Murder Bound is both a mystery novel and a novel by Poul Anderson. It has two culminations: the detective's identification of the murderer and his fight with the murderer. Anderson usually incorporates some action scenes. I have more than once analyzed his characters' fight sequences and could do so again, e.g., from xxi, p. 194:
the murderer leaps forward wielding the ax;
Yamamura spins and strikes with his right arm;
etc.
However, this sequence continues until p. 198, the concluding page of the novel, with the murderer battered, apprehended and unconscious. The author carefully choreographs the personal combat and subsequent pursuit just as film-makers must story-board all their fisticuffs. Yamamura faces the moral question: should I let this guy fall into the sea or pull him back on board? Whether he is likely to kill again might affect the answer. (Frank Miller's Bruce Wayne: "Joker, how many people have I killed by not killing you?")
Back Track
An earlier detail that I had not mentioned: Arne Torvald's cover story is that he visits a couple called Lefsky because Mrs. Alice Lefsky is his former sister-in-law. (ix, p. 81) When Yamamura checks, Mrs Lefsky says:
"'Oh, yes, Mr. Yamamura, Arne is often around to see us. Not today...'" (ix, p. 83)
She adds that her husband:
"'...could have graduated from Cal, and should have, but when poverty is built into the economic system....'" (ibid.)
She lies unconvincingly and Yamamura easily deduces that the Lefskys are "...fellow travelers...," (xvi, p. 143) willing to help Torvald without knowing what his secret activities were. Those activities are not spying because, if they were:
"...the Russian professionals would have covered his tracks much more smoothly." (ibid.)
The Lefskys are guilty of "idiocy" and there is "...paranoia in their creed..." (ibid.) A parody of fellow travelers. But they were badly misled about Russia.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
One thing I remembered about the fight Yamamura had with the murderer was how the rolling and pitching of the "Valborg" in heavy seas prolonged that fight. Because it prevented either of the combatants from quickly winning that fight.
Yes, it was right of Yamamura to rescue the murderer after the criminal was nearly washed overboard by a wave sweeping over the ship. It's better and more CONCLUSIVE for criminals be brought to judgement for their crimes, rather than to die in an accident. I did wonder which nation would have jurisdiction: Norway or the US?
The Lefskys were not the only ones who were idiots about the USSR! I was reminded of how the left wing journalist, Lincoln Steffens, infamously said after a visit to the embryonic USSR in 1919: "I have seen the future, and it works." And that was during Lenin's reign of terror!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
In 1919, there were some moves towards social improvements (later reversed) despite the continued conflict but, more generally, people neither idiotic nor paranoid have believed absurdities. This is a more general problem, involving wish fulfillment, propaganda and deception.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I grant, despite my anger and contempt for them, that not all people like Lincoln Steffens were neither idiotic or paranoid. But, they were still dead wrong about the USSR. Yes, things like wish fulfillment, propaganda, and Potemkin style deception all played roles.
And I still believe Russia was better off in 1914 than she was in 1919. Or 2014 for that matter!
Ad astra! Sean
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