Orion Shall Rise [Mass Market Paperback]

Poul Anderson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1991

After nuclear weapons ravaged the Earth, only Skyholm, a huge solar-powered station floating above Europe, remains in possession of high technology. But as Skyholm is seized by a religious faction, a young noble escapes to the ground below and joins a group who conspire to use the power of the atom, outlawed for centuries, to regain the lost heritage of space flight.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Baen (October 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671720902
• ISBN-13: 978-0671720902
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,229,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good post-holocaust tale of cultures in conflict., July 13, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Orion Shall Rise (Mass Market Paperback)

This may be Poul Anderson's best long novel, which is saying something. Hundreds of years after the nuclear Doom, new cultures and empires have arisen. Science has recovered and even advanced, but its technological expression is stifled in a world that is desperately resource-poor. Earth's dominant power is the Maurai, a deeply conservative culture that is committed to long-term ecological and political stability. The Maurai's chief rivals are the Norresterners, anarchic technophiles who think that atomic energy might not be so bad after all. The Maurai have defeated and occupied the Norresterners, but you just know it can't last. This big, sprawling novel also sketches several other fascinating cultures, including a feudal republic dominated by a floating city that survived the nuclear war. About half-way through the book the general plot pattern may begin to look familiar. If you're acquainted with Norse mythology, you're in for a treat, because Anderson rings some truly marvelous changes on those oft-told tales. Even if you're not, though, this is still a solid read, hard SF mixed with some very plausible anthropology and politics. Some wooden characters and an overly pat ending are the only things that keep it from being a perfect "10". Highly recommended

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing examination of the uses of nuclear power, July 30, 2004

By 

Andrew W. Johns "ResQgeek" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orion Shall Rise (Mass Market Paperback)

Human civilization is redeveloping after a long-ago nuclear war, and now one society has rediscovered the dream of space travel. However, the earth is resource starved, and atomic energy seems to be the only way to achieve these dreams. This presents a threat to rival societies, where fear of nuclear power lives on in the memory of the ages old horror of the Doom. Can mankind harness the atom to achieve peace, or is it doomed to repeat its earlier failure and unleash the horror of nuclear weapons?

Anderson weaves a global tale, providing credible new societies, each filled with believable characters. His characters are complex, with varying motivations, and are often flawed in some way. The primary protagonist matures through the the book from a vain and cocky young pilot to become a force to reshape the course of civilization. The underlying themes here are quite powerful. This book explores both the human urge to explore and push into the unknown, as well as the question of whether we can ever restrain our tendancies to harness technology to the purposes of destruction.

Anyone not familiar with Anderson's writing style might find portions of this book that are weighted down with excessive descriptions. However, as a whole, this is a fine story and is not an overly difficult book to read.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of Poul Anderson's Best, December 28, 2001

By 

Lee J. Stamm (Kennewick, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orion Shall Rise (Mass Market Paperback)

An excellent and thoughtful depiction of the world about 800 years after nuclear apocalypse, populated by interesting and well-developed characters. Rich with implicit commentary on the foibles of politics and religion, as is characteristic of Anderson's work. Only slightly marred by a short-cut ending. Nonetheless, highly recommended.