Monday 1 May 2023

Earth In "Esau"

Poul Anderson, "Esau" IN Anderson, The Van Rijn Method (Riverdale, NY, December 2009), pp. 517-553.

After "How To Be Ethnic...," the only remaining story in The Technic Civilzation Saga, Volume I, The Van Rijn Method, to show us anything of Earth is "Esau."

Having seen San Francisco Integrate, we now see Chicago Integrate. Having seen Nicholas van Rijn's office in Djakarta and his mansion on the peak of Kilimanjaro, we now see his penthouse on the Winged Cross in Chicago Integrate. We will see van Rijn twice more at this address. 

A flying cab lands in a roof garden. This high, sounds are a murmur like a distant ocean. Visible are other towers, skyways, aircars and many-coloured lights to the horizon. Inside are a live butler, a vast trollcat rug, a VieWall, a luxurious room and Nicholas van Rijn lounging with a tankard. Conversation between van Rijn and his guest takes us into the story and away from Earth but we will return on some occasions in subsequent volumes. 

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I wondered just now what on Terra is a TROLLCAT?

And I recalled how an earlier discussion of "Esau" led to me talking about Diego Velazquez's painting "Don Baltasar Carlos and His Dwarf" and the custom of having court dwarves.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

I am sure that Trollcats are OFF Earth.

Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I agree! A trollcat was probably a much larger and more dangerous beast than a lion or tiger, but it was no match for Nicholas van Rijn.

Ad astra! Sean