Kyra, a space pilot, has had a relationship with an asteroid engineer. She contrasts their life-styles. His is:
"Work among the flying mountains..." (p. 116)
- and thus recalls Anderson's short future history, Tales Of The Flying Mountains, whereas hers is "the Long Road" encompassing:
Earth aglow above the Copernicus ringwall;
radiation around Jupiter;
a comet that has never been visited before;
tales, songs and fellowship at rendezvous.
The "songs" might recall Heinlein's Jetman Rhysling, the Blind Singer of the Spaceways, and his "The Green Hills of Earth." The Long Road definitely recalls Nicholas van Rijn's closing speech:
"'You take the Long Trail with me!...A universe where all roads lead to roaming. Life never fails us. We fail it, unless we reach out.'"
-Poul Anderson, Mirkheim IN Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (Riverdale, NY, 2011), pp. 1-291 AT p. 287.
Who can read that and think that van Rijn is not still out there, still roaming?
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I admire and sympathize with Old Nick's views! I hope that SOON such options will be opened to men from Earth! Exploring the Long Trails thru out the Galaxy and beyond!
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
I like to think of Old Nick, some years after the events recorded in MIRKHEIM, embarking on his last great interstellar journey and getting as far as one of the Magellanic Clouds.
Sean
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