The Chrysalids
question
So what's up with the NZ focus in SciFi?
Vanessa
(last edited
Jun 23, 2014 02:03AM
)
May 25, 2014 01:57AM
I am an avid reader who is starting to spread their wings into the wacky worlds of SciFi. I also happen to be a NZer.
So imagine my surprise when the first two books I choose as my jump off points into the genre have New Zealand references that I'd never anticipated or heard of before. I've just finished The Chrysalids which I loved and have recently started The Stars my Destination where the main character gets a Maori facial tattoo.
Can any SciFi gurus offer any comment as to author fascination with my wee homeland?
OMG! Just finished reading my third sci-fi novel, Ender's Game, and there is another Maori NZ reference. I'm guessing Mr Scott Card was influenced by The Stars My Destination, but still. How freaky there's been an NZ reference in every single one!
As for the "wee" ref, my Scottish friend, I'm sure you're aware that Scots made up a large contingent of early European settlers here. In fact to some people refer to Dunedin in the South Island as the Edinburgh of the South. Many New Zealanders from Dunedin and parts further south still roll their "r's" like with a Scottish accent.
So imagine my surprise when the first two books I choose as my jump off points into the genre have New Zealand references that I'd never anticipated or heard of before. I've just finished The Chrysalids which I loved and have recently started The Stars my Destination where the main character gets a Maori facial tattoo.
Can any SciFi gurus offer any comment as to author fascination with my wee homeland?
OMG! Just finished reading my third sci-fi novel, Ender's Game, and there is another Maori NZ reference. I'm guessing Mr Scott Card was influenced by The Stars My Destination, but still. How freaky there's been an NZ reference in every single one!
As for the "wee" ref, my Scottish friend, I'm sure you're aware that Scots made up a large contingent of early European settlers here. In fact to some people refer to Dunedin in the South Island as the Edinburgh of the South. Many New Zealanders from Dunedin and parts further south still roll their "r's" like with a Scottish accent.
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In the Chrysalids - and many other books - it's the relative isolation, and particularly the distance from the Northern Hemisphere countries, that matters: it's easy to believe that an apocalyptic event would be triggered somewhere in that hemisphere and NZ is remote enough that it might, just might, escape the worst ravages of whatever happened ...
That doesn't directly apply to all SF books that involve NZ though; I think in many books - and I'd cite Robert Heinlein's "Friday" as an example - it's the physical distance that brings a certain cultural difference that is often used as a plot device.
That doesn't directly apply to all SF books that involve NZ though; I think in many books - and I'd cite Robert Heinlein's "Friday" as an example - it's the physical distance that brings a certain cultural difference that is often used as a plot device.
Vanessa wrote: " as to author fascination with my wee homeland?"
im from Scotland and just a 'wee' bit surprised at seeing someone else using 'wee'. I thought it was just us that used it...lol
im from Scotland and just a 'wee' bit surprised at seeing someone else using 'wee'. I thought it was just us that used it...lol
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