Thursday, 15 May 2025

A Stone In Heaven

In Poul Anderson's Technic History, further candidates for mini-bio treatment are:

the usurper, Hans Molitor;
the pretender, Edwin Cairncross, Grand Duke of Hermes;
the pretender, Admiral Sir Olaf Magnusson;
Magnusson's father, Erik.

We will perhaps reread A Stone In Heaven which features Cairncross. A Stone... is dedicated to John K. Hord whose theory of history Anderson applies in A Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows and in A Stone...

In the opening chapter of A Stone..., the Ramnuan, Yewwl, has an oath-sister, "Banner," based in Wainwright Station. The name of the station suggests that it is staffed by human beings but we do not at first suspect, although we will soon be informed, that "Banner" is Miriam Abrams. Nor has the text yet confirmed that Ramnu exists in the Technic History universe.

Other reading: I think that there is a structural problem in Robert Harris' Conclave relating to the seal of Confession.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

It is absolutely forbidden for any Catholic priest or bishop to break the seal of Confession. To do that immediately brings on that cleric an immediate excommunication reserved to the Holy See.

Hope this uploads.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

Has it ever happened?

The central character plays fast and loose with the seal of Confession, I suspect because the author did not understand its significance.

Paul.

S.M. Stirling said...

Though Molitor didn't take the throne because he was ambitious; he did it because it seemed like the 'least bad' alternative given the situation.