After the mythological section I and the historical section 1, section 2 presents an evocative description of contemporary Amsterdam although with enough references to time travel to inform or remind readers that the overriding genre in this work is sf. Everard reflects that the past and future of the city:
"...at any instant could not only cease to be but cease ever having been." (p. 480)
As usual, I disagree with this way of expressing the causality violation paradox. The premature destruction of the Roman Empire by Germanic barbarians would initiate a timeline in which modern Amsterdam never came into existence but would not cause it to cease to exist at any moment in 1986.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And, more likely, a "Star of the Sea" timeline would most likely a world split off from the timeline in which Manse Everard visited the Amsterdam of 1986, which would continue to exist.
Most readers, of course, would simply read "Star" for what it also is, a very well done science fiction story using time traveling.
Ad astra! Sean
That's implied in "never have been". If Everard failed in his mission, that Amsterdam would exist only in human memories and records.
Though in fact I don't think that the -mission- can fail, though Everard's first run at it might.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And we see a first run by Everard at solving a problem failing in THE SHIELD OF TIME.
Ad astra! Sean
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