Build Up To War

The short opening paragraph of The People Of The Wind tells us that war is imminent. Next, Poul Anderson economically explains what the war is about and prepares his readers for the hostilities by recounting conversations between:

Daniel Holm, Second Marchwarden of the Lauran System, and his son, Christopher, who is also Arinninan of Stormgate Choth;

Arinninan and his chothmate, Eyath, a female Ythrian;

Holm Senior and First Marchwarden Ferune of Mistwood;

Arinninan and Tabitha Falkayn who is Hrill of Highsky;

Eyath and the male Ythrian, Vodan;

Ekrem Saracoglu, Imperial governor of Sector Pacis, and the Fleet Admiral's daughter;

Lieutenant Philippe Rochefort, captain of the Meteor-class space boat, Hooting Star, and his two-being crew;

Rochefort and the Esperancian Eve Davisson;

the Marchwardens, Matthew Vickery who is President of the Parliament of Man and Liaw of the Tarns who is Wyvan of the High Khruath.

That completes the first five of nineteen chapters: a great deal of characterization, human, Ythrian and Cynthian, interspersed with physical descriptions of Avalon, Esperance and the view from space.