Apart from his Big Four - van Rijn, Falkayn, Flandry and Everard - Poul Anderson created several major characters, including Anson Guthrie and Rupert of the Rhine. See also Is Rupert Right? Although Rupert appears in only a single novel, A Midsummer Tempest, that novel is the culmination of a trilogy and Rupert is also mentioned in the second of the two Old Phoenix short stories.
It is always interesting to compare how another author presents the same historical figure:
"That bastard whoreson, Rupert, swept immediate down the hill, charged with the Deville's fyre.
"In his wake, a thousand Royalist bloodhounds: pikemen and mercenarie rabble at the command of this devious childe."
-Paul Jenkins, John Constantine: Hellblazer, no. 91, "Riding The Green Lanes" (New York, 1995), p. 1, panel 4.
Jenkins describes not the historical Battle of Edgehill but its well-attested ghostly reenactment, like a Valhalla with fighting but no feasting.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I think that should be Anderson's Big FIVE, considering how large and frequent a role Anson Guthrie (or his downloads) played in the four HARVEST OF STARS books.
Well, I would not expect the rebel Parliamentarians to have a high opinion of Prince Rupert! I would expect some to respect his courage and abilities as a soldier, however.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I don't think Guthrie ranks as high as the Four. But he is deffo in a 2nd rung with Gratillonius and Rupert.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I can agree with that. Guthrie definitely should be in the second rung of characters created by Anderson, along with Gratillonius and Prince Rupert.
Ad astra! Sean
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