Two conflicts on the opening page: imminent war and a generational chasm between Daniel Holm and his son, Christopher. Because war is imminent, Chris/Arinnian does not stay with his family but goes to his choth. After all, Khruaths are being called all around Avalon.
Years ago, I read that there was only one generation gap in history: between those born before or after the atom bomb. There was a gap between my parents and me but not between me and my daughter.
In Anderson's Technic History, there is a gap between Nicholas van Rijn and his granddaughter, Coya Conyon, and, in a later period, between Daniel and Christopher Holm. If I were on Avalon, I would want to join a choth provided that it was one that combined the best aspects of human and Ythrian traditions, which to me would mean no duels or deathpride. We are told that choths can be very diverse.
Dominic Flandry and his son wind up on opposite sides of the inter-imperial conflict but there is no estrangement between Flandry and his daughter.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
But we see no mention of any choths on Avalon or elsewhere not believing in deathpride and the rightfulness of duels to the death. If there had been any such scandalously outlandish perversions (in Ythrian eyes) I'm sure they would have been mentioned.
I think it's more accurate to say there was a CULTURAL conflict between Daniel Holm and his son. What bothered the older Holm was his fear that Ythrian culture was influencing humans too much on Avalon, to the detriment of was uniquely human. It was inevitable that Ythrian culture would affect, in both good and bad ways, minority races within the Domain.
Ad astra! Sean
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