In Operation Luna, when his daughter, Valeria, has turned fifteen, Steve says:
"Transcosmic expeditions had been mighty few, I recalled. Some had never been seen again."
-Poul Anderson, Operation Luna (New York, 2000), p. 337.
In A Midsummer Tempest, Valeria, an adult, travels between universes, knows how to assess parallel Earths and has found the inter-cosmic inn, the Old Phoenix.
Thus, scientific progress accompanies the growth of the Matuchek family.
I find the pompous talking sword unbelievable. However, if Operation Luna were to be filmed, then its/his shining surface should pulsate and change color in synchronization with his speech. This would be slightly more acceptable that an apparently disembodied voice accompanying an inactive weapon.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I can see why the talking sword, affecting as well the mannerisms of an elderly Edwardian era soldier, can be a serious strain on suspending one's disbelief. But I remember thinking it was amusing. I think you need to keep in mind Poul Anderson was also trying for some HUMOR in OPERATION LUNA.
Sean
Paul:
There's a Japanese TV cartoon, *The Zero's Familiar* (*Zero no Tsukaima* in Japanese) in which one of the characters is given what turns out to be a talking sword. Part of the sword's guard has a swivel mechanism, apparently for no better reason than to give the impression of a mouth moving whenever the sword speaks. It makes a distinctive clanking noise, too, the first time it opens for any speech.
I find your idea of a pulsating, color-changing glow more elegant, although the cartoon's makers, too, were going for humor.
David,
Thank you. You are the Archivist of the Blog.
Paul.
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