Fallen Angels

Publication date: 
1991-07
Publication type: 
Short Story
Published: 
paper, Baen Books
Opus No.: 
180
Setting: 
Stand Alone
ISBN: 
0-330-33599-5
Characters: 
Wade Curtis, Nat Reynolds
Summary: 

Picture the world, some years from now, under the effects of an encroaching ice age. Public opinion has turned violently against scientists and science in all forms, believing them to be responsible somehow for the inexorable spread of the polar ice sheets.

A small orbital community is left stranded as support for space research dwindles to nothing, and they must survive by their own devices or not at all. When two members of a routine flight to gather air from the upper atmosphere are shot down and crash on the North American ice sheet, survival seems impossible. Their only hope is a group of eccentric and disorganised science fiction fans who must evade the authorities and somehow return the astronauts to orbit.

In what seems to be a tribute to the often weird and wonderful world of SF fandom, Niven et al. weave a believable and tense story. Very enjoyeable (although the fan jargon can often be confusing).

Character References

Many of the characters in Fallen Angels are actually based on real-life people, i.e. Larry and Jerry and Steven, some are other SF authors, some are personal friends the authors and other name references in this book were auctioned off as prizes at SF conventions to fans.

This character list came originally from the rec.arts.sf.written newsgroup, posted by Alexander Kerste, compiled by Lee Gold.

 

Many of the characters in Fallen Angels are actually based on real-life people, i.e. Larry and Jerry and Steven, some are other SF authors, some are personal friends the authors and other name references in this book were auctioned off as prizes at SF conventions to fans.

This character list came originally from the rec.arts.sf.written newsgroup, posted by Alexander Kerste, compiled by Lee Gold.

Real Life Person Character *...on Page #
Larry Niven Nat Reynolds Page 26
Jerry Pournelle Wade Curtis Page 26
Steven Barnes Steve Mews Page 25
Harlan Ellison Cordwainer Bird Page 26
Greg Bear Gregory Lutenist Page 109
Clifford Simak Andy Atwood & Enoch Wallace Pages 190 & 191 respectively
Poul Anderson?
Gordon Dickson?
A fusion?
Poul Dickson Page 387
Lonnie Hopkins Lon Atkins Page 10
The Harrigans Soren Haroldsson, Lisbet Haroldsson Pages 14 & 15
Thor (60s/70s fan) Thor Page 22
Mike Glyer Mike Glider Page 23
Bruce Hyde Bruce Pelz Page 23
Chuck Umber Charlie Brown Page 26
Tom Digby Tom Degley Page 26 (see p327)
Ed Buchman Crazy Eddie Page 26
George Scithers Cpt. Scithers Page 37
Leigh Strother Vien Cpt. Lee Arteria Page 71
Ed Buchman? Edward Two Bats Page 87
Fang van Took Fang Page 87
Calvin Throop Throop Amos Page 88
Forrest J Ackerman (aka 4SJ) 3MJ aka Tremont J. Fielding Page 88
Hank Stine Henry Stiren Page 93
Seth Breidbart? Seth of the Lunarians Page 95
Ben Yalow Benjamin Orange Page 98
Ted Marshall Himself Page 102 (p 277)
Leslie Fish (Filker and long-time fan) Jenny Trout Page 114
The late Frank Gasperik (friend, fan and member of the LN-L mail list). As a point of interest, Frank is also "Harry Reddington" (AKA "Hairy Redd") in Footfall and Mark Czescu in Lucifer's Hammer. Harry (Czescu) Page 114
Don Simpson, Russell Seitz Ron Cole (Cloak of Anarchy) Page 127
Pat Davis (Artist) Himself Page 131
Steve Jackson Himself Page 164
Simak's Big Front Yard Hiram Taine Page 198
Toni Weisskopf (Executive Editor of Baen Books) Terri Whitehead Page 213
Richard M. Stallman (who wrote emacs) RMS Page 238
Ron Ellik (LASFSian who died in late 60s, killed by drunk driver. TAFF winner (report called A Squirrel's Tale). He also wrote and UNCLE novel. Ron Ellick Page 275
Adrienne Martine-Barnes Adrienne Martine-Barnes Page 279
Set up to honor deserving fans, group invented by Eric Jones, Peter Mabey, and Bob Richardson. Knights of St. Fantory Chivalric Group Page 283
R. A. Lafferty (possible SOB ref) S. B. O'Rafferty Page 319
Juanita's husband, edited Yandro, a major fanzine
reviewzine
Buck Coulson Page 326
Elliot Shorter George Long Page 332
June Moffatt JuneL Page 333
Bot Merlin Null Merlin NullL Page 333
Craig Miller CC Miller (aka Cissy) Page 334
Jenny Dazzo (Craig's Wife) Ginny Miller Page 334
Walt Doherty used to talk about wonderful projects he
was going to do starting Real Soon Now. Read AH SWEET IDIOCY for detailed
putdown.
Doherty Project Page 338
Lee Jacobs oldtime LASFSian who wrote faan fiction (collection published), the person who typoed folk into filk. Himself Page 345
Dave McDaniel, writer of UNCLE books & filksongs? His son Tom McDaniel? Sgt. McDaniel Page 382
Rick Foss (LASFSian, travel agent) Rick Foss Page 386
Ken Porter (heavy-set black man) Ken Page 387
Notes: 

Collaboration, co-written with Jerry Pournelle & Michael Flynn
excerpted in Amazing Science Fiction Stories, June 1991