People of the Wind

"People of the Wind" is an interesting story about the Planet Avalon, which has been jointly and amicably settled by Earthmen and Ythrians. Ythrians are an avian race, quite capable of flight. One of Poul Anderson's strengths as a writer was his ability to create imaginative non-human races and extrapolate and attribute a non-human psychology to them. The Ythrians are an unusually imaginative example of this, and the interaction between humans and Ythrians makes for a very interesting tale. This story is part of Poul Anderson's Technic Civilization future history series, which features some of Anderson's best writing. This story is set during the rise of the Terran Empire after the fall of the free-market Polesotechnic League. The rise of the Empire and its encroachment upon Avalon is the theme of the story, and it is excellent entertainment; typical of this series. Highly recommended for lovers of "hard" science fiction. RJB.

All of us go through a phase of doubting whether we should adhere to the genre. This provided one of my most compelling reasons to continue. Forthwith is the "blurb" from the 1982 Signet back cover. "THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND Wherever the borders of the Terran Empire and the Ythrian Domain touch, there is the possibility of war. Caught in the middle of this galactic power struggle is the Ythrian colony planet Avalon, a world inhabited by Ythri and humans alike. But Avalon has formed a culture all its own, which it will defend against all comers - including the two most powerful empires in the universe... THE DAY OF THEIR RETURN Back under the thumb of the Terran Empire after an almost successful rebellion, the Aeneans were looking for trouble - and finding it. A fanatical religious movement was spreading like wildfire. There were rumors of the fabled Elder Race's return. Aeneas' leader was hiding from possible retribution at Empire hands. And agents from the Ythrian Domain and Merseia, Terra's ancient foe, were abroad in the land..."

This may be Anderson's best work. The interplay between two races, the flying carnivorous Ythri and the human Terrans, in the midst of a powerful space attack, makes for an interesting study. The book is also important because it is the bridge between two, originally separate, future histories. A descendant from the chronologically earlier history plays an important part in the later one.