War World
Encyclopedia
War 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. Most stories take place on a single world, Haven, and many involve battles between Haven's people and the ruthless genetically engineered race of supersoldiers called Saurons.
to its primary, giving it an 86 hour 43 minute long day-night cycle with respect to Byer's Star and a 131 hour 55 minute Dimday/night cycle with respect to Catseye. It has a thin but breatheable atmosphere; this, combined with its distance from Byer's star, make surface conditions on most of Haven very cold and dry, so much so that initial habitation is limited to a single large valley at the equator
. Haven is originally settled by the Universal Church of New Harmony, but they are quickly joined by "involuntary colonists" (exiled criminals) from Earth, and later other exiles from the CoDominium. Following the defeat of the Saurons and the destruction of their homeworld by the forces of the Empire, a remnant of the Sauron forces occupy the planet as a last hidden refuge. Known HaBandari (The Band) clans are the fan Reenans, fan Gimbutas, fan Tellerman and fan Haller.
rejuvenated the series with the publication of War World: The Battle of Sauron, by Carr and Don Hawthorne (Pequod Press, 2007). The series is starting over with the publication of War World: Discovery (2010), edited by John F. Carr. The new books will be published in chronological order, with Discovery providing background on the first surveys and colonization. The new volumes include fresh stories intermixed with ones from the original series, providing a more complete look at the War World universe. A new web site for the War World series is found at WarWorldCentral.comhttp://www.WarWorldCentral.com.
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...
books set in the CoDominium
CoDominium
-The CoDominium series:*A Spaceship for the King *He Fell into a Dark Hole *The Mote in God's Eye...
universe of 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....
, some novels being co-authored by 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...
and S. M. Stirling
S. M. Stirling
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.-Personal:Stirling was born on...
, as well as John F. Carr
John F. Carr
John Francis Carr, was born December 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Diego, California. He is a science fiction editor and writer.-Career:John F...
and Don Hawthorne. It consists of five short story collections by various authors and two novels. Most stories take place on a single world, Haven, and many involve battles between Haven's people and the ruthless genetically engineered race of supersoldiers called Saurons.
The War World Setting
The War World series is set mostly on a single world, Haven. It is a marginally habitable moon of a supergiant planet called Cat's Eye, the fourth planet in the Byer's star system. Haven is synchronically tide-lockedTidal locking
Tidal locking occurs when the gravitational gradient makes one side of an astronomical body always face another; for example, the same side of the Earth's Moon always faces the Earth. A tidally locked body takes just as long to rotate around its own axis as it does to revolve around its partner...
to its primary, giving it an 86 hour 43 minute long day-night cycle with respect to Byer's Star and a 131 hour 55 minute Dimday/night cycle with respect to Catseye. It has a thin but breatheable atmosphere; this, combined with its distance from Byer's star, make surface conditions on most of Haven very cold and dry, so much so that initial habitation is limited to a single large valley at the equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. Haven is originally settled by the Universal Church of New Harmony, but they are quickly joined by "involuntary colonists" (exiled criminals) from Earth, and later other exiles from the CoDominium. Following the defeat of the Saurons and the destruction of their homeworld by the forces of the Empire, a remnant of the Sauron forces occupy the planet as a last hidden refuge. Known HaBandari (The Band) clans are the fan Reenans, fan Gimbutas, fan Tellerman and fan Haller.
Contents
The books in this series were written by several authors. They consist of five collections of short stories and three collaborative novels. Each volume takes place in roughly chronological internal order, but starting in different time periods (for instance, CoDominium: Revolt on War World, chronologically the last collection in the series, is set during the earliest years of human settlement on Haven). Blood Feuds incorporates material that originally appeared in the short story collections. John F. CarrJohn F. Carr
John Francis Carr, was born December 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Diego, California. He is a science fiction editor and writer.-Career:John F...
rejuvenated the series with the publication of War World: The Battle of Sauron, by Carr and Don Hawthorne (Pequod Press, 2007). The series is starting over with the publication of War World: Discovery (2010), edited by John F. Carr. The new books will be published in chronological order, with Discovery providing background on the first surveys and colonization. The new volumes include fresh stories intermixed with ones from the original series, providing a more complete look at the War World universe. A new web site for the War World series is found at WarWorldCentral.comhttp://www.WarWorldCentral.com.
- War World, Vol 1: The Burning Eye (1988)
- "Prolog: Discovery" (unattributed)
- "Haven" (unattributed) - Even before colonization, Haven is a source of conflict as factions fight to determine its status.
- "Dream Valley" - Edward P. Hughes - On the prison world of Haven, the strong can enslave the weak... unless they're clever.
- "The Toymaker and the General" - Mike ResnickMike ResnickMichael Diamond Resnick , better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is an American science fiction author. He was executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe.-Biography:...
- An expert in combat cyborgCyborgA cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
s is hunted down for his skills. - "The Deserter" - Poul AndersonPoul AndersonPoul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...
- As the Empire withdraws, only a legendary strategist can preserve civilization on Haven. - "Rate of Exchange" - Roland GreenRoland J. GreenRoland James Green is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and editor. He has written as Roland Green and Roland J. Green; and had 28 books in the Richard Blade series published as Jeffrey Lord .- Early life and personal matters :Green was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania, in 1944...
and John F. CarrJohn F. CarrJohn Francis Carr, was born December 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Diego, California. He is a science fiction editor and writer.-Career:John F...
- With the Empire gone, Haven's economy has collapsed, and its social order is about to follow. - "The Coming of the Eye" - Don Hawthorne - Haven's fragmented nations must defend themselves against powerful Sauron invaders.
- "The Great Beer Shortage" - Janet MorrisJanet MorrisJanet Ellen Morris is an American author of fiction and nonfiction, best known for her fantasy and science fiction and her authorship of a nonlethal weapons concept for the U.S. military.-Writing:...
and David DrakeDavid DrakeDavid 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 Saurons find they must not only conquer Haven, but themselves as well. - "Necessity" - S. M. StirlingS. M. StirlingStephen 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.-Personal:Stirling was born on...
- Refugees from the Sauron assault combine into a new nation, the HaBandari, who will become the Saurons' strongest enemy. - "Tribute Maidens" - 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 :...
- To maintain their breeding population, the Saurons demand the strongest daughters of those they conquer. - "A Lion to the Sea" - John DalmasJohn DalmasJohn Robert Jones writes science fiction as John Dalmas. He has written many books based on military and governmental themes. His first published novel was The Yngling serialized beginning in the October/November 1969 issue of Analog....
- As centuries pass, the Sauron domination of Haven grows stronger, driving many tribes further into the wilderness, and forming strange alliances among them. - "Discovery" (unattributed) - Does the Empire suspect that some Saurons have survived?
- "Excerpt from Bar Lev's A Traveler's Tale of Twenty Worlds" (unattributed) - A fragment of evidence hints at the Saurons' fate.
- War World, Vol 2: Death's Head Rebellion (1990)
- Introduction (unattributed)
- "The Face of the Enemy" - Don Hawthorne - As the Secession Wars grind on for generations, The Empire is driven to desperation and paranoia.
- "Death's Head Patrol" - Roland Greene and John F. Carr - The Saurons thought they could just drop in and take Haven. They soon learned otherwise.
- "Strong Blood" - G. C. EdmondsonG. C. EdmondsonG. C. Edmondson was the working name of science fiction author Garry Edmonson . During World War II he served in the U. S...
- As starving refugees flee from the Saurons into the harsh wilderness, they must learn new ways to survive... including some that they would never have considered before. - "Brenda" - Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence 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...
- On the planet Tanith, one Sauron has also survived, and found a way to blend into the population - literally. - "Some Things Survive" - John LaValley - A single ship from the planet Frystaat is sent out to hunt the last remaining Saurons, in what most believe is a fools' errand.
- "No Such Thing as a Non-Lethal Weapon" - James Landau - Haveners must now adapt to a more violent world, but sometimes even a pacifist can find a way to fight.
- "Loved Not I Honor More" - Martin Tays - The Sauron practice of taking "tribute maidens" for breeding drives some to the greatest lengths for revenge.
- "The Field of Double Sowing" - Harry Turtledove - The Sauron breeding program is not perfect; sometimes those who are rejected as "inferior" can prove to be of great worth. A retelling of Oedipus Rex.
- "Far Above Rubies" - 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...
- The Haveners have learned the value of Sauron genes, and seek to add them to their own bloodlines at every opportunity, by adopting their outcast children. - "Tayok's Base" (unattributed)
- War World, Vol 3: Sauron Dominion (1991)
- "Prologue" (unattributed)
- "War World Economics" - (unattributed) - The HaBandari are a Havener nation descended from refugees, bandits and exiled soldiers. Their greatest strength is not just their superb military abilities, but their habit of making shrewd alliances...
- "The Gates of Paradise" - Don Hawthorne - Controlling the access to the few deep valleys on Haven is vital, for only there does the air contain enough oxygen for safe childbirth.
- "Maitreya and the Cyborg" - John Dalmas - The last surviving Sauron Cyborg encounters a society that cannot be cowed by military force.
- "Building a Pillar" - John LaValley - An isolated Frystaater community on Haven must make contact with outsiders to survive; but there is too much room for potentially deadly misunderstanding.
- "Aegir's Children" - Phillip Pournelle - A seafaring society may hold the key to a new industrial age for Haven, if the Saurons don't destroy them first.
- "Ceremonies at the Last Bar in the Village" - John HartnettJohn HartnettJohn Hartnett is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1983 until 1984. He contributed to Cork's victory in the Centenary Cup in 1984.- References :...
- Saurons don't make allies, they conquer! But a little gesture of friendship never hurt. - "Juchi the Accursed" - Harry Turtledove - A blind old man and his teenage daughter cannot possibly be a threat to the mighty Saurons. At least, that's what they tell themselves...
- "Seven Against Nûrnen" - 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...
- Seven warriors unite to take down Haven's masters, and a legend begins. - "Shame and Honor" - S. M. Stirling - A female warrior of the HaBandari must reluctantly ally with a Sauron soldier to survive in hostile territory.
- War World, Vol 4: Invasion (1994)
- "Introduction" - Charles E. Gannon - On the refueling station which shares its orbit with Haven, the withdrawal of the Empire has made life very hard—but the coming of the Saurons will make it much harder.
- "The Railroad" - John Dalmas - As news of the Saurons' coming slowly spreads across Haven, its people experience a growing sense of shock and horror.
- "A Better Kind of War" - Don Hawthorne - Since the Empire left, Haveners had been at war with each other. Now the Saurons had come to give them a common enemy, but old hates are hard to put aside.
- "The Boatswain" - Alan Brown - A small group of refugees seeks safety with help from an old, retired naval hero.
- "The Gift of the Magi" - Charles E. Gannon - Rumors tell of a small band on Haven who still retain the old knowledge of science and technology. But they're only rumors... aren't they?
- "A Little Beastliness" - Edward P. Hughes - As the Saurons continue to hunt down and destroy all remnants of Haven's industries, many find that to survive, they must act like harmless primitives... for the rest of their lives.
- "Those Who Lose" - Harry Turtledove - The Saurons are ruthless in their conquest. To them, slavery and rape are merely tools of policy.
- "Kings Who Die" - S. M. Stirling - On Haven, the age of history is over. It is now an age of legends; and the leader of the newly formed HaBandari tribe must die a hero, to become a Legend that will live on and inspire others to fight.
- CoDominium: Revolt on War World (1992)
- "The Lost and the Founder" (unattributed) - A small-time hustler starts a movement that will someday go to the stars.
- "The Garden Spot" - Don Hawthorne - Haven is a wasteland from pole to pole; but even it has resources worth fighting for... and killing for.
- "In Concert" - E. R. Stewart - The Church of Harmony thought they would have the barren moon Haven all to themselves, but Earth's politicians had other ideas.
- "Janesfort War" - Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
and Frank GasperikFrank GasperikFrank Gasperik was an author, songwriter and filksinger.Frank appeared as a character in several science fiction novels including Lucifer's Hammer , Footfall...
- Haven has become a dumping ground for criminals, and some eccentric locals decide to hire a few protectors. - "The Coming of the Dinneh" - John Dalmas - Apache rebels from Earth are exiled to the ultimate reservation—Haven!
- "Politics of Melos" - 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...
- A naïve aristocrat from Earth becomes a common convict on a hellish prison planet. - "Hang Together" - Harry Turtledove - War makes strange bedfellows; but none stranger than Russian nationalist fanatics and Estonian freedom fighters!
- "Sons of Hawaii" - William F. WuWilliam F. WuWilliam F. Wu is a Chinese-American science fiction author. He published his first story in 1977. Since then, Wu has written thirteen published novels, one scholarly work, and a collection of short stories...
- A manipulative white-collar criminal and his naïve brother are exiled to Haven. Can two formerly wealthy sons of Hawaii survive, let alone thrive, on this dry, frigid world? - "Fire and Ice" - Eric Vinicoff - A rebellion is put down by an experimental group of surgically enhanced suicide soldiers, funded by a newly-settled planet... called Sauron.
- "Farewell to Haven" (unattributed)
- Blood Feuds (1992) 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...
, S.M. Stirling, 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 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 :...
- The HaBandari and their allies organise an uprising against the Sauron overlords. Combines material from "The Field of Double Sowing", "Far Above Rubies", "Juchi the Accursed", and "Seven Against Nûrnen", as well as original material.
- Blood Vengeance (1994) 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...
, S.M. Stirling, 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 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 :...
- As the legend of the Seven swells into a movement that sweeps Haven, millions rise up to fight in the greatest and bloodiest battle this War World has ever seen.
- War World: The Battle of Sauron (2007) John F. CarrJohn F. CarrJohn Francis Carr, was born December 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Diego, California. He is a science fiction editor and writer.-Career:John F...
, Don Hawthorne - The Battle of Sauron chronicles the final battle in the war between the Empire of Man and the Sauron Coalition of Secession; this is the battle that will determine whether mankind is supplanted by the Saurons, a race dedicated to the military arts, or continues to reign triumphant over the disparate and far flung worlds of man. When a shipload of Saurons bent on conquest arrive unexpectedly, War World goes from pest-hole to Hellhole!
- War World: Discovery (2010) ed. John F. CarrJohn F. CarrJohn Francis Carr, was born December 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Diego, California. He is a science fiction editor and writer.-Career:John F...
- A new anthology containing five reprinted and nine original stories. - War World: Discovery is the opening volume in a series that will present War World’s history in a chronological fashion for the very first time.- "The Lost and the Founder" - E. R. Stewart - (reprinted from CoDominium: Revolt on War World) (1998 AD) A small-time hustler starts a movement that will someday go to the stars.
- "Discovery" (Jerry Pournelle) - (expanded version of "Prolog: Discovery" from War World, Vol 1: The Burning Eye) (2032 AD)
- "The Garden Spot" - Don Hawthorne - (expanded from CoDominium: Revolt on War World) (2034 AD) Haven is a wasteland from pole to pole; but even it has resources worth fighting for... and killing for.
- "In Concert" - E. R. Stewart - (reprinted from CoDominium: Revolt on War World) (2038 AD) The Church of Harmony thought they would have the barren moon Haven all to themselves, but Earth's politicians had other ideas.
- "The Shimmer Stone Scam" - John F. Carr - (2041 AD)
- "Nothing In Common" - Leslie Fish - (2044 AD)
- "Hell's-A-Comin'" - John F. Carr - (2045 AD)
- "Counterpoint" - A. L. Brown - (2045 AD)
- "Astronomy Lesson" - Steven Shervais - Class Notes for Lecture #1, Applied Astronomy (Overview) - Notes on Haven, its parent star Cat's Eye, and the Byers System, presented as an astronomy lesson in school.
- "On Jordan's Stormy Banks" - A. L. Brown - (2047 AD)
- "Janesfort War" - Leslie Fish and Frank Gasperik - (reprinted from CoDominium: Revolt on War World) (2055 AD) Haven has become a dumping ground for criminals, and some eccentric locals decide to hire a few protectors.
- "Last Chance" - Steven Shervais - (story told in 2063 AD, flashbacks from 2045 - 2056 AD)
- "Steppe Stone" - William F. Wu - (2055 AD)
- "Down the Rabid Hole" - Charles E. Gannon - (2057 AD & 2671 AD)