[Maurai 01] • Anderson, Poul

Epic in scope, human in detail, Orion Shall Rise is a saga of humanity struggling back from near-ruin after a planet-wide nuclear war. The survivors face a life-threatening limitation of resources as they strive to rise once again.

Orion Shall Rise has a cast of countries: The Domain, dominated by Skyholm--a giant platform floating 30 miles above Europe, savior during destruction, now a reactionary, repressively stratified society; Northwest Union, a loose-knit network of Scandinavian-style lodges founded by survivors in the North American Northwest; the Maurai Federation, descendants of Maori natives from New Zealand who pursue a policy of developing technology to use the natural energy of wind, sun sea; the many tribes countries of the Mong who fled Asia over an ice bridge settled in middle North America. Wars are being fought again, most recently between the Norrmen of the Union, who wish to revive a benign form of nuclear technology the Maurai, who are unalterably opposed to its use.

There is a cast of characters throughout: Talence lern Ferlay, a noble son of Skyholm who loses his home thru treachery; Ronica Birken, Survivor master of the Northwestern wilderness; Terai Lohannaso, sailor, trader--intelligence man for the Maurai. These dozens of others: spies, peasants, librarians, minstrels, heroes villains--show us a complex strange world as adventure follows adventure until a searing confrontation brings the remnants of humankind once more to the edge of destruction--or the fragile chance for new life for the species.