tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172359179613729870.post3290215859181427046..comments2024-03-09T13:49:30.039+05:30Comments on Variety SF: Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle's "Footfall" (novel, alien invasion)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172359179613729870.post-54094421118765633762011-09-12T06:11:07.668+05:302011-09-12T06:11:07.668+05:30Seems like a good book, maybe I will read it. I ha...Seems like a good book, maybe I will read it. I have only read Ringworld by Larry Niven and I know of a few books he has written with Jerry Pournelle. But as far as I know Larry Niven is said to do a lot of research for his books...but Vishnu the elephant god? I think they meant Ganesh! Have to read this book!I,Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18136974412113254231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172359179613729870.post-32377322099944141512011-09-11T00:41:33.253+05:302011-09-11T00:41:33.253+05:30It does refer to Depleted Uranium, which is nuclea...It does refer to Depleted Uranium, which is nuclear fuel that has already been through a nuclear reactor and has now been spent, or rendered unusable for further nuclear reaction. Still a very heavy metal, which was used by the A10 gunship to punch holes right through tank armor and burn the vehicles from the inside-out as DU is pyrophoric.<br />I found the description of the Orbital bombardment to be very creative, and indicative of Dr Pournelles' ongoing development at the time in the US Star Wars program. Their Project Thor used tungsten crowbars that were laser guided from orbit to impact. 9 miles a second was enough to take out a tank very quickly, with no residue. The other concept in the story was Michael. An Orion style Nuclear Pulse rocket the size of an office block, carrying space shuttles as fighter planes. Launched from the city of Bellingham, vaporizing the harbor in the process by detonating a chain of small nuclear bombs for propulsion, Michael chases the Fifthp mothership until the aliens surrender. The Project Orion they describe is a real concept that was developed in the late 1950's and tested to prototype flight stage. The prototype is now in the Smithsonian as Putt-Putt.morristreethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409458633773250560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172359179613729870.post-22404379114380046312011-09-10T11:54:08.725+05:302011-09-10T11:54:08.725+05:30"shotgun pellets made of spent uranium"...."shotgun pellets made of spent uranium".Tinkoohttp://variety-sf.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7172359179613729870.post-39995643182887158262011-09-10T04:54:00.477+05:302011-09-10T04:54:00.477+05:30I think I have this book-its quite a size! Must gi...I think I have this book-its quite a size! Must give it a whirl sometime. As for the uranium-does the author refer to depleted uranium or a character?LarryShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17723096857163954170noreply@blogger.com