Speaking of Larry Niven, his novel "The Integral Trees" (and sequel "The Smoke Ring") put giant orbital trees center stage. Stephen R. Donaldson's "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" features both a deadly ancient forest of sentient trees and a tree-dwelling people (and one of the novels is called "The One Tree").
oh man, I can't believe I forgot about those. Ender's Game was in many ways a better book, but the ecological situation in Speaker for the Dead was really incredibly well-done.
When reading "a potential component I think tends to be tragically undervalued is trees" I immediately thought of Greg Bear's Legacy. The ecosystems in the novel are very central to the story.
Couldn't find (quick search, admittedly) a great link to share but these two can do:
Yaknow, every time one of your articles come, I just have to read it through...
I particularly like the image of the tree as connecting the underworld, our world, and the heavens. Jack and the beanstalk is a cousin, of course. But shamanic practice seems to me to emphasize this role, with roots reflecting branches. A vertical bridge.
Can It Be
November 3, 2016
Can it be
you have chosen to be a tree,
a pathway to the sky for mineral and water
a pathway to the land for nutrient and light
a path for flows both ways, O Diotima’s daughter?
Speaking of Larry Niven, his novel "The Integral Trees" (and sequel "The Smoke Ring") put giant orbital trees center stage. Stephen R. Donaldson's "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" features both a deadly ancient forest of sentient trees and a tree-dwelling people (and one of the novels is called "The One Tree").
& don't forget the unique role played by the trees in the ecosystem in Speaker for the Dead
oh man, I can't believe I forgot about those. Ender's Game was in many ways a better book, but the ecological situation in Speaker for the Dead was really incredibly well-done.
Great piece, thanks!
When reading "a potential component I think tends to be tragically undervalued is trees" I immediately thought of Greg Bear's Legacy. The ecosystems in the novel are very central to the story.
Couldn't find (quick search, admittedly) a great link to share but these two can do:
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780312855161
https://marzaat.com/2019/12/14/walking-the-night-land-a-detour-legacy/
Oh! I've never heard of this one but I will pick it up as soon as I get back to a real computer, thanks for the tip!
Yaknow, every time one of your articles come, I just have to read it through...
I particularly like the image of the tree as connecting the underworld, our world, and the heavens. Jack and the beanstalk is a cousin, of course. But shamanic practice seems to me to emphasize this role, with roots reflecting branches. A vertical bridge.
Can It Be
November 3, 2016
Can it be
you have chosen to be a tree,
a pathway to the sky for mineral and water
a pathway to the land for nutrient and light
a path for flows both ways, O Diotima’s daughter?