Nat Falkayn's gravbelt encircles his waist and:
"On his back were the two cylinders of its powerpack." (p.415)
Thus, visually, he resembles the many fictional characters who used to fly with rockets strapped to their backs. I am sure that Poul Anderson intended this resemblance.
Indeed, searching for an image of the comic book character, Adam Strange, I find him teamed with the Rocketeer.
Many fictional characters fly by different means but how would you control a rocket - or is it a jet? - on your back and prevent the obvious damage that it could cause? Powerpacks for a gravbelt are a much more plausible explanation of cylinders on a flying man's back. Now all we need are a few gravbelts.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteI have seen crude, real world power packs using chemical energy to enable men to fly for about thirty or sixty seconds. A start, but nothing as satisfactory as using "gravitics" to fly. I hope that will happen for real someday!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
ReplyDeleteJames Bond used one in a film.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteI remember that one too! I think two of Fleming's Bond books, MOONRAKER and THUNDERBALL, might even be thought marginally science fictional.
Ad astra! Sean