Poul Anderson's
The Rebel Worlds ends as it begins with an unnumbered and unentitled passage narrated from a Didonian point of view. This time we understand it better. Before that,
CHAPTER SIXTEEN ends with two pages set back in Kheraskov's office but unfortunately the only new information is that Saturn has replaced Jupiter in the wall-size animation. I had a confused memory from previous readings of Terra overhead which is impossible since Admiralty Center is in the Rockies, not on Luna. However:
"'...the fleshpots of Terra glowing right overhead...'" (p. 516)
- occur in Kheraskov's dialogue when he apologises to Flandry because the latter has:
"'...been made to spend the whole two weeks in Luna Prime.'" (ibid.)
This time they drink Scotch.
Flandry's superiors know that he has committed treason and murder but turn a blind eye because he has got the job done. In times like those, they need men like him. What times!
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I believe our times are no better and that sometimes questionable means for achieving necessary ends have to be tolerated.
Ad astra! Sean
They're working "around" the Emperor, of course.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
True! And we know darn well that is going on as well with with our "Josip"! People are "working around" and manipulating that bungler!
Ad astra! Sean
Do the veiled political comments really serve any purpose? Seriously?
Kaor, Dave!
Yes, because so much of what Anderson wrote fits in with how so many actual persons, good and bad, behave! Both personally and officially, that corrupt and senescent bungler in DC reminds me of Emperor Josip. Including the eerily apt accident of them both having variants of the same name!
In fact, to my amazement, I've even thought the "real," fictional Josip to be better than the "Josip" in the US! At least Emperor Josip seems to have been willing, most times, to be guided by the Policy Board--but no one seems able to keep the other "Josip" from making catastrophic decisions.
Ad astra! Sean
Yeah, okay, it's Paul's bar, but seriously ... politics and religion, you know?
Dave,
Poul Anderson's works raise political and religious issues. Discussing his works, we also wind up discussing the real world. I try to avoid repetition (on my part, I mean) in the combox. Apart from that, the only opinions that would be unacceptable here would be racist ones - but no one here puts forward such opinions anyway. I read opinions that I disagree with and do not always respond to them. I want the discussion to be as wide as possible. Ideally, there would be several two- or more sided arguments between blog readers on issues that I had no strong views about or didn't know enough about. Basically, anything goes.
Paul.
Kaor, Dave!
I try to compose my comments according to Paul's guidelines.
Ad astra! Sean
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