Diversity of Intelligent Species
In The Game of Empire, CHAPTER FIVE, Axor is a large quadrupedal Wodenite whereas Targovi is a feline land Starkadian. In fact, he is the son of Dragoika who speaks to Dominic Flandry here. Of course, there are many other intelligent species in the Technic History but, for the current post, let's just stay with this one chapter.
Diversity of Beliefs
Axor, an ordained Jerusalem Catholic, crosses himself in awe when from space he sees three moons, the stars and the Milky Way whereas Targovi, a pagan if anything, fingers a charm. These and many other world-views coexist. A revolutionary proclamation assures Axor, Targovi and anyone else who is listening:
"'Stand by. The Divine, in whatever form It manifests Itself to you, the Divine is with us.'"
-Poul Anderson, The Game of Empire (Riverdale, NY, 2012), pp. 189-453 AT CHAPTER FIVE, p. 261.
An attempt to incorporate all the beliefs. No doubt the Divine is with us but whether It approves of Magnusson's insurrection is another matter.
The Game of Empire is apposite because we experience:
diversity of beliefs;
diversity not of species but within our species;
attempted insurrections.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I seriously doubt God, or if you prefer, the "Divine," would approve of Magnusson's rebellion and attempted usurpation! But Magnusson was trying to woo support as widely as possible.
Yes, we see a diversity of humans in THE GAME OF EMPIRE, not merely in the social and cultural sense, but also in what might be the beginning of a new branch of the human species, the Zacharians.
Ad astra! Sean
Ther Zacharians are in a permanent snit because the rest of the species rejected their "obvious' destiny to lead... 8-).
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Ha! True, and I wrote an essay comparing the Zacharians to your Draka!
Ad astra! Sean
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