When Tachwyr and Flandry begin to discuss the probable outcome of the current Terran civil war:
"Tachwyr's relaxation evaporated. Flandry, who knew him from encounters both adversary and half friendly since they were fledglings in their services, had rather expected that." (p. 456)
So they have met often? We saw them meet as fledglings, then once more on a merely social occasion shortly afterwards. That has been all. So there is an untold "Flandry versus Tachwyr" series? Indeed, most of Flandry's career remains untold. He tells Magnusson, but not us, how, on some unidentified neutral planet, he poisoned a Merseian secret agent named Gwanthyr.
The more we know, the more we realize how little we know. That is certainly true of Poul Anderson's Technic History.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Exactly, we only know some of the high lights and events of Flandry's life. Of course there were many other cases and problems he worked on that we know nothing about. Such as the en passant mention of the Gwanthyr affair.
Ad astra! Sean
That’s Poul demonstrating good craft. You shouldn’t feel as if a character’s life doesn’t exist “offstage”.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, which is why we appreciate small, but telling touches like that mention of Gwanthyr.
Ad astra! Sean
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