Williams, Paul O. (1928– )

One of the most frustrating experiences for a
reader is to discover a new writer who emerges,
produces a few exceptionally good stories, then
falls silent after a short period. Perhaps the most
famous example of this in science fiction is Walter
M. M
ILLER Jr., who produced a remarkable body of
work during the 1950s only to stop writing fiction
completely for the next 30 years. Although Paul O.
Williams never rivaled Miller’s popularity, his
seven Pelbar novels written in the early 1980s were
very well received. He produced one unrelated
novel in 1989 and a handful of very minor short
stories in the early 1990s.
The Breaking of Northwall (1980) seemed at
first to be a typical postapocalyptic adventure story.
The protagonist is faced with the problem of entering a walled city dominated by slave traders in

order to rescue the woman he loves. Williams
avoided the clichés of survivalist fiction, however,
and the series is more reminiscent of
RE-BIRTH
(1955) by John WYNDHAM or DAVY (1964) by
Edgar P
ANGBORN, concentrating on the culture
that might evolve from such a disaster and the tensions arising as the fragmented communities begin
to interact, rather than on violent action scenes.
Second in the series was
The Ends of the Circle
(1980), in which an explorer goes on a tour of
these disparate holdings in order to assess the status of the world. Intermingling and consolidation
continue in
The Dome in the Forest (1981), but now
these changes have begun to alarm more conservative interests, who begin to sow dissension in an effort to maintain the status quo.
The Fall of the Shell (1982) concentrates on
the internal political structure of one of the walled
cities—this one dominated by women—that is undermined by the antics of two youngsters. The alliance of comparatively free communities joins
forces against the slave-trading holdings on their
perimeter in
An Ambush of Shadows (1983). The
Song of the Axe
(1984) is a coming of age story set
against the continually evolving background, and
The Sword of Forbearance (1985) brings the series
to a conclusion with the concerted effort by the
free states to subjugate the last of the tyrants and
liberate the slaves. Although the stories occasionally get caught up in the physical action, their
lasting value lies in the story of the gradual reconciliation and consolidation of disparate groups into
a more homogeneous and prosperous society.
The
Gifts of the Corboduc Vandal
(1989) is a disappointingly routine space opera.

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