Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter

Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
imagine five of them.

https://www.tor.com/2023/01/11/five-sff-worlds-threatened-by-endless-winter/
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

On Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 10:28:50 AM UTC-5, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
>
> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
> imagine five of them.

For some reason I find novels set on cold worlds to be particularly absorbing. Perhaps this is
a reflection of the winters I missed during my stay in Texas, and three of my four years in
North Carolina.

However, it's not easy to do this in a hard-sf way. If there's no water the place is uninhabitable,
if there is water it will probably become a snowball.

One possible solution is a slushball planet, where a deep tropical ocean stays ice free in an
area about the size of the North Atlantic. With just the right amount of sunlight the
rest of the planet will be ice covered. Not quite the same thing though. The temperature
on an island in this ocean might soar as high as 15C!

Another possible solution is to use a planet mainly warmed by infrared. Snow is black in
the IR, so there is no chance of a snowball. Karl Schroeder takes advantage of this
in "Permanence" but I cannot recall anyone else using it.

William Hyde

On 1/11/2023 9:28 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
>
> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
> imagine five of them.
>
> https://www.tor.com/2023/01/11/five-sff-worlds-threatened-by-endless-winter/

Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
book. The others, I have no idea.

John Varley's Thunder and Lightning series goes into depth about living
on Mars and the hardships thereof. In fact by 2060, most of the million
people living on Mars are living in air tight tents with an airlock and
a port-a-potty.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0441014887/

Lynn

On 2023-01-11 4:16 p.m., William Hyde wrote:
> On Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 10:28:50 AM UTC-5, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
>>
>> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
>> imagine five of them.
>
> For some reason I find novels set on cold worlds to be particularly absorbing. Perhaps this is
> a reflection of the winters I missed during my stay in Texas, and three of my four years in
> North Carolina.
>
> However, it's not easy to do this in a hard-sf way. If there's no water the place is uninhabitable,
> if there is water it will probably become a snowball.

Remember the Oxygen Catastrophe. If human-like aliens visited Earth
during that period the oceans would have frozen over but the air would
be breathable

Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> writes:
>On 1/11/2023 9:28 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
>>
>> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
>> imagine five of them.
>>
>> https://www.tor.com/2023/01/11/five-sff-worlds-threatened-by-endless-winter/
>
>Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
>book.

To our generation, perhaps. My father gave me a copy when I was 10 which started
a lifelong science fiction (and science) addiction upon advice from one of
his co-workers.

I believe it to be a bit dated now (stocking
the prescription painkillers in the space suit he bought, for example).

I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?

In article <NDXvL.296373$MVg8.16486@fx12.iad>,
Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:

>I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?

No, because my YP are busy and don't have time for novels.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

On 1/12/2023 11:42 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
> Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> writes:
>> On 1/11/2023 9:28 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
>>>
>>> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
>>> imagine five of them.
>>>
>>> https://www.tor.com/2023/01/11/five-sff-worlds-threatened-by-endless-winter/
>>
>> Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
>> book.
>
> To our generation, perhaps. My father gave me a copy when I was 10 which started
> a lifelong science fiction (and science) addiction upon advice from one of
> his co-workers.
>
> I believe it to be a bit dated now (stocking
> the prescription painkillers in the space suit he bought, for example).
>
> I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?

Wasn't HSSWT serialized in Boy's Life magazine over several issues ?
James could serialize it for his young readers.

Lynn

On 2023-01-12, Scott Lurndal <scott@slp53.sl.home> wrote:

>>Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
>>book.
>
> To our generation, perhaps. My father gave me a copy when I was 10 which started
> a lifelong science fiction (and science) addiction upon advice from one of
> his co-workers.
>
> I believe it to be a bit dated now (stocking
> the prescription painkillers in the space suit he bought, for example).

As are the admonishments that everybody should learn how to use a
slide rule and that you should learn Latin.

--
Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

In article <slrnts0m3p.sbk.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
>On 2023-01-12, Scott Lurndal <scott@slp53.sl.home> wrote:
>
>>>Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
>>>book.
>>
>> To our generation, perhaps. My father gave me a copy when I was 10
>which started
>> a lifelong science fiction (and science) addiction upon advice from one of
>> his co-workers.
>>
>> I believe it to be a bit dated now (stocking
>> the prescription painkillers in the space suit he bought, for example).
>
>As are the admonishments that everybody should learn how to use a
>slide rule and that you should learn Latin.
>

Well, slide rules are obviously OBE, but the advice on Latin is either
as good or as bad now as it was at the time.
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 12:51:04 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> On 1/12/2023 11:42 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
> > Lynn McGuire <lynnmc...@gmail.com> writes:
> >> On 1/11/2023 9:28 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> >>> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
> >>>
> >>> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
> >>> imagine five of them.
> >>>
> >>> https://www.tor.com/2023/01/11/five-sff-worlds-threatened-by-endless-winter/
> >>
> >> Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
> >> book.
> >
> > To our generation, perhaps. My father gave me a copy when I was 10 which started
> > a lifelong science fiction (and science) addiction upon advice from one of
> > his co-workers.
> >
> > I believe it to be a bit dated now (stocking
> > the prescription painkillers in the space suit he bought, for example).
> >
> > I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?
> Wasn't HSSWT serialized in Boy's Life magazine over several issues ?
> James could serialize it for his young readers.
>
> Lynn

You might be thinking of Farmer In The Sky.

On 1/12/2023 2:24 PM, Martin wrote:
> On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 12:51:04 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
>> On 1/12/2023 11:42 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
>>> Lynn McGuire <lynnmc...@gmail.com> writes:
>>>> On 1/11/2023 9:28 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>>>> Five SFF Worlds Threatened by Endless Winter
>>>>>
>>>>> Imagine a world in which winter never ends! Or in this case,
>>>>> imagine five of them.
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.tor.com/2023/01/11/five-sff-worlds-threatened-by-endless-winter/
>>>>
>>>> Robert Heinlein's "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" is a great young adult
>>>> book.
>>>
>>> To our generation, perhaps. My father gave me a copy when I was 10 which started
>>> a lifelong science fiction (and science) addiction upon advice from one of
>>> his co-workers.
>>>
>>> I believe it to be a bit dated now (stocking
>>> the prescription painkillers in the space suit he bought, for example).
>>>
>>> I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?
>> Wasn't HSSWT serialized in Boy's Life magazine over several issues ?
>> James could serialize it for his young readers.
>>
>> Lynn
>
> You might be thinking of Farmer In The Sky.

I think that all of Heinlein's juveniles were serialized in a popular
magazine first: Boy's Life, The Saturday Evening Post, etc.

Then they were published as hardbacks, and then as MMPBs. All
individually auctioned by Heinlein's agent. Jerry Pournelle related
Heinlein's advice many times to them as he and Niven were getting started.

Lynn

On 1/12/2023 9:47 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <NDXvL.296373$MVg8.16486@fx12.iad>,
> Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
>> I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?
>
> No, because my YP are busy and don't have time for novels.

Then what use are they?

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 3:38:45 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
[snip-snip]
> I think that all of Heinlein's juveniles were serialized in a popular
> magazine first: Boy's Life, The Saturday Evening Post, etc. [snip]

Some were serialized in genre magazines, some were serialized in
popular fiction magazines and some weren't serialized at all -- see
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?29 for details.

On Thursday, 12 January 2023 at 22:02:26 UTC, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
> On 1/12/2023 9:47 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> > In article <NDXvL.296373$MVg8....@fx12.iad>,
> > Scott Lurndal <sl...@pacbell.net> wrote:
> >
> >> I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?
> >
> > No, because my YP are busy and don't have time for novels.
> Then what use are they?

What use is a cranky old man? :-)

> --
> I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
> dirty old man.

On 1/12/2023 4:49 PM, Ahasuerus wrote:
> On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 3:38:45 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> [snip-snip]
>> I think that all of Heinlein's juveniles were serialized in a popular
>> magazine first: Boy's Life, The Saturday Evening Post, etc. [snip]
>
> Some were serialized in genre magazines, some were serialized in
> popular fiction magazines and some weren't serialized at all -- see
> https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?29 for details.

Ah, "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" was serialized in three issues of The
Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction, starting in August 1958.
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?113394

Plus it was serialized in a French magazine and an Italian magazine.

Thanks !

Lynn

On 1/12/2023 3:46 PM, Robert Carnegie wrote:
> On Thursday, 12 January 2023 at 22:02:26 UTC, Dimensional Traveler wrote:
>> On 1/12/2023 9:47 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> In article <NDXvL.296373$MVg8....@fx12.iad>,
>>> Scott Lurndal <sl...@pacbell.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I wonder if James has done a young readers take on HSSWT?
>>>
>>> No, because my YP are busy and don't have time for novels.
>> Then what use are they?
>
> What use is a cranky old man? :-)
>
I've already BEEN useful, I don't need to be anymore and don't see any
reason to over do it.

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 7:37:12 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> On 1/12/2023 4:49 PM, Ahasuerus wrote:
> > On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 3:38:45 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > [snip-snip]
> >> I think that all of Heinlein's juveniles were serialized in a popular
> >> magazine first: Boy's Life, The Saturday Evening Post, etc. [snip]
> >
> > Some were serialized in genre magazines, some were serialized in
> > popular fiction magazines and some weren't serialized at all -- see
> > https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?29 for details.
> Ah, "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" was serialized in three issues of The
> Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction, starting in August 1958.
> https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?113394

https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?60991

Any comment about it being identified as a novel but not a juvenile on the cover?

Hey! What's C.S. Forester's name doing on the cover? Did they mistake him for E.M. Forster?
No, it seems he had a second string I hadn't heard about.
They seem to be mostly horror. No "Hornblower in Spaaaaaace!"

--
-Jack

On Friday, January 13, 2023 at 8:56:58 AM UTC-5, jack....@gmail.com wrote:
> On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 7:37:12 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > On 1/12/2023 4:49 PM, Ahasuerus wrote:
> > > On Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 3:38:45 PM UTC-5, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > > [snip-snip]
> > >> I think that all of Heinlein's juveniles were serialized in a popular
> > >> magazine first: Boy's Life, The Saturday Evening Post, etc. [snip]
> > >
> > > Some were serialized in genre magazines, some were serialized in
> > > popular fiction magazines and some weren't serialized at all -- see
> > > https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?29 for details.
> > Ah, "Have Space Suit, Will Travel" was serialized in three issues of The
> > Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction, starting in August 1958.
> > https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?113394
> https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?60991
>
> Any comment about it being identified as a novel but not a
> juvenile on the cover?

Well, they didn't identify "Starship Soldier" as a juvenile either --
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?61381 -- even though it
was originally written as a juvenile.

I suspect that "juvenile" may have been a bad match for their brand,
at least during the 1950s. After all, they were supposed to be the
adults in the room.

> Hey! What's C.S. Forester's name doing on the cover? Did
> they mistake him for E.M. Forster?
> No, it seems he had a second string I hadn't heard about.
> They seem to be mostly horror. No "Hornblower in
> Spaaaaaace!"

Horror, near future science fiction, utopia, alternative history, the
works -- see https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/forester_c_s for
details.

Ted Nolan <tednolan> <ted@loft.tnolan.com> wrote:
> In article <slrnts0m3p.sbk.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
> Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
>>
>>As are the admonishments that everybody should learn how to use a
>>slide rule and that you should learn Latin.
>
> Well, slide rules are obviously OBE, but the advice on Latin is either
> as good or as bad now as it was at the time.

Rowling started a Latin resurgence in universities down here ;)

On 2023-01-13 10:50 p.m., David Duffy wrote:
> Ted Nolan <tednolan> <ted@loft.tnolan.com> wrote:
>> In article <slrnts0m3p.sbk.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
>> Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
>>>
>>> As are the admonishments that everybody should learn how to use a
>>> slide rule and that you should learn Latin.
>>
>> Well, slide rules are obviously OBE, but the advice on Latin is either
>> as good or as bad now as it was at the time.
>
> Rowling started a Latin resurgence in universities down here ;)

So people can find out how bad her mock Latin is?

David Johnston wrote:
> On 2023-01-13 10:50 p.m., David Duffy wrote:
> > Ted Nolan <tednolan> <t...@loft.tnolan.com> wrote:
> >> In article <slrnts0m3p...@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
> >> Christian Weisgerber <na...@mips.inka.de> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> As are the admonishments that everybody should learn how to use a
> >>> slide rule and that you should learn Latin.
> >>
> >> Well, slide rules are obviously OBE, but the advice on Latin is either
> >> as good or as bad now as it was at the time.
> >
> > Rowling started a Latin resurgence in universities down here ;)
> So people can find out how bad her mock Latin is?

"In canis corporum transmutum."

--
-Jack

On Fri, 13 Jan 2023 23:44:26 -0700, David Johnston
<davidjohnston29@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On 2023-01-13 10:50 p.m., David Duffy wrote:
>> Ted Nolan <tednolan> <ted@loft.tnolan.com> wrote:
>>> In article <slrnts0m3p.sbk.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
>>> Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> As are the admonishments that everybody should learn how to use a
>>>> slide rule and that you should learn Latin.
>>>
>>> Well, slide rules are obviously OBE, but the advice on Latin is either
>>> as good or as bad now as it was at the time.
>>
>> Rowling started a Latin resurgence in universities down here ;)
>
>So people can find out how bad her mock Latin is?

I found figuring it out to be quite ... entertaining.
--
"In this connexion, unquestionably the most significant
development was the disintegration, under Christian
influence, of classical conceptions of the family and
of family right."