Captive of the Centaurianess
The story takes place on a planet where humans and centaurs coexist. The protagonist is a human who becomes embroiled in the politics of the centaur society. He must navigate their complex social hierarchy and confront his own prejudices against the centaurs. The novel explores themes of identity, culture clash, and the nature of humanity.
By Poul Anderson · First published 1976 · Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure · 7 chapters · 20,914 words
First lines
The hero is the child of his times, in that his milieu furnishes him with motives and means, and yet the hero seizes the time and shapes it as he will. And he remains an enigma to his contemporaries and to the future. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the strange story of the three whose discoveries and achievements determined the whole course of history. The driving idealism and bold military genius of Dyann Korlas; the mighty wisdom, profound and benign, of Urushkidan; above all, perhaps, the transcendent clarity of mind and inspired leadership of Ballantyne -- these molded our century and all centuries to come, and yet we will never understand them, they are too far beyond us and their essential selves must be forever a mystery. Vallabbhai Rasmussen, History of the Twenty-Third Century, v. 1
What this Textopian page supports
Captive of the Centaurianess is listed on Textopian as a novel by Poul Anderson, dated 1976 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Poul Anderson
- Date: 1976 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Speculative Fiction
- Length: 20,914 words
- Structure: 7 chapters, 578 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Captive of the Centaurianess by Poul Anderson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The narrative explores advanced technology, alien species, and futuristic settings.
- Fantasy — Elements of magic and mythical creatures are integral to the plot and world-building.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a journey filled with challenges and exploration.
- Romance — Themes of love and relationships are woven into the character dynamics.
Tags
Science Fiction · Space Opera · Adventure · Fantasy · Alien Invasion · Humanoid Aliens · Interstellar Travel · Planetary Colonization · Colonialism · Resistance Movement · Rebellion · Warfare