Tuesday, 16 April 2019

It

SM Stirling, Snowbrother (New York, 1985).

Who is the titular character of Snowbrother? We get used to using a title just as a label for a text and forget that it means something.

There is an element of horror fiction. After a raid, the slave-owning Kommanz return home with Minztan prisoners through heavy snow. The Minztans refer several times to "it" and we gradually gather that this is something fearful that might help them.

The prisoner Maihu has passed the message, to fellow Minztans who might rescue them, "'...that Snowbrother will aid us...'" and "'...that Fear would fight for us too.'" (Chapter 11, p. 153) Maihu, an Adept, plays her flute, enters a trance and pierces the Veil. A guard's horse is spooked and bolts, throwing her. She sees "it," then nothing. (p. 158) We still do not know what it is.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I've also been wondering what were the origins of words like "Minztans." Perhaps from the long forgotten state of Michigan?

Sean