Thursday, 27 August 2020

Poorly Chronicled Myths

"The Sorrow of Odin the Goths," 1980.

Carl Farness says that Celtic and Slavic myths are poorly chronicled but adds:

"'Eventually, my service will -'" (p. 390)

We question the appropriateness of the words, "Eventually..." and "...will -," in this context. Either the service chronicles these myths or it does not. If it does, then these chronicles are available to the Patrol throughout its history. Although the compilers of the chronicles must be kept from consulting the completed chronicles while they are still compiling them, their colleagues, who may be working in the same office, should have access to the complete chronicles from the earlier moment of their induction into the Patrol.

There should be no implication that, during the earlier part of a Patrolman's career, the chronicles were not available in the twentieth century whereas, in the later part of his career, the chronicles were available in the twentieth century. A century is a period, not a place. Either the chronicles are available in the twentieth century or they are not.

1 comment:

S.M. Stirling said...

They're not made available to the people who will compile them previous to them doing so on their own world-line.

It's noted that Carl suspects Everard has read the records of what's "going" to happen but hasn't yet from Carl's p.o.v.