Van Rijn Takes Over

Poul Anderson's Satan's World, Chapters I-V, are about David Falkayn and his team. VI is about van Rijn who acts hurt when his hard-worked yacht crew refuse to carouse with him every night. When he is conducting business, he is interrupted by a "'Direct call. Priority Two.'" (p. 387) Chee Lan and Adzel have called from Muddlin' Through because Falkayn has been kidnapped. It has taken them a while to break through the machines and flunkies surrounding van Rijn. So that is how it works.

From now on, through Satan's World, "Lodestar" and Mirkheim, we are reading about van Rijn and the trader team, not just about one or the other. They face major threats to the Polesotechnic League and the Solar Commonwealth.