A Legend In His Own Lifetime

"A Tragedy of Errors."

Roan Tom, while still alive, was:

"...the rover and trader chieftain whose name was already in the ballads of a dozen planets." (p. 465)

There are some worthwhile films about the relationship between a still living man and his growing legend, e.g., Robin And Marion; Rob Roy.

Van Rijn and Falkayn also became legends in their own lifetimes. Perhaps this is easy to do when it is possible to perform heroic deeds on one planet, then fly to another, leaving popular recollections and accounts behind, although Falkayn finds that it is also possible to be famous in one volume of space but not in another.

See also A Man And His Rep.