A Cool Breeze

The Avatar, L.

In Ireland, after everything:

"A cool breeze bore odors of sea and soil and growth. High overhead a lark sang." (p. 400)

Appropriate to the ending of this novel: not a cold wind bearing storm clouds but a cool breeze etc.

For once a character comments on the wind as it comments on the conclusion:

"'Aye,' Caitlin said. 'As if the country would bid us goodbye with a blessing.'" (ibid.)

And, even closer to the end, yet another of Poul Anderson's many hovering birds of prey:

"From behind a ridge, a hawk swung to hover where the sun turned its wings golden." (p. 404)

Anderson's The People Of The Wind ends with the last line of a song:

"High is heaven and holy."

The Avatar ends with the last line of another song:

"Rejoice in the joy that comes after!" (ibid.)