S. M. Stirling
Encyclopedia
Stephen Michael Stirling is a French
-born Canadian
-American
science fiction
and fantasy
author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series
of alternate history
novels and the more recent time travel
/alternate history Nantucket series
and Emberverse series
.
, France
—then the site of a Royal Canadian Air Force
base—to an English mother and Canadian father. He has lived in several countries and currently resides in the United States
in New Mexico
with his wife Jan.
Stirling, along with Eric Flint
, was tuckerized
as a Secret Service
agent in John Birmingham
's alternate history WWII
novel Weapons of Choice
(2004).
cultures. In addition to his books' military, adventure and exploration focus, he often describes societies with cultural values significantly different from modern western views. One of his recurring topics is the influence of the culture on an individual's outlook and values, with a particular emphasis on the idea that most people and societies consider themselves (mostly) moral.
Stirling also has a fascination with technological development, and frequently turns to explorations of this within the context of many of his novels. The Draka (see below) for instance, chose and faced a different imperative in their conquest of Africa, and turned earlier to breech-loading firearms and steam power than the rest of the Western World. The stranded islanders of Nantucket must try to rebuild their technological base once the island is stranded in 1250 BC, while the dazed survivors of the 'Change' now face a world where electricity, firearms, and internal combustion no longer work.
Stirling also tends to write strong female characters who have prominent roles within the story.
In the past he has frequently collaborated with other authors, including David Drake
, Jerry Pournelle
, Anne McCaffrey
and Raymond E. Feist
.
and Venus
really were habitable and inhabited, as in many SF stories from the early sixties and before? In this alternate history series Mars and Venus were terraformed
a long time ago and "seeded" with Earth life, including several different human species. On Earth everything is the same until the start of space exploration, but then the Cold War
dampens down into a real, collaborative space race which overtakes the military budgets of both superpowers.
The vast investment in interplanetary exploration has changed this alternate history deeply, in ways mentioned in passing, including the close alliance of the United States
, Great Britain
and the Dominion
s; but there are other changes: In the Suez Crisis
, Britain and France receive American support and succeed, and there is no Sino-Soviet split
in 1959. The Soviet Union
does not collapse, and there are two competing space efforts: the Sino-Soviet alliance and the US-Commonwealth alliance. The European Union
is led by France
, since the United Kingdom
did not join it, but their space effort is considerably behind the others. The Sky People is set on Venus, while its sequel In the Courts of the Crimson Kings is set on Mars.
is transported by an unknown phenomenon (called "The Event" in the series) back in time into the Bronze Age
circa 1250s BC (corresponding to the late Heroic Age of Greek mythology
). The trilogy describes the conflict between the different factions of the island's population—some trying to dominate the world for their own benefit, others trying to better it, while most just want to survive, work hard, and claw their way back to something approaching their pre-Event way of life.
The series consists of three books:
Additionally, the short story "Riding Shotgun to Armageddon" (1998) and the novelette "Blood Wolf" (2004) are also set in this series.
, gun
s, explosives, internal combustion engine
s, and steam power no longer work. The series mostly deals with the Willamette Valley
area of Oregon, with some description of the United Kingdom
. After describing how people in those places survive the loss of 600 years of technological progress, the primary focus of this series turns to a conflict between a Portland
-based neo-feudal dictatorship
created by a sociopath
ic history professor, and the free communities of the Willamette Valley
, most notably the Wicca
n Clan Mackenzie and a group led by a former Marine
, the Bearkillers.
A second series, set 22 years after the Change, is in progress:
The third and fourth books of the second series show Montival becoming the name by which the countries of the Meeting at Corvallis through the lands of the Sioux are known. The third book's conclusion also offers a sort of explanation for the Change during Rudi's vision on Nantucket, which includes what appear to be Swindapa and Marian Alston, major characters from the Nantucket trilogy.
Additionally, the short stories "A Murder in Eddsford" (2008) and "Something for Yew" (2007) are also set in this universe, taking place in post-change Britain.
These are a collection of post-holocaust fantasy
novels, in which civilization was destroyed (probably by a nuclear war
) in something near our present time and new civilizations have grown to take their place. The novels are set in about the year AD 5000
. There are elements of magic
or psionics
present, but they are fairly low powered, while technology is approximately at the level of the historical Middle Ages. Two additional novels in this series (Lion's Heart and Lion's Soul both by Karen Wehrstein) overlap these novels but were not authored or co-authored by Stirling. Shadow's Daughter by Shirley Meier is also part of the series. Snowbrother is also Stirling's first published novel. Saber and Shadow is a revised edition of The Sharpest Edge with a few new pages of story at the beginning and tweaks to the rest of the story to assure continuity with that new beginning. The end of the story remains the same. It also adds an Appendix with explanation of the cultures and languages in the 5th Millennium, and a description of how the authors got together to write this series.
n slave-holding militaristic (white) African empire founded by British Loyalists who escaped to South Africa
after the American Revolution
rather than to Canada (as in our history). They were later joined by French
Royalist
émigrés, Iceland
ic refugees, and demobbed veterans of the Napoleonic Wars
, then by tens of thousands of defeated Confederates
after the American Civil War
. Stirling provides a timeline for its historical development through the 19th and 20th centuries, first as the Crown Colony of Drakia (for Francis Drake
), gradually breaking away from British control to become the Dominion
, then the Domination, of the Draka. The Draka culture is remarkable for combining a strictly race- and class-based hierarchical society with near-complete gender-equality (including female soldiers in integrated military units in combat roles). The Draka are greatly outnumbered by their slaves, and quite ruthless in maintaining their rule. Compared to current western society, nudity
and sexuality
are much less taboo
among Draka.
As a result of the intense manpower pressures stemming from their conquest of Africa through the 19th century, all Draka are liable for service in the military/security forces, and the Draka-only Citizen Force is by far the deadliest and most advanced military machine on the planet. But there are never enough Draka (only 30 million or so at the start of World War II
) to go around, and the bulk of the Domination's Armed Forces are made up of "Janissary
" Legions recruited from the Serf population. The Citizen Force provides the élite cutting edge, while the "Janissaries" are the cannon fodder
.
Stirling frequently uses the Draka and other villains as point-of-view characters, leading to complaints that he has some sympathy with them. He is known to be dismayed by this analysis of his work. He describes the Draka series as dystopia
s based on "suppos[ing that] everything had turned out as badly as possible, these last few centuries". Stirling responded to these accusations in his novel Conquistador, which contained the quotation (variously attributed to Larry Niven
or Robert A. Heinlein
) "There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot."
, the great Byzantine general, but set on a colony planet with roughly late 19th century technology. They are currently available in omnibus editions (2005).
with David Drake
. In 2002, all four Falkenberg books, including the two listed below, were published in a single volume, The Prince
. The Falkenberg books are part of the larger "CoDominium
" series, which also includes The Mote in God's Eye
and The Gripping Hand
by Pournelle and Larry Niven
. Stirling's books in this series are popular with many Western soldiers for their portrayal of the mechanics of an ideologically driven insurgency.
with Jerry Pournelle
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-born Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series
The Domination
The Domination of Draka is a dystopian alternate history series by S. M. Stirling. It comprises a main trilogy of novels as well as one crossover novel set after the original and a book of short stories...
of alternate history
Alternate history (fiction)
Alternate history or alternative history is a genre of fiction consisting of stories that are set in worlds in which history has diverged from the actual history of the world. It can be variously seen as a sub-genre of literary fiction, science fiction, and historical fiction; different alternate...
novels and the more recent time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
/alternate history Nantucket series
Nantucket series
The Nantucket series is a set of alternate history novels written by S. M. Stirling. The novels focus on the island of Nantucket which was transported back in time to 1250 BC due to something called "The Event"...
and Emberverse series
The Emberverse series
Emberverse, or Change World, is a series of post-apocalyptic alternate history novels written by S. M. Stirling. The novels depict the events following "The Change", which caused electricity, guns, explosives, internal combustion engines, and steam power to stop working...
.
Personal
Stirling was born on September 30, 1953, in MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
—then the site of a Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
base—to an English mother and Canadian father. He has lived in several countries and currently resides in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
with his wife Jan.
Stirling, along with Eric Flint
Eric Flint
Eric Flint is an American author, editor, and e-publisher. The majority of his main works are alternate history science fiction, but he also writes humorous fantasy adventures.- Career :...
, was tuckerized
Tuckerization
Tuckerization is the act of using a person's name in an original story as an in-joke. The term is derived from Wilson Tucker, a pioneering American science fiction writer and fanzine editor, who made a practice of using his friends' names for minor characters in his stories...
as a Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agent in John Birmingham
John Birmingham
John Birmingham is an Australian author. Birmingham was born in Liverpool, England and migrated to Australia with his parents in 1970.-Early life and career:...
's alternate history WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
novel Weapons of Choice
Weapons of Choice (book)
Weapons of Choice is the first novel of the Axis of Time alternate history trilogy, written by Australian author John Birmingham.-2021:...
(2004).
Writing style
Stirling's novels are generally conflict-driven and often describe military situations and militaristicMilitarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
cultures. In addition to his books' military, adventure and exploration focus, he often describes societies with cultural values significantly different from modern western views. One of his recurring topics is the influence of the culture on an individual's outlook and values, with a particular emphasis on the idea that most people and societies consider themselves (mostly) moral.
Stirling also has a fascination with technological development, and frequently turns to explorations of this within the context of many of his novels. The Draka (see below) for instance, chose and faced a different imperative in their conquest of Africa, and turned earlier to breech-loading firearms and steam power than the rest of the Western World. The stranded islanders of Nantucket must try to rebuild their technological base once the island is stranded in 1250 BC, while the dazed survivors of the 'Change' now face a world where electricity, firearms, and internal combustion no longer work.
Stirling also tends to write strong female characters who have prominent roles within the story.
In the past he has frequently collaborated with other authors, including David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
, Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
, Anne McCaffrey
Anne McCaffrey
Anne Inez McCaffrey was an American-born Irish writer, best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series. Over the course of her 46 year career she won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award...
and Raymond E. Feist
Raymond E. Feist
Raymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
.
The Lords of Creation
What if MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
and Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
really were habitable and inhabited, as in many SF stories from the early sixties and before? In this alternate history series Mars and Venus were terraformed
Terraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
a long time ago and "seeded" with Earth life, including several different human species. On Earth everything is the same until the start of space exploration, but then the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
dampens down into a real, collaborative space race which overtakes the military budgets of both superpowers.
The vast investment in interplanetary exploration has changed this alternate history deeply, in ways mentioned in passing, including the close alliance of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
s; but there are other changes: In the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, Britain and France receive American support and succeed, and there is no Sino-Soviet split
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
in 1959. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
does not collapse, and there are two competing space efforts: the Sino-Soviet alliance and the US-Commonwealth alliance. The European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
is led by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, since the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
did not join it, but their space effort is considerably behind the others. The Sky People is set on Venus, while its sequel In the Courts of the Crimson Kings is set on Mars.
- The Sky PeopleThe Sky PeopleThe Sky People is a 2006 science fiction novel by American writer S. M. Stirling. It takes place on the planet Venus in an alternate solar system where probes from the United States of America and the Soviet Union, find intelligent life and civilizations on both Venus and Mars. The book is heavily...
(November 2006) - In the Courts of the Crimson KingsIn the Courts of the Crimson KingsIn the Courts of the Crimson Kings is a 2008 alternate history, science fiction novel by American writer S. M. Stirling.-Plot introduction:...
(March 2008)
The Change series
The Change is the overall name of the stories of the Nantucket series and the Emberverse series.Nantucket series
In Island in the Sea of Time the island of NantucketNantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
is transported by an unknown phenomenon (called "The Event" in the series) back in time into the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
circa 1250s BC (corresponding to the late Heroic Age of Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
). The trilogy describes the conflict between the different factions of the island's population—some trying to dominate the world for their own benefit, others trying to better it, while most just want to survive, work hard, and claw their way back to something approaching their pre-Event way of life.
The series consists of three books:
- Island in the Sea of TimeIsland in the Sea of TimeIsland in the Sea of Time is the first of the three alternate history novels of the Nantucket series by S. M. Stirling.-Plot summary:An elliptical region, including the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts and the United States Coast Guard ship Eagle, is transported by an unknown phenomenon back in...
(1998-03-01) - Against the Tide of YearsAgainst the Tide of YearsAgainst the Tide of Years is the second out of the three alternate history novels of the Nantucket series by S. M. Stirling.-Plot introduction:...
(1999-05-01) - On the Oceans of EternityOn the Oceans of EternityOn the Oceans of Eternity is the last of the three alternate history novels of the Nantucket series by S. M. Stirling in which the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts is transported back to the Bronze Age. It covers the latter stages of the Republic of Nantucket's war against Walker and his...
(2000-04-01)
Additionally, the short story "Riding Shotgun to Armageddon" (1998) and the novelette "Blood Wolf" (2004) are also set in this series.
The Emberverse series
Dies the Fire (2004) shows the effects on the planet—a world Nantucket left—of something called "The Change". ElectricityElectricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
s, explosives, internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
s, and steam power no longer work. The series mostly deals with the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
area of Oregon, with some description of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. After describing how people in those places survive the loss of 600 years of technological progress, the primary focus of this series turns to a conflict between a Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
-based neo-feudal dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
created by a sociopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
ic history professor, and the free communities of the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
, most notably the Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
n Clan Mackenzie and a group led by a former Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, the Bearkillers.
- Dies the FireDies the FireDies the Fire is an alternate history, post-apocalyptic novel by S. M. Stirling and the first installment of the Emberverse series. The book is a spin-off from the Stirling's Nantucket series. In that series, modern-day Nantucket is thrown back in time to the Bronze Age...
(2004-07-01) - The Protector's WarThe Protector's WarThe Protector's War is a 2005 alternate history, post-apocalyptic, science fiction novel written by S.M. Stirling and is the second novel in the Emberverse series. The Protector's War describes the events of roughly a year, some eight years after the Change which altered the laws of physics in...
(2005-09-06) - A Meeting at CorvallisA Meeting at CorvallisA Meeting at Corvallis is a 2006 science fiction novel by S. M. Stirling. It is third novel in the Emberverse series that began with Dies the Fire. The story describes the events of roughly a year, some nine to ten years after the Change which altered the laws of physics...
(2006-09-05)
A second series, set 22 years after the Change, is in progress:
- The Sunrise LandsThe Sunrise LandsThe Sunrise Lands is a post-apocalyptic 2007 novel by alternate history author S. M. Stirling. It is the fourth novel set in the Emberverse series...
(2007-09-04) - The Scourge of GodThe Scourge of God (novel)The Scourge of God is an alternate history, post-apocalyptic novel by S. M. Stirling. It is the fifth book in the Emberverse series. The novel continues the journey of Rudi Mackenzie and his companions as they travel across the former United States, a generation after "The Change" killed off...
(2008-09-02) - The Sword of the LadyThe Sword of the LadyThe Sword of the Lady is an alternate history, post-apocalyptic novel by author S. M. Stirling. It is the sixth book in the Emberverse series. Rudi Mackenzie and his group leave Iowa, heading through Wisconsin, out onto the Great Lakes, into what was once Maine and finally to Nantucket...
(2009) - The High King of Montival (2010)
- The Tears of the Sun (2011)
- Lord of Mountains (2012?)
- The Given Sacrifice (2013?)
The third and fourth books of the second series show Montival becoming the name by which the countries of the Meeting at Corvallis through the lands of the Sioux are known. The third book's conclusion also offers a sort of explanation for the Change during Rudi's vision on Nantucket, which includes what appear to be Swindapa and Marian Alston, major characters from the Nantucket trilogy.
Additionally, the short stories "A Murder in Eddsford" (2008) and "Something for Yew" (2007) are also set in this universe, taking place in post-change Britain.
Shadowspawn series
The Urban Fantasy series features "Shadowspawn", an ancient subspecies of Homo sapiens who formed the basis of legends about vampires and werewolves and have been secretly controlling the world for most of the 20th century.- A Taint in the Blood (Roc, 2010; ISBN 978-0451463418)
- The Council of Shadows (Roc, 2011; ISBN 978-0451463937)
Fifth Millennium series
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novels, in which civilization was destroyed (probably by a nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
) in something near our present time and new civilizations have grown to take their place. The novels are set in about the year AD 5000
5th millennium
The fifth millennium is a period of time that will begin on January 1, 4001, and will end on December 31, 5000.-Astronomical events:* 4285 : Venus occults Regulus.* 4296 : Venus occults Antares....
. There are elements of magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
or psionics
Psionics
Psionics refers to the practice, study, or psychic ability of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. Examples of this include telepathy, telekinesis, and other workings of the outside world through the psyche.-History and terminology:...
present, but they are fairly low powered, while technology is approximately at the level of the historical Middle Ages. Two additional novels in this series (Lion's Heart and Lion's Soul both by Karen Wehrstein) overlap these novels but were not authored or co-authored by Stirling. Shadow's Daughter by Shirley Meier is also part of the series. Snowbrother is also Stirling's first published novel. Saber and Shadow is a revised edition of The Sharpest Edge with a few new pages of story at the beginning and tweaks to the rest of the story to assure continuity with that new beginning. The end of the story remains the same. It also adds an Appendix with explanation of the cultures and languages in the 5th Millennium, and a description of how the authors got together to write this series.
- Snowbrother (1985)
- The Sharpest Edge (1986) (with Shirley Meier) (Later re-written and expanded as Saber and Shadow)
- The Cage (1989) (with Shirley Meier)
- Shadow's Son (1991) (with Shirley Meier and Karen Wehrstein)
- Saber and Shadow (1992) (with Shirley Meier)
- Shadows Daughter related novel (by Shirley Meier)
- Lion's Heart related novel (by Karen Wehrstein)
- Lion's Soul related novel (by Karen Wehrstein)
Draka series
The Draka novels postulate a dystopiaDystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
n slave-holding militaristic (white) African empire founded by British Loyalists who escaped to South Africa
History of South Africa
South African history has been dominated by the interaction and conflict of several diverse ethnic groups. The aboriginal Khoisan people have lived in the region for millennia. Most of the population, however, trace their history to immigration since...
after the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
rather than to Canada (as in our history). They were later joined by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Royalist
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
émigrés, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic refugees, and demobbed veterans of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, then by tens of thousands of defeated Confederates
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Stirling provides a timeline for its historical development through the 19th and 20th centuries, first as the Crown Colony of Drakia (for Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
), gradually breaking away from British control to become the Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
, then the Domination, of the Draka. The Draka culture is remarkable for combining a strictly race- and class-based hierarchical society with near-complete gender-equality (including female soldiers in integrated military units in combat roles). The Draka are greatly outnumbered by their slaves, and quite ruthless in maintaining their rule. Compared to current western society, nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
and sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
are much less taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
among Draka.
As a result of the intense manpower pressures stemming from their conquest of Africa through the 19th century, all Draka are liable for service in the military/security forces, and the Draka-only Citizen Force is by far the deadliest and most advanced military machine on the planet. But there are never enough Draka (only 30 million or so at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) to go around, and the bulk of the Domination's Armed Forces are made up of "Janissary
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
" Legions recruited from the Serf population. The Citizen Force provides the élite cutting edge, while the "Janissaries" are the cannon fodder
Cannon fodder
Cannon fodder is an informal, derogatory term for military personnel who are regarded or treated as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where soldiers are forced to deliberately fight against hopeless odds in an effort to achieve a strategic goal...
.
- Marching Through GeorgiaMarching Through Georgia (novel)Marching Through Georgia is the first of four books of S.M. Stirling's alternate history series, The Domination.The novel also attempts to educate the reader on the background of the Domination. Government, military, social structures, and the historical development of the Draka are all outlined...
(1988, ISBN 0-671-72069-4) - Under the YokeUnder the Yoke (novel)Under the Yoke is the second of four books of S. M. Stirling's alternate history series, The Domination.-Plot summary:Tanya von Shrakenberg established a plantation in formerly-French Touraine Province. Her slaves include Marya Sokolowska and Chantal Lefarge, formerly a Polish nun and a French...
(1989, ISBN 0-671-69843-5) - The Stone DogsThe Stone DogsThe Stone Dogs by S. M. Stirling is the third book in the alternate history series, The Domination. The Stone Dogs details the life of Eric von Shrakenberg's niece, Yolande Ingolfsson, and Chantal Lefarge's children, Frederick and Marya...
(1990, ISBN 0-671-72009-0) - DrakonDrakon (novel)Drakon is a follow-up to S. M. Stirling's alternate history series, The Domination.-Plot introduction:Set centuries since the last war between the Domination and the Alliance, the Domination has conquered the Earth and the solar system, while the Alliance survivors have fled to the Alpha-Centauri...
(1995, ISBN 0-671-87711-9; a Draka from the future in a world much like ours) - The Domination (2000, ISBN 0-671-57794-8; Omnibus edition of first 3 works)
- Drakas!Drakas!Drakas! is an anthology in S.M. Stirling's alternate history series, The Domination.Contents:* William Sanders' "Custer Under the Baobab"* John J. Miller's "Hewn in Pieces for the Lord"* Roland J...
(2000, ISBN 0-671-31946-9; Anthology edited by Stirling)
Stirling frequently uses the Draka and other villains as point-of-view characters, leading to complaints that he has some sympathy with them. He is known to be dismayed by this analysis of his work. He describes the Draka series as dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
s based on "suppos[ing that] everything had turned out as badly as possible, these last few centuries". Stirling responded to these accusations in his novel Conquistador, which contained the quotation (variously attributed to Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
or Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
) "There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot."
General series
These books are loosely based on the life of BelisariusBelisarius
Flavius Belisarius was a general of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Mediterranean territory of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century previously....
, the great Byzantine general, but set on a colony planet with roughly late 19th century technology. They are currently available in omnibus editions (2005).
with David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
- The Forge (1991)
- The Hammer (1992)
- The Anvil (1993)
- The Steel (1993)
- The Sword (1995)
- The Chosen (1996)
- The Reformer (1999)
Falkenberg's Legion series
The first two volumes in this series, Falkenberg's Legion and Prince of Mercenaries, were solely the work of Jerry PournelleJerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
. In 2002, all four Falkenberg books, including the two listed below, were published in a single volume, The Prince
The Prince (Pournelle)
The Prince is a science fiction compilation by Jerry Pournelle and S.M. Stirling. It is part of the CoDominium future history series. The Prince is a compilation of four previously published novels: Falkenberg's Legion, Prince of Mercenaries, Go Tell The Spartans, and Prince of Sparta...
. The Falkenberg books are part of the larger "CoDominium
CoDominium
-The CoDominium series:*A Spaceship for the King *He Fell into a Dark Hole *The Mote in God's Eye...
" series, which also includes The Mote in God's Eye
The Mote in God's Eye
The Mote in God's Eye is a science fiction novel by American writers Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, first published in 1974. The story is set in the distant future of Pournelle's CoDominium universe, and charts the first contact between humanity and an alien species. The title of the novel is a...
and The Gripping Hand
The Gripping Hand
The Gripping Hand is a 1993 novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It is a sequel to their multi-award-nominated 1974 work The Mote in God's Eye. The Gripping Hand is, chronologically, the last novel of the CoDominium universe it is set in...
by Pournelle and Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
. Stirling's books in this series are popular with many Western soldiers for their portrayal of the mechanics of an ideologically driven insurgency.
with Jerry Pournelle
- Go Tell the Spartans (1991)
- Prince of Sparta (1993)
Belonging to series by other authors
- The Children's Hour (1991) (with Jerry PournelleJerry PournelleJerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
) (Part of the Man-Kzin WarsMan-Kzin WarsThe Man-Kzin Wars is a series of military science fiction short story collections , as well as the eponymous conflicts between mankind and the Kzinti that they detail...
series) - Blood Feuds (1993) (with Judith TarrJudith TarrJudith Tarr is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University...
and Susan ShwartzSusan ShwartzSusan Shwartz is an American author.She received her B.A. in English from Mount Holyoke College in 1972 and a Ph.D. in English from Harvard University.-Novels:* The Woman of Flowers * Byzantium's Crown...
and Harry TurtledoveHarry TurtledoveHarry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
(Part of the War WorldWar WorldWar World is a series of collaborative science fiction books set in the CoDominium universe of Jerry Pournelle, some novels being co-authored by Larry Niven and S. M. Stirling, as well as John F. Carr and Don Hawthorne. It consists of five short story collections by various authors and two novels...
sub-series in the CoDominiumCoDominium-The CoDominium series:*A Spaceship for the King *He Fell into a Dark Hole *The Mote in God's Eye...
series, originally created by Jerry Pournelle.) - The City who Fought (1993) (with Anne McCaffrey) (Part of The Ship Who SangThe Ship Who SangThe Ship Who Sang is a science fiction novel by Anne McCaffrey, a fix-up of five stories published 1961 to 1969. Alternatively, "The Ship Who Sang" is the earliest of the stories, a novelette, which became the first chapter of the book...
series) - Blood Vengeance (1994) (with Susan ShwartzSusan ShwartzSusan Shwartz is an American author.She received her B.A. in English from Mount Holyoke College in 1972 and a Ph.D. in English from Harvard University.-Novels:* The Woman of Flowers * Byzantium's Crown...
, Judith TarrJudith TarrJudith Tarr is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University...
, Harry TurtledoveHarry TurtledoveHarry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
and Jerry PournelleJerry PournelleJerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
(Also part of the "War World" sub-series) - The Ship Avenged (1997) (Part of The Ship Who SangThe Ship Who SangThe Ship Who Sang is a science fiction novel by Anne McCaffrey, a fix-up of five stories published 1961 to 1969. Alternatively, "The Ship Who Sang" is the earliest of the stories, a novelette, which became the first chapter of the book...
series) - "A Whiff of Grapeshot" (1998) (short story in the anthology More Than HonorMore Than HonorMore Than Honor, published in 1998, was the first anthology of stories set in the Honorverse.The book contains the following stories:"A Beautiful Friendship" by David Weber * An excerpt of More Than Honor is available for download or reading online at** The Baen Free Library .** The whole anthology...
, set in the HonorverseHonorverseThe Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
) - Jimmy the Hand (2003) (with Raymond E. FeistRaymond E. FeistRaymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
) (Part of the RiftwarRiftwarThe Riftwar Saga is a series of fantasy novels by Raymond E. Feist, the first series in The Riftwar Cycle.-Magician:"To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan called Pug came to study with the Master Magician Kulgan...
series)
Flight Engineer series
with James DoohanJames Doohan
James Montgomery "Jimmy" Doohan was a Canadian character and voice actor best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series Star Trek...
- The RisingThe Rising (Flight Engineer)The Rising is the first of the three science fiction novels of the Flight Engineer by S. M. Stirling and James Doohan.- Plot summary :...
(1996) - The PrivateerThe Privateer (Flight Engineer)The Privateer is the second of the three science fiction novels of the Flight Engineer by S. M. Stirling and James Doohan.- Plot summary :...
(1999) - The Independent CommandThe Independent Command (Flight Engineer)The Independent Command is the third of the three science fiction novels of the Flight Engineer by S. M. Stirling and James Doohan.- Plot summary :...
(2000)
Terminator 2 series
- T2: Infiltrator (2001)
- T2: Rising Storm (2002)
- T2: The Future War (2003)
Not part of any series
- The Rose Sea (1994) with Holly LisleHolly LisleHolly Lisle is an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, paranormal romance and romantic suspense novels. She is also known for her work in educating writers, including her e-book Mugging the Muse: Writing Fiction for Love And Money, the Forward Motion Writers' Community web site, and her...
- The Peshawar LancersThe Peshawar LancersThe Peshawar Lancers is an alternate history, steampunk, post-apocalyptic fiction adventure novel by S. M. Stirling, with its point of divergence occurring in 1878 when the Earth is struck by a devastating meteor shower...
(2001)- "Shikari in GalvestonShikari in GalvestonShikari in Galveston is an alternate history short story written by S. M. Stirling. It is a prequel to The Peshawar Lancers.-Plot summary:...
" (2003) (short story)
- "Shikari in Galveston
- Conquistador (2003)
- Ice, Iron and Gold (2007) (short-story collection) (includes one Emberverse tale, one Nantucket tale, three Bolo tales, and other stories)
External links
- The official S.M. Stirling Web Site (also has a "compleat" bibliography)
- Several excerpts (in many cases several chapters long) from Stirling's novels.
- Bibliography on SciFanSciFanSciFan is an online database for fans of science fiction and fantasy books.The site provides detailed bibliographies, linking books together into series' where appropriate and, in turn, grouping series by universe...
- Interview with Peter Hodges
- Dragon Page Podcasts Interview with Stirling
- "S. M. Stirling’s Strange World of Alternate History" by Fredric Smoler - Magazine column discussing various titles by Stirling, including the Draka trilogy, the Nantucket trilogy, The Peshawar Lancers, and The Sky People.