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The last of the merfolk scour Earth for a new home to call their own The underwater city of Liri has thrived off the coast of Denmark for generations. But now, as Europe's medieval age comes to a close, the efforts of zealous priests and the destructive ringing of church bells are causing the city to crumble. An ageless people who thrived apart from the cruelty of human existence on land, the merfolk are poetic speakers, loving and loyal, nearly impervious to death but with one great show more deficiency: They lack souls. Their numbers dwindling, the merpeople scatter. Some abandon their home for the show lessTags
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The tragic tale of the last merfolk in the Baltic Sea, whose magical underwater kingdom of Liri is destroyed by a zealous archdeacon's Christian exorcism, forcing them to flee as the age of magic ends.
It follows the half-human children of King Vanimen and human Agnete: Tauno, Eyjan, Kennin, and Yria as they navigate the human world, search for their scattered kin, and confront their mixed heritage, ultimately leading to poignant choices as they lose their kin and identity, particularly when their sister Yria is baptized and loses her memory.
It follows the half-human children of King Vanimen and human Agnete: Tauno, Eyjan, Kennin, and Yria as they navigate the human world, search for their scattered kin, and confront their mixed heritage, ultimately leading to poignant choices as they lose their kin and identity, particularly when their sister Yria is baptized and loses her memory.
this is one of Anderson's later and less great works, but competently done. It is set in the same kind of world as his great fantasy The Broken Sword, with fantasy creatures living on the fringes of a more or less historical medieval European world,but this is set some centuries later (1200s) with the peoples of magic in retreat --the merman''s children find their city has been exorcised by the Christians and destroyed, and they travel through the seas of much of Europe seeking more of their kind. I first read excerpts from this in two of the very good Flashing Swords sword and sorcery anthologies and later bought the book. I recall commenting to a Catholic friend in the Mythopoeic APA Elanor on the negative attitude shown toward the show more Catholic Church by the senior merman, and e replied he could care less what a merman thought of his church. show less
I thought I'd like this more than I did. I loved the short story about these characters that appeared in one of the 'Flashing Swords', I think. He's a great writer & I was a little disappointed in the book. Might just be me, though. He didn't seem to be so action oriented - wordier that normal.
I promise, I will finish it. I read a long time ago.....in a land far far away, when I was young and naive. Now I am mad at the story and need to put it away.
I promise, I will finish it. I read a long time ago.....in a land far far away, when I was young and naive. Now I am mad at the story and need to put it away.
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691+ Works 53,317 Members
Poul Anderson, November 25, 1926 - July 31, 2001 Poul Anderson was born on November 25, 1926 in Bristol, Pennsylvania to parents Anton and Astrid. After his father's death, Poul's mother took them first to Denmark and then to Maryland and Minnesota. He earned his degree in Physics from the University of Minnesota, but chose instead to write show more stories for science fiction magazines, such as "Astounding." Anderson is considered a "hard science fiction" writer, meaning that his books have a basis in scientific fact. To attain this high level of scientific realism, Anderson spent many hours researching his topics with scientists and professors. He liked to write about individual liberty and free will, which was a well known theme in many of his books. He also liked to incorporate his love of Norse mythology into his stories, sometimes causing his modern day characters to find themselves in fantastical worlds, such as in "Three Hearts and Three Lions," published in 1961. Anderson has written over a hundred books, his last novel, "Genesis" won the John W. Campbell Award, one of the three major science fiction awards. He is a former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and won three Nebula awards and nine Hugo Awards. In 1997, Anderson was named a Grandmaster by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and was also inducted into the Science Fiction Fantasy Hall of Fame. Poul Anderson died on July 31, 2001 at the age of 74. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Merman's Children
- Original title
- The Merman's Children
- Original publication date
- 1979
- People/Characters*
- Magnus Gregerson; Agnete Einarsdatter; Tauno; Rinna; Raxi; Eyjan (show all 12); Kennin; Yria; Pfarrer Knud; Ingeborg Hjalmarsdatter; Ranild; Nils Jonsen
- Dedication
- For Astrid and Terry
- First words*
- Dem Bischof von Viborg wurde Magnus Gregerson als neuer Erzdiakon zugeteilt.
- Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Er und seine Schwester schritten hinter den beiden Menschen, um sie vor dem schneidenden Wind zu beschützen, den die See hereinblies.
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.087662
- Disambiguation notice
- A novelization of two related stories plus new material: "The Merman's Children" (from Flashing Swords #1, 1973) and "The Tupilak" (from Flashing Swords #4, 1977). Please do not combine the short stories (or anthologies conta... (show all)ining them) with the present work.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- DDC/MDS
- 813.087662 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English By type Genre fiction Adventure fiction Speculative fiction Fantasy Sword and Sorcery
- LCC
- PS3551 .N378 — Language and Literature American literature American literature Individual authors 1961-
- BISAC
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- 404
- Popularity
- 76,312
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.56)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 13
- ASINs
- 7
