Favourite Poul Anderson Novel

What are your favourite Poul Anderson novels? (3 choices each)

  • The Boat of a Million Years

    Votes: 5 23.8%
  • Brainwave

    Votes: 5 23.8%
  • Tau-Zero

    Votes: 10 47.6%
  • The High Crusade

    Votes: 8 38.1%
  • The Broken Sword

    Votes: 7 33.3%
  • Three Hearts and Three Lions

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Harvest of Stars

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • The Long Way Home

    Votes: 1 4.8%
  • Time Patrol

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • The People of the Wind

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Mirkheim

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • The Enemy Stars

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Starfarers

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Any Dominic Flandry novel (e.g. A Circus of Hells, or, Rebel Worlds)

    Votes: 1 4.8%
  • Any Falkayn/van Rijn book (e.g. Earth Book of Stormgate, or, The Trouble Twisters)

    Votes: 1 4.8%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • Total voters
    21

Bick

Luddite Curmudgeon
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I'm a fan of Poul Anderson, and have read perhaps the majority of his most famous works, but there are doubtless hidden gems I've not read, and I'm also just curious which are the favourite books of the Chronicles learned collective - hence a poll. (A poll for Poul :))

There are three votes each, as it can be hard to select just one, especially as he wrote in different genres.
 
Gosh, the man was so prolific it's hard to say. The category "other" contains at least as many books as all the rest combined.

Anyway, I went with Brainwave and Tau Zero for flawless extrapolations of brilliant concepts, and The High Crusade because it's charming.
 
For me, hands down, it is The Broken Sword, an amazing first novel. There was a time when I read a lot of his work, far too many books to remember or list, and I enjoyed them all.
 
Ack, I didn't notice that. But I don't believe the polls here allow people to go back and add additional votes if they don't use them the first time.

If I could use those votes I would vote for People of the Wind, but I am not sure about the third vote.
 
Tau Zero is one of my favourite SF books from that era and Boat of a Million Years is not far behind! All I can say about the Flandry Books is that it's a good job I didn't start my Poul Anderson reading with them or I probably never would have read any of his other works including those two gems! Mind you had I read the Flandrys in the '70s when I was a young teenager, I'd have probably loved them.
 
The Broken Sword, although I did very much enjoy Three Hearts and Three Lions, making it close.
 
I just voted for Three Hearts and Three Lions, but I think I'd like to change that vote to The Enemy Stars
 
In order, Tau Zero, High Crusade, Broken Sword.

I'd be about 17 when I first read Tau Zero (I'm now in my mid-60s) and it still remains one of my favourite 'hard' SF books. One thing I did notice about it on my last re-read was how short it is - just over 200pp - compared with the books I read now...
 
The Broken Sword
The High Crusade



Both are marvelous books ! :cool:(y)
 
My favorite Poul Anderson is not one listed it's "The Only Game in Town." I also voted for "The Boat of a Million Years" and "Time Patrol." I've probably not read as much of his stuff as I should have, bu those three are definitely memorable.
 
As far as I can recall I've read only one of these novels: The Long Way Home. Perhaps 1 or 2 more.
Problem is, I read Poul Anderson long time ago and only in Dutch, from the local library. I have no idea what the English titles would be.
I think I will hunt for Tau-Zero, as that one got the most votes.
 
As far as I can recall I've read only one of these novels: The Long Way Home. Perhaps 1 or 2 more.
Problem is, I read Poul Anderson long time ago and only in Dutch, from the local library. I have no idea what the English titles would be.
I think I will hunt for Tau-Zero, as that one got the most votes.
I think that title will remain pretty much the same, whatever the language, as it is a hard science term used in relativity that is perfectly matched to the content of the book!
 

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