Thin air;
smoky odor from Ythrian bodies;
draft from ventilator;
sounds of wingbeats;
0.75 Terrestrial gravity;
the "radiant swarm" (p. 642) of stars, nebulae, Milky Way and other galaxies seen through an extravagant viewport necessary for Ythrians' sanity;
mounting tension.
Captain Hirharouk has announced:
"...that all were to hold themselves prepared for emergencies cosmic or warlike." (p. 641)
Those last three words succinctly summarize the kinds of emergencies routinely encountered by Anderson's spacefaring characters and this story always seems fresh however often I reread it.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, almost all of Anderson's stories are eminently worthy of being read over and over again. I do suggest it helps to let some time go by before rereading a story.
This is as good a place as any to offer my condolences to Elizabeth II for the recent death of her husband, Prince Philip.
Ad astra! Sean
I had been out all afternoon and had not yet heard the news so I first read of the Duke's death here.
Kaor, Paul!
That is a bit unusual, first learning of an event in the UK from me!
And the Duke of Edinburgh does seem to have been a pretty decent man.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But remember that good things are automatically said about a public figure as soon as he is dead. A tabloid headline today: "We are all weeping with you, Ma'am!" Of course that is not the sentiment of everyone in the country but there is always a mainstream media narrative that simply overrides and will not report any alternative views or dissent.
A British paper had published on an inner page a column denigrating Princess Diana. When she died later that day, the paper rushed out a second edition with a front page praising her even though that derogatory column was still inside!
My mother used to buy into the whole media narrative. She told me that someone who had died had been praised by BOTH sides. "Both sides" meant both sides of the House of Commons (part of the establishment), not both sides, still less ALL sides, of opinion in the country.
Historians will assess Prince Philip's contribution to the Second Elizabethan Age. In the next few days, the BBC and the daily newspapers will continue to say what they are expected to say.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Of course I expect the popular press or media to over do and hype up things! Sober historians and biographers will give us more nuanced views of Prince Philip.
Ad astra! Sean
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