A Meeting at Corvallis

by S. M. Stirling Narrated by Todd McLaren

Overview

In the tenth year of the Change, the survivors in western Oregon have learned how to live in a world without technology. The city-state of Corvallis has preserved its university, and trade flourishes via riverboats and horse-drawn railways. Under the strong hand of Michael Havel, the Bearkillers hold the lands west of Salem in peace and order. And in the eastern half of the Willamette Valley, the Clan Mackenzie flourishes under the charismatic leadership of Juniper Mackenzie, bard and High Priestess.



Together, they have held the Lord Protector, Norman Arminger-the warlord of Portland-at bay. With his dark fantasies of a neofeudal empire, Arminger has extended his power over much of the Pacific Northwest, spreading fear with his knights, castles, and holy inquisition. Even more dangerous, and perhaps Arminger's most powerful weapon of all, is the ruthlessly cunning mind of his consort, Lady Sandra.



The tensions between these factions have been building for some time, and the only reason they haven't confronted one another on the battlefield is because Arminger's daughter has fallen into Clan Mackenzie's hands. But Lady Sandra has a plan to retrieve her-a plan that threatens to plunge the entire region into open warfare.

Editorial Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
A Meeting at Corvallis is the final installment of S. M. Stirling's riveting alternate history trilogy that began with Dies the Fire and The Protector's War. The story is set in the world that the island of Nantucket left behind in 1998's cult classic Island in the Sea of Time, an Earth devastated by a mysterious storm that caused modern technologies of all kinds -- electricity, telephones, combustion engines, etc. -- to simply stop working.

It's been ten years since "the Change," and while the majority of the population is dead or dying, there are pockets of humanity that have adapted to their primitive world and begun to create new societies from the ashes of the old. In America's Northwest, three very different groups have managed to thrive. Former Marine Michael Havel and his Bearkillers have created a successful military-inspired culture. Folk musician and Wiccan priestess Juniper Mackenzie has established a peaceable pagan clan based on ethics, ritual, and hard work. But former history professor Norman Arminger (a.k.a. the Lord Protector) has dreams of building a sprawling neo-feudal empire, and nothing -- and no one -- will stand in his way…

Fans of high-end alternate history sagas like Robert Silverberg's Roma Eterna and Eric Flint and David Drake's Belisarius sequence should definitely check out this wildly thought-provoking Stirling trilogy, which features elements of postapocalyptic thriller, military-powered fiction, and sociological speculation. How much does technology define who we are? What really is the basis of our civilization? Readers may or may not agree with Stirling's vision, but one thing is guaranteed: hours and hours of lively discussion afterward. Paul Goat Allen

Publishers Weekly

Stirling concludes his alternative history trilogy that began with Dies the Fire (2004) in high style. Some U.S. survivors of "the Change" that destroyed all modern technology just want to enjoy balanced, wholesome lives in tune with nature, such as former Marine Mike Havel's Bearkillers, who warily defend their territory in cooperation with peace-loving neighbors, especially Juniper MacKenzie's pagan clansfolk. Not far away, however, ex-history professor Norman Arminger is building a fascistic, neofeudal empire with himself as Lord Protector. The inevitable conflict builds, through layers of scheming and skirmishing, into full-scale war. Characters are cut from good quality cardboard, but the real interest lies in watching the different cultures exploring ways to solve problems. The story begins slowly, with detailed descriptions of scenery and armor. But readers will discover that the massive thing is moving after all and realize how much it resembles one of the cavalry charges the novel describes-gorgeous, stirring and gathering such earth-pounding momentum that it's difficult to resist. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

A decade after the Change destroyed technology and sent human civilization reeling back into the Dark Ages, several independent realms have arisen. Corvallis maintains a university and prospers from its riverboat and horse-drawn railroad trade; Michael Havel and his Bearkillers preserve peace and order near what was Salem, OR; and the old religion's High Priestess, Juniper MacKenzie, governs the clan that bears her name. Only the medieval-style Lord Protector Norman Arminger, with his army of knights and his dreams of expanding his hold over the entire Pacific region, offers a challenge to the peaceful coexistence of multiple communities. Stirling's third volume in his alternate history trilogy (The Protector's War; Dies the Fire) provides a fascinating glimpse into a future transformed by the lack of easy solutions to both human and technological dilemmas. For libraries of all sizes. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171241469
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	07/22/2008
Series:	Emberverse Series , #3
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	925,791

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