Orion Shall Rise

Orion Shall Rise is a science fiction novel by Poul Anderson as part of his Maurai series, published in 1983.

The novel is set several hundred years after a devastating nuclear war which has pushed back the level of technology.

The action focuses on four societies:

• The Northwest Union - a technological, clan-based society in the Pacific Northwest of North America
• The Five Nations of the Mong - a feudal society in the center of North America, where an elite descended from post-war Russian, Chinese and Mongol invaders rules over a serf class descended from Russian citizens
• The Maurai Federation - an ecotopian society in the Pacific, dominated by the Maurai peoples of N'Zealann.
• The Domain of Skyholm, a class-based European society located in France, the Alps, and the Low Countries dominated by an ancient pre-war dirigible aerostat. The aerostat is of the STARS type (Solar Thermal Aerostat Research Station), first described in 1980.^[1]

Other nations mentioned include Angleylann, divided into small statelets including Devon, Italya, the confederation of the Alemanns in central Europe, the Zheneralship of Espanya in the Iberian peninsula, Corodo and Meyco to the south of the Northwest Union. Brief mention is made of Benghal, part of the Brahmard confederacy mentioned in other Maurai stories, and an extremely patriarchal society located in Khorasan.

The novel follows a group of characters as they navigate tensions between several of the nations. The title derives from the Orion project, which one of the factions intends to resurrect.

References

1. ^ E.C. Okress, R.K. Soberman (1980-05-12). "Solar Thermal Aerostat Research Station (STARS)". Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Inc.. https://www.sawe.org/papers/1376.