more, and to let me get in more reviews for you.
The first third I’m looking at begins after an editor’s note and an introduction by Mike Resnick. The stories are as follows:
“The Queen of Air and Darkness”: Likely the most famous story of the bunch in this section, it was also the one I liked least. Go figure. After a slow start, this story of a world seemingly populated by creatures from fairy tales picks up a bit, finally reaching a satisfying conclusion. Not bad, but not my favorite.
“Industrial Revolution”: A wonderful story of a moment in time that led to a war between Earth and the citizens of the asteroids. Exciting, intriguing, and fast-paced, this one was a lot of fun.
“Operation Afreet”: Absolutely wonderful. In a modern world with magic bound by the laws of physics and an army of mythical, mystical creatures, a werewolf and a witch set out on a secret mission to stop the linchpin of an Islamic terrorist army’s plans. A great combination of magic as rationalized by physics, this story was engaging, with very fun characters.
“The Longest Voyage”: Another of the more famous stories here, and another that I didn’t love. Fast paced, with an interesting premise, this story of sailors and island natives who discover a messiah from the sky had a conclusion that I found imminently predictable. It reminded me of a Ray Bradbury story, “The Flying Machine” I think is the title, where a man discovers a wondrous new technology to a rather odd reaction from his emperor. Perhaps this one suffers from being immolated too often in the genre, but regardless, it was good, but predictable.
“Brave to Be a King”: Part of Anderson’s Time Patrol series, this story of a man trapped in the Iran of 2500 years ago was very fun and fast paced. This is one to keep you entertained, with a thoroughly explored plot and entertaining characters.
The section also contains one essay:
“Science Fiction and Science: On Imaginary Science”: An interesting look at how stories have used science, stretched science, and warped science, in the name of science fiction.
Also included are a number of poems: “Jennifer’s Lament,” “Cradle Song,” “Upon the Occasion of Being Asked at a Court of Love to Declare That About His Lady Which Pleases Him the Most,” “Midsummer Song,” and “Christa McAuliffe.” Anderson’s work in verse is quite well done.
At the end of this segment of The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Volume 2: The Queen of Air and Darkness, I’m having a lot of fun with this volume. The first story left me a little unsure, but the stories that came after were a lot of fun. I look forward to diving back into this one, and reading the second third, which has a number of stories that look appealing. So far, so good!
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