Friday 21 October 2016

Makassar Strait

Nicholas van Rijn makes a grand entrance at the beginning of Satan's World, Chapter VI (The Van Rijn Method, p. 382). Owning a house, a dock, a ketch and 73% of the industry on the floating town of Delfinburg, he arrives by aircar and suggests to the mayor and the captain that they sail to just the right place at just the right time for him to enter the Micronesia Cup regatta. There is no problem.

There might have been readers who had not encountered van Rijn before - although not now if the novel is being read as part of The Technic Civilization Saga. Readers are to understand that Freeman van Rijn's capacities for enjoyment and for work are equally gargantuan.

We have just read, at the end of Chapter V, about the kidnap of David Falkayn, chief of van Rijn's first trade pioneer crew. Van Rijn does not know about this yet but, when he does, the pleasures will end and all that energy will be focused on rescuing Falkayn, in the process breaking the law, then skilfully outmaneuvering the law enforcers.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

An amusing part of SATAN'S WORLD was where Old Nick was griping about all the work involved in running Solar Spice & Liquours waiting for him when he settled down to it. AND of how his non human secretary, coming as he did from a tigerish species with a warlike which believed fearless speaking, told Old Nick he could sell out for more than he could spend in ten lifetimes if he didn't want to work. (Smiles)

Sean