Talk:The War Against the Chtorr

Untitled

Okay, so I've made an article that gives a brief description of the series. Let the edits begin! - GK

I am trying to flesh out more details of these novels. This includes some information about the various flora and fauna of the invasion. In addition, I am adding links to other characters which appear in other novels. I am about to reread the series, so will hopefully have more to add soon. - 15:20, 31 March 2006 Mushrom

Added Infobox, and will try to flesh this out a bit more in the comming days. Mushrom 21:18, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Chtorr?

As a person that has never read the books, I really miss one thing: what is Chtorr? Where this word came from or how it was created by the characteres? 189.25.33.123 02:23, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

--Perhaps you should simply read the books? They are available at virtually any bookstore. This would answer your question better than a spoiler would. Sigma-6 (talk) 23:29, 14 October 2010 (UTC)

How do you pronounce Chtorr anyway?

With a little click before the T. Like the word "victor," but leave off the "vi-."

What does the word Chtorr mean? Why did Gerrold come up with such a weird word?

David made up the word, because he liked the look of it in print and the sound it suggested. "The Chtorr" refers to the entire Chtorran ecology/symbiosis/paradigm.

The name "Chtorr" comes from the sound the gastropedes make.67.91.74.84 (talk) 15:39, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

• • • http://www.chtorr.com/FAQ/FAQ.htm

Chtorr (ktôr), n. 1. The planet Chtorr, presumed to exist within 30 light years of Earth. 2. The star system in which the planet occurs, presently unidentified. 3. The Chtorran ecology; the living system comprised of all the processes and particles of the Chtorran ecology. 4. In formal usage, either one or many members of the ruling species of the planet Chtorr. Obsolete. (see Chtor-ran) 5. The glottal chirruping cry of a Chtorran gastropede.

Chtorran (ktôr in), adj. 1. Of or relating to either the planet or the star system, Chtorr. 2. Native to Chtorr. n. 1. Any creature native to Chtorr. 2. In common usage, a member or the primary species of Chtorr, the worm-like gastropede. (pl. Chtor-rans)

DarkMystic (talk) 10:11, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Timeline

Thanks for doing this GK. I read one of these books years and years ago, but it got lost in the mists of time, never had a clue that there was a series until i saw a reference to chtorr on another article!! I have now got the first book, with the next on order! How about a timeline for events?

• I have a similar experience; read the first two ages ago - we're talking twenty years. But it took me from then to now to find the next two. As for a timeline, I don't really know. I think it would be hard; he seems to have updated the tech a little over time to keep things current, understandable since the series has spanned 23 years of real time now. I suspect you could construct something if you sat and read through them all, noting all the "five years ago..." type references as you went. (GK) aka BobThePirate 12:31, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

I love that someone has taken the time to document the outline of this series. I ve really enjoyed it so far I join everyone else in wishing this would get finished up as it stands as one of the longest waits for a next book in the series ever.

Speculation

One comment the "Dingiliad" series (Jumping off the Earth, etc) reveals that that trilogy takes place 56 years before the next return of Halley's comet. That places it in either 2005 or 2080. Seldenball (talk) 21:50, 23 July 2010 (UTC)

• Not so certain about the early 21st century starting point looking at it. Although i am reading it 20 odd years after they were written, i would put it in the later 21st century. You have the Israeli war, which was the first military defeat of the US, and led to the Moscow treaty by way of Pakistan. That happened long enough for most of Jims class to not be able to remember it, but for serving military officers to have fought in it, such as Duke. Then the plagues followed by the start of the infestation. Which took place probably around 4 years after Jim graduated from high school.
  • Keep in mind that Gerrold wrote "A Matter for Men" in 1983, and so "early 21st century" was then still 20-50 years off. 74.129.12.187 18:58, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

Just thought i would comment that i reckon the Chtorrans actually come from Earths far future...Based on the comments that their biology is a half billion years ahead of ours, and based on a red sun. As a yellow sun will go red, and no alien ships have been spotted/found, my theory is that it is a all time travel. This is based on the first two books...

• I would bet not... Earth's sun is not going to be red in a half billion years, more like 4 or 5 billion. And when it is, Earth will boil away to nothing anyway. Actually, I suspect In know how this series is going to pan out... let's just say that we never see spaceships because there are none and never were... BobThePirate 20:52, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

• I have been a fan of this series for over 2 decades now, and am eagerly awaiting the next book (have been for over a decade now). And I also have speculations as to the origin and outcome. Mostly, the main characters have been looking for an "intelligence" behind the infestation. They believe that there is a "superior intelligence" behind it all, be it the worms, bunnymen, or something not seen yet. I bet that when it is all said and done, there is no intelligence behind it. It is simply a pattern of creatures that have been infested with the "nerve hair symbiots". And as the "infestation" expands, it adds new creatures to the invasion. And how they got to Earth is also already stated: Shambler Trees. Their seeds are able to survive Earth entry, and contain "spores" of a great many creatures. And if we loose the war, some time in the future such "seeds" would be ejected from Earth, complete with a devolved form of humans and other earth fauna, complete with red fur. Mushrom 21:05, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Hi Guys! I'm almost finished reading the fourth book. I must notice that the author did a good job updating the technology since book 1. I hope he'll keep up with the current development in Method for Madness and pray it will be out soon! :) It's an awesome series, and it would be a pity if it was left unfinished. My current thoughts about the whole thing are that humans simply won't be able to get rid of the infestation nor be able to hold its spread. They may be able to slow it down though. Quite a depressive outlook, yet I'm eagerly looking forward to the fifth book. Overall, two thumbs up! [redacted email address]

why not done?

what's the delay? —Preceding unsigned comment added by TCO (talk • contribs) 02:13, 28 September 2008 (UTC)

There have been several reasons. For one, Mr. Gerrold has frequently had issues of writers block, which he often resolves by working on books from another series. He has also been known to go back and rewrite huge segments of his books, which can result in the issue date being pushed back. In the last several years, the problem has been the lapse of his publishing contract for the rest of this series. Hopefully these are all resolved now, and will be published on schedule. Mushrom (talk) 06:34, 2 September 2009 (UTC)

As of Oct 2010, Gerrold has not updated his web page in at least six months (he still lists Jeanne Robinson as alive) and only has a placeholder for information about the Ctorr books. As such, we can make no guesses about future ctorr books. Amazon has removed the publication date and cover painting, leaving only a statement that the book hasn't been published and there is no projected date. StevenCSimmons

There is no way to put this on the main page, but many fans would wish Mr. Gerrold tarred and feathered, if that were possible, not necessarily because the sequel has never been published, but because he has apparently deceived everyone constantly on the publication date. When I first finished the four books about 20 years ago, the next book was supposed to be finished in a "year or so", and we waited eagerly for it. As all now know, it never was published, but there has always been a constant stream of updates that the book was coming "next year", "in a couple of years", or would be "forthcoming", constantly updated, without ever indicating that it was never going to be published. Latest news was that the book was coming this year, which I understand has now been updated to "2014", and no one who who has followed this saga really believes in that date either! Many do not believe the book will ever be published, much less books #6, 7, 8, or whatever projection the author is making currently. It is ridiculous! It is the constant lying that people object to, I guess a long tradition for authors.

Mr. Gerrold, who used to be of libertarian ilk or similar, also probably believes he "owns his own words" so owes no obligation to others reading of them. I have no quarrel with that, but libertarians are against "force or fraud", and it seems to me some might accuse him of fraud in his false promises of publication. He says at his web site he only disliked the reader who said to use a ghost writer, which he truly thinks is wrong. So I guess he wouldn't object to my comments. I confess to once having met the man, but no longer have any regard for him personally. His works can stand on their own, however!

Sad for a man who once deserved a lot of respect. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.234.236.56 (talk) 02:40, 3 November 2011 (UTC)

By this time, I am just hoping to stay alive long enough to see if he ever does publish it. Kind of like with Salinger, who is actually deceased, and we are still waiting to hear if there will ever be anything new published! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.130.173.78 (talk) 00:28, 13 January 2014 (UTC)

I just hope he has notes à la Robert Jordan, so if he dies before he finishes it someone else can at least give us the story. I've been on eleventerhooks for decades now; I have friends who were not born when the last book was published!

Grrr...

*Septegram*Talk*Contributions* 00:36, 29 August 2015 (UTC)

At this point, he should never mention the novels ever, unless actual publication has occurred. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.35.136.209 (talk • contribs)

oversight

The "Chtorr" story is engrossing (and the narrative style changes from volume to volume, something on which I see no comment).

However, there's no mention of the monetary system built on the casey, the amount of wealth needed to purchase one kilocalorie (kC) of food ration from a government depot. It's an ingenious concept.
Weeb Dingle (talk) 07:11, 5 December 2018 (UTC)

Have sources discussed it? DonIago (talk) 16:48, 5 December 2018 (UTC)

Doesn't seem to matter here — 47 kb of content, citing only seven "references"… of which four are primary source (Gerrold's Facebook page, Gerrold's website, a Gerrold novel) and two are the same Gizmodo article. Call it two "sources" total. Maybe Gerrold discusses the casey on his website somewhere and some editor will get around to looking it up, assuming there are any actual editors wandering past here to dispense sage advice.
Weeb Dingle (talk) 16:40, 9 December 2018 (UTC)

Of course it matters. The fact that an article is poorly sourced does not mean more unsourced content should be added. On the contrary, unsourced content should be provided with refs, or removed. WikiHannibal (talk) 16:04, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

Character Section

Proposed changes to the characters section to improve depth and accuracy (spoilers):

Duke Anderson: Dies at the end of Book 2

Lizard Tirelli and Jim McCarthy: Relationship is complicated, but they are married by the end of Book 4 and Lizard is pregnant.

Jason Delandro: Killed by McCarthy at the end of Book 3 under the "Euthanasia Act"

Randy Dannenfelser: Flamboyant homosexual antagonist to Jim McCarthy, who agrees to provide McCarthy the means to locate another character not for McCarthy's benefit, but simply because it is the right thing to do. Steven Britton - The World Wouldn't be the Same Without Me (talk) 16:35, 12 June 2021 (UTC)

First and second editions

The link for the word "redacted" points to the literary form of redaction, which is combining multiple texts into one. However it should be pointing to the censorship form of redaction. I'd make that change myself, but that page isn't titled "redaction" (it's titled "Sanitization (classified information)"), which might cause confusion that it doesn't match the word representing the link. Thoughts? Ekolis (talk) 20:02, 25 January 2022 (UTC)