Fallen Angels in the Baen Free Library

Hey, check it out! Baen books has a free library of e-books up, and they’ve included Fallen Angels! It’s a story by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle which looks at what happens when Luddites get control of the world, leading to a decrease in greenhouse emissions, which triggers the next ice age. (OK, so they may be trying to make a bit of a political point. But I find it highly amusing to consider that, if global warming is caused by mankind, it might be all that's holding off the return of an ice age!)

An amusing enough premise, but even better is that part of the book takes place in the Milwaukee area! And it’s a future Milwaukee which has fragmented into two warring towns named Juneautown and Kilbourneville (for those not up on their M'waukee history, those are the names of two of the original towns that, along with Walker’s Point, eventually joined to form Milwaukee). But there’s more! In a nod to that long-ago age, the two towns are engaged in a bridge war, much like the one fought in 19th century Milwaukee! I love seeing history repurposed as futuristic story lines, especially when they’re set in my hometown!

Sadly, Fox Point and Brown Deer aren’t doing too well in the story. Midway through Chapter 12, we hear that:

The Ice was sliding down the west side of the Lake faster than anywhere else on the planet. Places like Fox Point and Brown Deer were already engulfed, according to Thor.

Poor Brown Deer... Poor Jazzy. Oh well. Makes me wonder though. What effect does a glacier have on property rights? None, I'd think. So, if a glacier is on your neighbor's property, is there any recourse if he lets it move onto your property? Inquiring minds want to know!