On Skaro in the past, the Doctor visits the peaceful Thals and is attacked by the mutated, mechanized Daleks.
On Gwydion in the future, Poul Anderson's Tolteca and Raven visit the peaceful Gwydiona and are attacked by the omnivorous mountain apes.
No doubt we could multiply examples. So far, it seems that Anderson's The Night Face fits into this sf tradition. Travelers through space and time meet monsters. However, something is different on Gwydion.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
What I remember about Wells' Eloi is that they had become childlike, feeble witted, and apparently frail. Totally dependent on the Morlocks for all their needs, with the Morlocks like cattle to be butchered and eaten.
I would not call the ape like creatures in THE NIGHT FACE that bad, as monsters go. The truly monstrous thing is what HAPPENS to the humans of Gwydion at Bale Time.
Were the Merseians the monsters of Technic Civlization? Not necessarily as individuals, but because of the ideas and beliefs dominant among them during the Roidhunate? Ideas and beliefs which could easily them to doing truly monstrous and evil things.
Sean
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