Monday 3 April 2023

Character Introductions

The text of Ensign Flandry gives a whole chapter to the introduction of each of the major characters:

CHAPTER ONE: the dupe, Hauksberg;
CHAPTER TWO: our hero's mentor, Abrams;
CHAPTER THREE: the villain, Brechdan Ironrede;
CHAPTER FOUR: our hero, Flandry (who Abrams thought was dead).

Thus, Flandry receives quite a build-up, especially since Hauksberg meets Crown Prince Josip and seven critical members of the Policy Board and since Brechdan, Protector of the Grand Council, is second only to the Roidhun.

Brechdan knows that there are brave, devoted and shrewd men in the Empire but not that he is about to meet two of them, Abrams and Flandry, who will effectively counteract Hauksberg's misguided appeasement. When they do meet, he realizes that Abrams is to be handled with care and that Flandry looks alert but is very young and junior.

Assessments change. Later, locking eyes with Abrams, Brechdan says:

"'Commander... your young man makes me proud to be a sentient creature. What might our united races not accomplish? Hunt well.'" (CHAPTER FOURTEEN, p. 145)

Observations:

when Brechdan says "united," he means subordination of one race by the other;
the older Flandry will know how to be alert without looking it.

3 comments:

S.M. Stirling said...

Flandry does a good "blithering nitwit" act later; it disarms many enemies, to their ultimate regret (if they live long enough for regrets). Certain Scothians come to mind...

His tactic fits with a real-world phenomenon: the tendency to believe what you want to believe and shape the evidence to support it.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

Ha! And Flandry nearly succeeded in hoodwinking Oleg Khan like that in "A Message in Secret," till Bourtai forced him to reveal his more lethal abilities.

Ad astra! Seab

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Let's not forget this bit from Chapter 10 of ENSIGN FLANDRY, as Brechdan Ironrede arrived at the Terran Embassy: "Lord Oliveira of Ganymede, Imperial ambassador to his Supremacy the Roidhun, scurried forth. He was a thin and fussy man whose abilities had on a memorable occasion given Brechdan a disconcerting surprise."

IOW, Lord Oliveira was one of those devoted and shrewd men doing so much to help keep Merseia in check. And there's another Anderson might have written: which one of Brechdan's apple carts did Oliveira upset?

Ad astra! Sean