Thursday 26 March 2015

ERBian Allusion

SM Stirling, The Sky People (New York, 2006).

Unfamiliar Words
"...remuda..." (p. 59)
"...fetor..." (p. 64)

ERBian Reference
Marc has adopted a greatwolf pup and suggests calling it "Nobs." When the Englishman seems not to understand the reference, Marc reflects:

"Surely everyone read Burroughs now?" (p. 62)

I have read ERB, including the relevant work (see image and here), but did not get the reference! However, it is good to be able to google it immediately.

Furthermore, this prompts another observation. ERB was a prolific though not a great writer who bequeathed to us a fictional Solar System containing:

Carson Napiers' Venus;
the Moon Maid and the Moon Men;
John Carter's Barsoom;
an inhabited Martian moon;
Skeleton Men of Jupiter;
Pellucidar;
Tarzan's Africa;
Caspak -

- and yet another inhabited planetary system.

I would like to see this colorful cosmos developed by writers of the caliber of Poul Anderson (of course, no longer possible) or of his successors like SM Stirling. ERBdom has been adapted into comics and films but a few novels better written than ERB's could also be added to the canon.

4 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

I did not think Edgar Rice Burroughs that bad a writer, if you over look his frequently incredible and implausible plots. I'm esp. fond of his Barsoom books, for example. ERB wrote competently and clearly, fast moving, interesting adventure novels. And from time to time in the Barsoom books we do find food for thought even in matters like economics and finance, for example.

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
His characters are stereotypes though? And he could not handle any political system more complicated than monarchy? It would be good to receive an article on Barsoomian finance or economics...
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

An interesting thought of yours! I would need to find the text which discussed finances and economics in the Barsoomian canon. Hmmm, maybe I will!

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
Of course you will!
Paul.