In series fiction, the hero and the continuing villain usually survive at the end of each episode. We recognize the cliche and appreciate when the author does it well.
Flandry and his crew attack the Merseian dome on a proto-planet in the Sky Cave. While the Terrans are winning, Flandry looks around, sees "...the tall gaunt figure mounting a cliff..." (p. 119) and gives chase...
The men of the Union Corse confront the men of SPECTRE on top of an Alp but Bond, from his raised position inside the helicopter, sees, as he puts it, that the Big One is getting away and gives chase as a gun fight breaks out behind him...
The same cliche written well in two narratives.
9 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And A. Conan Doyle tried to kill off his two Big Ones, Holmes and Moriarty, because he was tired of writing stories about the Great Detective. But, ironically, popular protest forced him to bring back at least Sherlock Holmes. Not sure if Dr. Moriarty also survived that tumble down the falls!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
There are sequels by other authors which say that Moriarty also survived.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That I had not known. Apparently, Doyle chose not to "resurrect" Moriarty.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Correct. Holmes returned, captured Colonel Sebastian Moran, who had been Moriarty's chief of staff, and that was the end of Moriarty's organization. Holmes's next big job was as Altamont against German spies pre-1914 and Everard refers to that case in THE SHIELD OF TIME.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And the milieu agent of the Patrol in 1890 London mentioned being busy with thwarting a plot against Queen Victoria's life by, I think, a time criminal (in "Time Patrol).
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
A German of a few years later who had stolen a time machine.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And that might have been an interesting story too. Esp. if it did not feature Manse Everard as the main or POV character.
Ad astra! Sean
Thought I would wonder why a German would want to kill Victoria - the consequences would be unpredictable, but unlikely to favor Germany. Edward was to put it mildly not a fan of his nephew Willie.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, and Wilhelm II, for all his difficult ways, was actually devoted to his grandmother.
But, as you have pointed out bother and in your Black Chamber books, Germans have had great difficulty thinking STRATEGICALLY in any sound way. So I would expect ant German using a stolen time cycle to attempt assassinating Queen Victoria to have the same problem.
Ad astra! Sean
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