Sunday 3 September 2023

Dialogue And Issues

Mirkheim, XVI.

Rereading this chapter, we re-encounter the trenchant opinions of Sam Romney, Traver, fisherman and independent shipowner. As before, I commend Poul Anderson as he puts authentic dialogue into the mouth of such a character and I also want to engage with the dialogue. However, searching the blog discloses that I have already done so at some length. This was mainly in a post entitled, "Issues In Mirkheim," although searching for this post also brought up several others. See here.

Athena Falkayn says:

"'If anything, [the mercenaries]'re glad to lash out at a Technic civilization that kicked them aside. Surely the Merseians among them are.'" (p. 221)

This remark develops from a threat made in "Day of Burning" and paves the way for the Dominic Flandry series. Merseian Disaffection also came up when searching for "Issues In Mirkheim." The whole of history is a complicated but single and interconnected process.

4 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

For the Merseians, at least, I have scant for these malcontents. I've said it before, it was the Merseians who brought on themselves their troubles. My belief is that the ideology of racial supremacism we see under the future Roidhunate took their origns from a merging of the aggressive militarism of the Wilwidh Ocean vachs and the racism/paranoia of the Demonists.

Ad astra! Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

I meant to say, "...scant sympathy."

Sean

S.M. Stirling said...

Sean: agreed. The basic complaint of the Merseians who are "disaffected" is that the Terrans don't take them at their own (highly inflated) definition.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

And I would say to those Merseians: tough beans! The universe is under no obligation to please you.

Ad astra! Sean