Novel conditions

--- In spacesettlers@y..., "Andy Doerksen" wrote:
> Hello, all. I'd like to ask a plausibility question related to a
novel I'm
> writing. I thought I'd show you a list of elements in the
situation I
> envision:
>
> - Solar System colonies (including the moons of the gas giants)
that have
> achieved independence from Earth
> - smallscale space travel capability (e.g., 1- or 2-man craft
capability,
> not just
> huge, expensive monsters), due in large measure to lightweight
spaceship
> material (nano-built?)

The first mention I had ever seen of lightsails was in Pierre
Boule's "Planet of the Apes"; a far better book than the movies ever
were. The craft was a two-man (actually two-chimp) vehicle, with a
sail something like twenty kilometers across.

> - a pseudo-feudal system, no System-wide coherence, yet with
(naturally)
> advanced technology -- but no one state has the power to dominate
the
> others
> (this element is reminiscent of Star Wars; I want there to be a
medieval
> feel to it
> but without sacrificing high-tech)

I suggest reading "Privateer" by Ben Bova for an illustration of the
development of such a society, as well as "The Stars My Destination"
by Alfred Bester (with his hollowed-out asteroid colonies).

> - Earth and Mars devastated by a mammoth Earth-vs-Colonies war,
perhaps
> involving nanos/mems, perhaps biotech; I'm not sure yet

That sounds like a good background story; perhaps the war itself
would make for an interesting setting (ie new technologies being
developed at a faster pace due to the pressures of the war, and your
valiant hero seeking to prevent the destruction of Mars, and Earth
too if he has the time).

>
> To sum up: think 'The Postman' but with space mobility.

As long as Kevin Costner doesn't star in the movie version... if I
see one more movie with Costner trying to be Mad Max I think I'll
scream.

:) ed