A Call To Arms - book

[Avatar28]

I was curious who had read the book and what you think of the ideas in it. I realize that it's not super heavy sci-fi, but it found it a rather enjoyable read.

For those who don't know, it's a book by Alan Dean Foster. The basic premise is that there are two big organizations of beings in the galaxy. The bad guys are called the Amplitur and they're basically invertibrates who have some great "purpose" that is basically to take over all the races of the galaxy. The other group is a loose alliance called the Weave. Basically, most races in the galaxy are completely incapable of fighting without either genetic engineering (in the case of the Purpose) or can fight but don't like (in the case of the Weave's one race that can really fight). The weave send a mission off looking for new allies in BFE and eventually encounter earth and are amazed at how we can not only fight but actually enjoy it for the most part.

Yeah, I know. Not a very good summary. But to keep things (somewhat) on topic, there's lots of astronomy in the book too. Has anyone spotted any BA in it?

[snowcelt]

There are three books in the series. I rather liked them, but I understand that A.D. Foster never concluded this series because of a lack of interest. I found that the premiss that most sentient species would be incapable of defending themseves a bit of a stretch. One reason that Foster gives is that life giving planets are formed such that there is only one super continent. The reason why the inhabitants would become galactic wimps escapes me. Would the norm be for planets to have only one super continent? If there is plate techtonics, seems to me that there would be periods of super continents and multiple continents (ref. Earth).

[Avatar28]

There are three books in the series. I rather liked them, but I understand that A.D. Foster never concluded this series because of a lack of interest. I found that the premiss that most sentient species would be incapable of defending themseves a bit of a stretch. One reason that Foster gives is that life giving planets are formed such that there is only one super continent. The reason why the inhabitants would become galactic wimps escapes me. Would the norm be for planets to have only one super continent? If there is plate techtonics, seems to me that there would be periods of super continents and multiple continents (ref. Earth).

Well, no, in the series, planets that develop life normally don't have plate tectonics. If you recall when the Weave was talking to Dulac they said something like "Continents just don't move by themselves." So obviously that's not the norm.

Presumably since all the other races live on one super continent they had a much more homogenous culture, as they wouldn't have evolved as many differences (religion, culture, etc) as we have since there would be more contact. Eventually they became completely unable to even fight. The impression I got is that most civilizations would have grown out of fighting among themselves somewhere around a bronze or maybe iron age technology level.

[Rich]

Gads, I read that series so long ago. I forgot what it was called.

It was fun, but even at 15 I didn't think it made much sense that a lack of plate techtonics would result in more placid intelligent lifeforms. I do seem to remember a quote from the avian alien anthropologist from the third book (our protagonist) to the effect that hostile, violent geologies resulted in violent, hostile ecologies; in which case it is highly likely that the most hostile and violent lifeform would probably be any advanced intelligence that develops... hence us.

Heh. I may have to go back and read that just for fun some time.

[snowcelt]

and Avatar28 states:

Well, no, in the series, planets that develop life normally don't have plate tectonics. If you recall when the Weave was talking to Dulac they said something like "Continents just don't move by themselves." So obviously that's not the norm.

Presumably since all the other races live on one super continent they had a much more homogenous culture, as they wouldn't have evolved as many differences (religion, culture, etc) as we have since there would be more contact. Eventually they became completely unable to even fight. The impression I got is that most civilizations would have grown out of fighting among themselves somewhere around a bronze or maybe iron age technology level.[/quote]

Sorry. I forgot that there was no plate tectonics on the 'normal' planets. But, I still think that it would be a stretch that planetary dynamics like this would produce sentients with such a pacifistic nature. We can even look at Earth as an example that shows that if anything, the opposite would be the case.

One can make the argument that there is one 'super' continent on earth (eurasia) and a bunch of islands. Yet this large super continent has reached out and conquered/dominated the rest. Eurasia is still politically/ethnically/religiouslly fractured. It will be a long time before there is any homogenousness there.

[Avatar28]

Well, I never said that it was particularly accurate. Another thing to remember is that, except in the areas of warfare and weapons, where we rival them in many ways, all the other weave races are probably hundreds of years further along the technology curve than we are. Who knows how violent we would be in several hundred years. Though I suspect we still would be. The book is right in that violence seems to be inherent in our natures and probably we'll never completely escape it.

[Pinemarten]

I believe in 'Peace Through Superior Firepower'

If America is ever under a real threat, they shant worry. 30M+ screaming Canadians, armed with very sharp pitchforks, shall come to the rescue for the 4th time.


You know, reading some of these comments on Heinlein, one almost has to wonder how he is considered one of the greatest sci-fi authors of all time....

and Canadians the greatest warriors?

[tjm220]

I believe in 'Peace Through Superior Firepower'

If America is ever under a real threat, they shant worry. 30M+ screaming Canadians, armed with very sharp pitchforks, shall come to the rescue for the 4th time.




and Canadians the greatest warriors?

Pitchforks? I think it would be more likely that the Canadian warriors would choose the sacred weapon of their martial art - the hockey stick :D

[snowcelt]

The last weapon we would use is the hockey "schick', because the son-of-a b**** would only break on contact, eh? It would be typical DND waste, pile a bunch of loot into a device that only works when you want it to. Better of paying an other gang of generals to say "yes sir!" then try to be what we used to be.