Both in its preparation and in its implementation, a war has to affect a very large number of individuals with completely different lives and aspirations. Poul Anderson shows us this happening. The coming war between Terra and Ythri is anticipated by:
Daniel Holm and his son, Christopher;
Christopher and his childhood Ythrian friend, Eyath;
Daniel Holm and the other Marchwarden, Ferune;
Christopher Holm and Tabitha Falkayn;
Eyath and her fiance, Vodan;
the Governor and the Admiral's daughter;
Philippe Rochefort and his crew;
Rochefort and Eve Davisson;
the President of the Parliament, the High Wyvan and the two Marchwardens;
Christopher and Tabitha again, this time meeting Vodan -
- the war starts -
the Admiral and the Governor...
From this point on, the war is no longer "coming."
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
It's a pity we never see any of the Imperial and Ythrian diplomats who must have argued with each other over the issues eventually leading to war in the years before fighting began. I can easily see how the Ythrian concept of deathpride could get in the way of the Ythrians coming to realistic assessments of the situation the Domain faced.
Didn't the Ythrians have any xenologists specializing on the human race who could have advised them on how best to tailor proposals to the Imperial envoys on tolerable terms?
Ad astra! Sean
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