Kenmuir joins Lilisaire at the center of a giant artificial diamond:
his slightest movement causes every visible color to flash, spark, flow and shift around him;
the air carries odors of spice and honeysuckle;
a canto by Verdea, the first Lunarian poet, is barely audible;
they eat superb canapes and drink wine that is said to sing.
The Selenarch Lilisaire is about to stoop to politics, "...monkey dealings...," (p. 102) but, before she stoops, readers should pause to appreciate her giant diamond - and they might remember that Larry Niven's feline kzinti also disparage Terrestrials as "monkeys." However, human beings genetically altered to live and breed in Lunar gravity are more plausible antagonists than intelligent alien cats.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
That kind of disdain from Lilisaire is bit rich, coming as she did from a genetically modified species of humans whose members were notorious for intrigues and plots against one another. Iow, POLITICS!
And Lilisaire's giant artificial diamond should also be compered to the Crystal Moon we see in Chapter I of WE CLAIM THESE STARS, also made from artificial jewels and crystals.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I think the point is that a Selenarch would find the compromises involved in Terran politics demeaning.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Well, the back scratching, log rolling, favor swapping, intrigues, deal making, and squabbling of real politics is often squalid! But it's simply what people are like.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
I think that Selenarchic politics are more lethal and less dissimulating.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
You are probably right.
Ad astra! Sean
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