H Beam Piper

So in re-reading this series, has either author ever acknowledged the direct use of various names from H.Beam Piper's Space Viking and other novels. Such as Marduke and deGlopper's fake merchie name of " Beowulf's Gift" There are a number of direct copies within the series. The aurthors could have at least credited one of Sci Fi's founding authoers

steel2 wrote:So in re-reading this series, has either author ever acknowledged the direct use of various names from H.Beam Piper's Space Viking and other novels. Such as Marduke and deGlopper's fake merchie name of " Beowulf's Gift" There are a number of direct copies within the series. The aurthors could have at least credited one of Sci Fi's founding authoers

I understand your sentiment but how far back should a contemporary author give credit to the giant shoulders upon which he stands? I bow to no one in my admiration of that all too tragically brief career of Mr Piper, but many of the themes he used were already in common use. Poul Anderson, in his "High Crusade", presaged Lord Kalvin as well as elements of barbarians becoming civilized using stolen technology. Besides much of this is REAL HISTORY as the Viking Norse became the Christian rulers of Sicily, Normandy and England.

And, unless the meme becomes a totally lost history and literature, Beowulf, as the first Anglo-Saxon Epic, will continue to be a known referent in history. I believe that RA Heinlein once said that much of successful writing is changing enough of some other's work as to effectively file off the 'serial numbers'. As for other 'direct copies', I'd have to see them and then refresh on Piper's "Space Viking" books.

So, in my own idiosyncratic view, Mr Piper's shade is probably unsurprised and not offended by your points. HOWEVER, I'll turn around and say that the authors would do their readers a favor by helping to publicize H Beam Piper's works in some fashion. His suicide was a very dark end to a very good author! RIP Mr Piper!

I agree with everything you wrote, charybdis.

I for one immediately thought of Mr. Pipers works when the aforementioned connections were presented in Mr. Webers books. I think Mr. Weber was indirectly honouring him. And while lots of alien animals might end up being found that have 6 legs...

It was Mr. Piper who did so long ago with his PARA TIME series. Now I want to re-read Mr. Pipers stuff. It has been long enough ago that it would be kinda like reading them for the first time....but not quite. HB of CJ. (old coot who has not watched TV for 20 years) I love it here. Thank you.

steel2 wrote:So in re-reading this series, has either author ever acknowledged the direct use of various names from H.Beam Piper's Space Viking and other novels. Such as Marduke and deGlopper's fake merchie name of " Beowulf's Gift" There are a number of direct copies within the series. The aurthors could have at least credited one of Sci Fi's founding authoers

The name DeGlopper wasn't the creation of Mr. Piper. If this case the ship was named after Charles DeGlopper, who was the only soldier in the 82nd Airborne Division to be awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor during the Normandy Invasion, albeit posthumously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_N._DeGlopper

Caseyorourke wrote:

steel2 wrote:So in re-reading this series, has either author ever acknowledged the direct use of various names from H.Beam Piper's Space Viking and other novels. Such as Marduke and deGlopper's fake merchie name of " Beowulf's Gift" There are a number of direct copies within the series. The aurthors could have at least credited one of Sci Fi's founding authoers

The name DeGlopper wasn't the creation of Mr. Piper. If this case the ship was named after Charles DeGlopper, who was the only soldier in the 82nd Airborne Division to be awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor during the Normandy Invasion, albeit posthumously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_N._DeGlopper

He didn't say DeGlopper came from Piper; he said that the false name of Beowulf's Gift came from Piper.