Anderson, Poul

• The Winter of the World (5)

  • This book starts with the same problem a lot of fantasy books have: name-itis. During the first 10 pages, the reader is asked to commit about 20 different names and places to memory. Later, we get to know the more important characters a little better so that this isn't much of a problem, but it still turns me off to see it. The book as a whole is about a sort-of medieval empire trying to expand into a Northern barbarian territory where seeming anarchy exists but no invasion has ever succeeded. There are hints that this takes place on Earth long after an ice age in the future, but nothing is ever done with it. This one is thoroughly forgettable pulp...certainly far from Anderson's best, if I'm told correctly.

• The Boat of a Million Years (8)

  • As I hoped, a much better effort than "Winter". This novel begins as a series of short stories about some of the individuals who, at some point in history, find themselves to be immortals. The stories cover both how the immortals manage to integrate themselves into society in a variety of cultures and how they slowly develop their unique world views. The first few are very readable, but I get the feeling there were about three stories too many...it got a little repetitive, despite some of the very good subplots that extended across time. The last story tells of their future and the future of human society, and here the novel gets a brisk second wind, as the immortals find a new purpose. The overall themes of individual and societal views are nicely reversed. A true SF "epic" that's worth a read.

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