Past And Future

Poul Anderson's The Corridors Of Time makes historical references to the German occupation of Denmark and to a Ukrainian rebellion in the twentieth century as well as to many events much further in the past as when Lockridge looks at a dolmen:

"...as if for some assurance of eternity." (CHAPTER THREE, p. 24)

- and reflects that:

"...a vanished people raised [the upright stones] to be a tomb for their dead." (ibid.)

Poul Anderson's works make us aware of times past or future and sometimes, as in this case, of both. As we reread, we remind ourselves that, in The Corridors..., this history carries humanity forward not to Technic civilization or to the Star Masters but to "time wardens." The Wardens and Rangers who precede the time wardens are based in the future but wage war throughout history, hence Storm's mysterious recruitment of Lockridge which has yet to be explained as CHAPTER THREE proceeds.