preece@uicsl.UUCP (01/09/84)
#R:hou2b:-17800:uicsl:10700071:000:403 uicsl!preece Jan 8 11:16:00 1984 I'm interested primarily in novels, particularly (though not exclusively) those which are built around some established "other" world or universe a la Niven's Known Space. ---------- Brian Stableford has written a couple of novel series, in which the characters remain constant and references to internal history continue through the series. I liked them. scott preece ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece
andree@uokvax.UUCP (01/11/84)
#R:hou2b:-17800:uokvax:5400024:000:449 uokvax!andree Jan 8 16:08:00 1984 One of the universes I particularly like wandering around in is Anderson's. In it we see an young, expanding, government run Terran society (The Ythri (sp?)), changing to an older, more established (but STILL expanding) Terran empire run by large corporations (The Nicki Van Rijn stories), and then into an old, rotting empire (Flandry). There are other stories in each era, and a little filler. All good stuff, some of it even excellent. <mike
norskog@fortune.UUCP (Lance Norskog) (01/11/84)
The greatest multi-book universe, bar none, was written by
Cordwainer Smith (pen name of Paul Linebarger). Linebarger
was various positions of Far East analyst for the State Department
all his life, and like Heinlein, his varied world experience
contributes enormously to his writing. Good ones to start: "Norstrilia",
"Quest of Three Worlds", "The Best of Cordwainer Smith".
In particular, his short story "A Planet Named Shayol" (in "Best of...")
is one of the most horrible visions of Hell I've ever read.
Lance C. Norskog
Fortune Systems, 101 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, CA
{cbosgd,hpda,harpo,sri-unix,amd70,decvax!ihnp4,allegra}!fortune!norskogjdb@qubix.UUCP (Jeff Bulf) (01/11/84)
To the person who is looking for a s-f author with a number of stories set
in a consistent universe. Have you discovered Cordwainer Smith?
Smith's work consists of a single rich, complex novel "Norstrilia", and a
double handful of short stories and novellas. All of the above are vivid in
their imagry and characters, and loaded with interlocking cross-references and
obscure jokes. (In some stories for example, many of the characters' names are
the words for different numbers in various languages).
If you can find the out-of-print collection "Space Lords", it has five of
the very best short stories. Four of these are in the in-print "Best of
Cordwainer Smith". Another in -print collection "The Instrumentality of Mankind"
is essentially minor stuff to complete the set. I would give it last priority
myself.
It is a strange, and wonderful universe out there. I envy you the chance
to discover it afresh.
--
Dr Memory
...{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!qubix!jdbamigo2@ihuxq.UUCP (John Hobson) (01/12/84)
A resounding YES on Cordwainer Smith. Other great stories by him include THE BALLAD OF LOST C'MELL; THE LADY WHO SAILED THE SOUL; THE CRIME AND GLORY OF COMMANDER SUZDAL; GOLDEN THE SHIP WAS, OH, OH, OH (actually, not such a great story, but a marvelous title); ALPHA-RALPHA BOULEVARD; MOTHER HITTON'S LITTUL KITTONS; THE MAN WHO CAME BACK FROM NOTHING AT ALL; and my personal favorite of his, THE DEAD LADY OF CLOWN TOWN, a retelling of the Joan of Arc story, with two themes: the power of love and what is a person. I particularly like his use of language and his use of Chinese poetic forms as structures for his stories. A few of his stories, such as NO, NO, NOT ROGOV; THE BURNING OF THE BRAIN; AND SCANNERS LIVE IN VAIN I don't really care for, but they are still better than many stories of other authors. NORSTRILIA is a very good novel, but it is an abridgement of THE BOY WHO BOUGHT OLD EARTH (sometimes called THE PLANET BUYER) and THE UNDERPEOPLE. If you can get the original two volumes (alas, out of print for many years), you may prefer them--I know I do. BTW, many of these stories have to do with cats. John Hobson AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL (312) 979-7293 ihnp4!ihuxq!amigo2
jj@rabbit.UUCP (01/12/84)
I've got to second the reccommendation for Cordwainer Smith. I'll even vote for his short stories. While the premise of ""Scanners Live in Vain" was a bit stretched, the story was fantastic! Cranched Indeed!
LS.SRB%EE@sri-unix.UUCP (01/17/84)
From: "Stephen R. Balzac" <LS.SRB@EE> There's Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber, Katherine Kurtz' Deryni series (although more fantasy than SF), Farmer's Riverworld and World of Tiers series, Harry Harrison's Deathworld, Stainless Steel Rat, and To The Stars series, and Chalker's Four Lords of the Diamond, to list a few.