More Questions from an L.E. Modesitt Fan

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hippie52
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Post by hippie52 »

Certainly the USA has had its share of mercantile wars. The Marines were inserted into Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, et al, in the first quarter of the 20th Century. We had "Gunboat Diplomacy" at about the same time in China. Many, if not most, of the world's wars up until the early 1800's had their roots in either mercantilism or, in the Middle Ages, about land and economic gain from owning turf. That's just the European side of things.

Soldiers march on their stomachs but merchants sell them the marchign food.

On a slightly different note... Quilla? Pickled prickle? What did you have to eat as a child that became the genesis of these?
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Foods

Post by lmodesitt »

Asparagus and squash...

I've actually eaten prickly pear, and it's not bad, but I liked the idea of "prickly" foods being unappealing to protagonists.


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Post by Aunflin »

Ah, asparagus=Quilla...never thought of that. But asparagus does definitely resembled a quill. For some reason, I always associated quilla with okra...hmmm...

Actually, I quite like asparagus--steamed and served with butter, salt, and pepper--yummy.

Anyone ever been to an asparagus festival? My friend, who was originally from Michigan, went up for his sister's wedding last summer--he's been living here in St. Louis for the better part of his life--and hurriedly called me up--laughing. He was utterly amazed at the proliferance of asparagus: numerous dishes and etc. plus the festival...

Just imagine: people drinking beer and eating asparagus...the porta-potties must have reeked horribly--a sulphurous beer-stench wafting forth into the crowd. pew!
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Post by Aunflin »

Mr. Modesitt,

I was curious about the connection between magic and technology in the world of Recluce. Why did you decide on this route? I find the idea utterly fascinating--especially how the Balance seems to regulate the proliferance (used it again--is this even a word? :? ) of technology/science--and even its effectiveness/usefulness. Example: gunpowder vs. Chaos Magic: a very bad idea...

Also, do you have a "thing" for steam-power? It seems that in several of your books, people employ "steamers" of one sort or another. Would such be more ecologically sound...?

Hmmm...

That's all for now. :wink:
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Post by Croaker »

Aunflin wrote:Also, do you have a "thing" for steam-power? It seems that in several of your books, people employ "steamers" of one sort or another. Would such be more ecologically sound...?
Due to water's expansion rate steam power is actually pretty effective source of energy. Nuclear reactors are basically steam engines, when you get down to it. I doubt that's the answer to your question but that's my $0.05.

Assuming you have a "clean" fuel, steam engine could be pretty ecologically friendly.
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Post by Aunflin »

I was thinking sort of along those lines...and then an image of an old coal-powered train, smoke billowing forth, popped into my head.

I agree with you, Croaker...forgot about Nuclear Reactors. :slap:

But what power-source is both clean and efficient (and economically feasible) at the same time?
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lmodesitt
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Magic & Steam

Post by lmodesitt »

My overall view on "magic" actually comes from human nature. People like things that work and work the same way every time. Unless he is truly desperate, no general is going to have mages whose magic is unpredictable. That's too dangerous. Think about computers and cars. People want a car that starts every time you turn the key. Windows systems probably work over 98% of the time, and look at how many complaints there are. In any world where magic exists, those who are successful will make a regular "system" for it, and will discover its laws. I adapted the idea of Balance from our own universe, because there are balances, although all too many business people and politicians do their best to ignore them or to minimize people's understanding of them.

As for steam, it's a technology, especially with flash boilers, that has a great number of advantages, and one huge disadvantage [water freezes].
But...with the right fuels, it's far more environmentally sound. Internal combustion engines got a huge "subsidy" in our world because oil and gasoline were comparatively cheap and no one cared or worried about the true total costs of using them.


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Post by Aunflin »

What about the Stirling Engine? I read an article (can't remember what magazine or the title of the article) concerning a solar-powered Stirling Engine somebody rigged up.

Some how (I don't know who the guy is) an Inventor (let's call him that) created some sort of solar mirror that reflects sunlight, which it somehow magnifies, using the "sun-beam" to power the Engine. And the sun-beam was supposedly hot enough to catch wood on fire...

*sigh* Guess I need to go look it up so I can get the facts straight--but I've so many magiazines scattered about... Or maybe someone else read the same article.

I don't know...
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Post by Aunflin »

Here, let me get a little more far-fetched:

I read about all the little microrganisms living at the bottom of the ocean, all the ones create methane--and apparently don't breath oxygen.

But anyway, would it be feasible in any way, shape, or form for us to somehow cultivate "fuel-producing" bacteria...? Say, have veritable septic tank in your vehicle that you periodically throw waste into, the bacteria breaks it down, creating fuel, which your vehicle runs off of? A melding of biology and technology?

*I shake my head. Pretty fantastical. But the thought's been with me since I read the article...*

Any thoughts--anyone...?
"A writer's chosen task is to write well and professionally. If you can't keep doing it, then you're no longer a professional, but a gifted amateur." L. E. Modessit, jr.
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Post by crispind »

Aunflin wrote:Say, have veritable septic tank in your vehicle that you periodically throw waste into, the bacteria breaks it down, creating fuel, which your vehicle runs off of? A melding of biology and technology?
Just finished reading Gravity Dreams and that sounds like the nanotechnology used.

Anyway, I've wondered since reading all your books where (or how) you got the scientific background to make all of your books seem plausible?
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Post by torybear »

Well timed question Crispind...I was going to ask the same. I was rereading Magic Engineer and wondring how the heck does he know what all those things are...
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Post by Aunflin »

ditto...

Probably lots of research...that would be my guess, torybear and Crispind.

And my question, Mr. Modesitt, concerns the books you read for research (if any, though I assume you did) about blacksmithing... I can never really find anything dealing with black smithing and all that goes with it, though my one grandpa used to shoe his own horses...--he always had a horse on the farm, since a horse could go places even a four-wheel-drive truck or a tractor couldn't go...

Well, enough of my early morning blabber...for now, anyway. :wink:
"A writer's chosen task is to write well and professionally. If you can't keep doing it, then you're no longer a professional, but a gifted amateur." L. E. Modessit, jr.
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Post by KiltanneN »

Aunflin,

I am not really sure how much one could learn about smithing of any kind from books. Sad to say - but I think it seems to me to be the kind of knowledge where experiance is at least as important & possibly even more so than theory.

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Post by Aunflin »

I know, kilt, but it would be nice to at least know the proper terminology, temperatures--a very basic sort of knowledge. I'm sure if I knew that...I could bluff my way through it...
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Research, etc.

Post by lmodesitt »

Most of the science comes from a combination of my education, experience, and wide reading over a long period of time. I did have to bone up on blacksmithing, which required not only a lot of reading, but a few visits to actual smithies. One thing did become very clear. Iron -- hot or cold -- is very, very hard.


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Re: Research, etc.

Post by Aunflin »

lmodesitt wrote:One thing did become very clear. Iron -- hot or cold -- is very, very hard.

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
LOL--I don't know, but for some reason, that statement struck me as very humorous... :clap:
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Timediver's Dawn and The TimeGod

Post by ironwill96 »

I figured it would hijack my own topic to post some more questions/comments on two of Modesitt's novels I just finished reading.

I stayed up until 3:00-4:00 a.m. several days in a row finishing these two novels (I have the duology edition of them). As usual, excellent writing! I did have a few questions though about some of the stuff that happened that was confusing to me (SPOILER WARNING):

1. How did Loki realize that Sammis and Wryan faked her death?

2. What significance was there to the "infant child" burning the mother's skin (assuming it was Loki of course). Is this how his parents knew that he would be the cause of great change? I was a little unclear on how they knew so much about his destiny beforehand, when foretiming on Query is dodgy and blurry even with the best of timedivers. I assume Sammis was involved with them b/c of his blood-relation to Loki's mother.

3. How does objective time pass on Query in relation to the subjective time on another planet? This concept intrigued me but I could never quite get my mind around it. I guess many of the paradoxes and problems brought up with when time travelling apply here!

4. What did Loki write on the tablets (other than the map showing Query). Does it say something to the effect of "The "God" who caused these ill effects exists here." Or is it something left up to the reader's imagination?

5. It is constantly mentioned that much of the older history is left out of the archives, and Loki asks Sammis about it. He claims that no one had the time. If they truly are immortal (Sammis and Wryan are 2 million years old for instance), then couldn't he write some of it down at some point or was he just too busy?

I know some of these questions are kind of frivolous and you may not want to answer them, so feel free to ignore my ramblings. I just finished the book and loved it. The ideas presented within were fabulous as well as the strong warnings against a society built on the works of others. I often fear that most Americans are exactly like Querians - they love high-tech goods but have absolutely no idea how to repair or make them. The common post-atomic war (or any other large disaster of similar scale) situation comes to mind where we are left as a low-tech culture reminiscing over the power of the ancients. A commone theme in fantasy/sci-fi novels, but it would probably be a reality if a large enough disaster were to befall us!

Just some thoughts,
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Post by MidasKnight »

Hydrogen is the future.

It is perfect.

That's all I'll say here but I wanted to say at least that much.
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Post by jweb »

MidasKnight wrote:Hydrogen is the future.
Technically, Hydrogen is the past and present. In the future, the universe's hydrogen will have fused into heavier elements. :)
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Post by MidasKnight »

This should probably become a new thread, but I'm not referring to elemental hydrogen necessarily. With sunlight, water and the weather cycle, we have a virtual unlimited supply of clean fuel.
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Post by Aunflin »

Unfortunately, knowing something is possible and getting it to work are two entirely different things.

Imagine what would happen to the economy if hydrogen technology was fully figured out and immediately pushed in to replace fossil fuels...jobs would be lost, companies out of business (though I know many oil and car companies are working with fuel cell tech and etc to keep on top of the game)... A very scary idea.

And what would We all do? Us with our combustion driven cars? I guess we'd all be forced to buy new cars. And after that, what would become of the junk we once drove? I'm sure it could be salvaged...but such a waste--especially if you have a new car.

It seems to me that the gradual approach would be the best. Slowly weaning ourselves from fossil fuels would likely be more feasible, if not entirely ecologically sound. But think, just 'cause we do this in the US and other first world countries, what about the greater poorer world, many of which still use leaded gas...?

Hmmm...

My ramble has ended. :wink:
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Post by KiltanneN »

MidasKnight wrote:Hydrogen is the future.

It is perfect.

That's all I'll say here but I wanted to say at least that much.

MK -

1] did this have ANY relevance to the thread preceding it?

2] Does it have ANY relevance to Modesitt's writing?

3] Does it belong anywhwere BUT the Soapbox?

[I stand ready to be convinced of ANY of the above... ] ;)

kilt
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Thanks Kilt

Post by ironwill96 »

I was trying to figure out how it was related to my questions to Mr. Modesitt about The Timegod. It's ok if I hijack my own thread to ask more questions since the topic title is "More Questions from an L.E. Modesitt Fan" :-)

To bring it back on topic, according to The Timegod (and I guess maybe Mr. Modesitt himself) - fusion reactors are the future, not hydrogen!

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Post by fortyseven »

actually hydrogen is produced all the time in alpha decay.
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Re: Thanks Kilt

Post by jweb »

ironwill96 wrote:To bring it back on topic, according to The Timegod (and I guess maybe Mr. Modesitt himself) - fusion reactors are the future, not hydrogen!
Actually, fusion reactors are all over the place. They're called: stars! During most of a stars life, the star's gravity causes hydrogen to fuse into helium. After the hydrogen runs out, the helium fuses into heavier elements (up to iron), until the star finally dies (by going nova :hot:, burning out :cold:, or collapsing into a black hole :hot2:). So if humans ever do develop fusion reactors, they will almost definitely be hydrogen fusion reactors (at least at first).
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