Larry Niven's Known Space future history is about the future in general whereas Jerry Pournelle's CoDominium future history focuses on the future of warfare so here is another issue: why are wars waged and will they still be waged in future?
Poul Anderson:
contributed three stories to the Man-Kzin Wars period of the Known Space history;
contributed one story to the War World period of the CoDominium series;
wrote military sf in his own future history series and elsewhere.
SM Stirling:
wrote military fiction in his Draka History and other works;
collaborated with Pournelle on two Falkenberg's Legion novels in the CoDominium series;
contributed four (?) stories to the War World period.
Thus, war remains a major theme from Homer to Pournelle and Stirling.
4 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Unfortunately, I think war will remain as prevalent a thousand years from now as it is today. Because human beings are patently imperfect, quarrelsome, contentious, etc. And I see nothing to make me think that will ever be different, absent the Second Coming of Christ.
I would have said that Jerry Pournelle's CoDominium future history "split off" from our own. I think I remember reading some where that Pournelle THOUGHT at one time that the US and USSR might have indeed formed an alliance for them to dominate Earth.
Sean
Working with Jerry was fun -- he was smart and very widely read, and helped me a good deal when I was just starting out in the field. Alas, he passed on last week. In his sleep, of old age, and in possession of his faculties (I talked with him at DragonCon on Labor Day weekend), so things could have been worse.
Mr Stirling,
Sorry to hear about Dr Pournelle passing on. Like some sf fans, I knew that he could be argumentative but I also know that there is more to a person than what some of us see.
Paul.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
I'm more shocked than I expected to be on finding out Dr. Pournelle died last week. I've read so many of his stories and articles with great pleasure. And I even exchanged one or two emails with him. Memory eternal!!!
Sean
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