Thursday 3 November 2016

Manuel And Lugals

Manuel has not studied "'...psychonomy.'" (David Falkayn: Star Trader, p. 320) Neither have I. This turns out to be a rare word, not a van Rijn-style malapropism.

The Yildivans remind him of:

"'...men of the barranca country on my home world, and among the Rovers.'" (ibid.)

We want to learn more about Nuevo Mexico.

Of the Lugals, Per says:

"'Each sundown they formed ranks and crooned, an eerie minor-key chant, with improvisations that sometimes sent a chill along my nerves.'" (p. 299)

This is the only evidence to support van Rijn's statement that the Lugals seem to have religion. (p. 324) Not very strong evidence. "...crooned..." makes us think of Spirituals but the Lugals could be doing something entirely different.

Manuel's religion, like van Rijn's, is Catholic and involves invoking Santa Maria (p. 313) and lighting candles for saints. (p. 314) Europeans took their religions to North and South America and will also take them to Aeneas, Dennitza and Nuevo Mexico.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I am inclined to agree with Old Nick, the Lugals do seem to have a kind of religion, worship of the Yildivans.

Yes, once we get OFF this rock in any meaningful way, humans will take their faiths to the planets of the Solar System and then to the stars. One reason why I became dissatisfied with Asimov's FOUNDATION books being due to his religionless galaxy. Amd forget Salvor Hardin's "religion of science" and Galactic Spirit! (Snorts!)

Sean