By the end of Chapter I, we know that Arnanak and his Tassui are tailed and quadrupedal. Leading an attack:
"He trotted into a run. Behind him the ground drummed under the weight and haste of his warriors." (I, p. 14)
By a slight mental effort, we must remind ourselves that these warriors and their leader are neither bipedal infantry nor cavalry but centauroids. They trot, then gallop, on all fours. That has implications for their society which Anderson will spell out as the novel proceeds. To our relief, after dauri and centauroids, we find that Chapter II is about human beings. Yuri Dejerine, named with a miss-spelt first name in the blurb on p. i, makes his entrance/ comes on-stage.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
The idea of quadrupeds capable of being both infantry and cavalry is intriguing!
Ad astra! Sean
Note: that the centaur legend is thought to originate from people startled by the first time they saw other people riding horses.
Cavalry was important militarily *because* a man on horseback is faster (over short distances) than a man on foot. So Ishtar would not have cavalry in any sense similar to Earthly military history.
Kaor, Jim!
I agree. I would only add that before the invention of stirrups and satisfactory saddles cavalry was of limited use. Mostly as couriers, scouts, mounted archers.
Ad astra! Sean
And a unicorn is a rhinoceros.
Kaor, Paul!
But not very equine looking!
Ad astra! Sean
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