"She leaned a little toward him. 'Mark -'
"'What?' His goal stood silhouetted against a crimson sheet.
"'Oh, never mind.'"
-CHAPTER ONE, p. 8.
Hauksberg and his wife, Alicia, are flying to the Emperor's Birthday Party at the Coral Palace. However, I do not understand either "His goal..." or "...a crimson sheet."
Crown Prince Josip describes "'The Starkad affair...'" as "'...dreadfully serious and constructive...'" (p. 9), thus echoing a faction in sf fandom. See Sercon.
"[Hauksberg] often wondered what would become of the Empire when that creature mounted the throne." (ibid.)
Later volumes answer that question and also show us what happens when Josip dies heirless.
Joining a meeting of the seven critical members of the Policy Board, Hauksberg apologizes for lateness and makes "...the humility salute..." (p. 10), which was the point that Sean noticed. Again, if the novel were to be filmed, then the salute would have to be invented - assuming the degree of verisimilitude that I would prefer.
The seven critical members include Petroff, de Fonseca and Chardon. The first and third of these are mentioned again in The Day Of Their Return.
5 comments:
Paul:
"Hauksberg and his wife, Alicia, are flying to the Emperor's Birthday Party at the Coral Palace. However, I do not understand either 'His goal...' or '...a crimson sheet.'"
There was earlier reference to "sky luminosity, multi-colored moving curtains" produced as part of the fireworks. If the palace toward which Hauksberg flies – thus, his goal – is at a particular moment silhouetted against red luminosity that seems to take up most of the sky....
David,
OK.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And David beat me to making similar comments about the Coral Palace being outlined against brighter light in the sky.
Hmmmm, so Josip's "...dreadfully serious and constructive" seems to have passed into SF fandom as one of those insider things fans will say!
Alas, as we know, Josip turned out to be a very bad Emperor indeed.
I suggested in another combox that Hauksberg's "humility salute" took the form of a bow with hands pressed together in front of the face. A filmed version of ENSIGN FLANDRY might use that.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I thought that Anderson must have taken "serious and constructive" from fandom but I have not checked the relevant dates.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
For all we know, Anderson did take that line from SF fandom, and not the other way about.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment