Anyone who read the instalments of Poul Anderson's Time Patrol series in the order in which they were published knew that Manse Everard had arrested Merau Varagan of the Exaltationists at the end of "Ivory, and Apes, and Peacocks," the first of two long stories originally published as a single volume entitled Time Patrolman. Thus, when Varagan appears in the next volume, "The Year of the Ransom," we know that "The Year..." is set earlier than "Ivory..." in terms of Varagan's personal chronology. Everard and Varagan work against each other but do not meet in "The Year..." The omnibus collection, Time Patrol, presents these stories in their original publication order so that again "Ivory..." is read before "The Year..."
If a future edition were to rearrange the order of the instalments, then Varagan would be introduced in "The Year..." and would still be at large at the end of that instalment but would be apprehended later at the end of "Ivory..." I think that this would be more satisfactory. Also, these two stories should be moved to the end of Time Patrol because Everard, just returned from ancient Tyre, where he was in "Ivory...," begins The Shield Of Time by continuing his pursuit of the remaining Exaltationists.
The series becomes a continuous saga and it would be better if it were read in the order in which Everard experiences it.
9 comments:
I found the Spanish conquistador defeating the genetically-engineered future type in hand-to-hand combat rather implausible.
Ditto on the reading order -- as Everard experiences it is best.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I don't think I can agree, as Anderson presented it, I thought Don Luis' drubbing of those Exaltationists plausible. Recall, these Conquistadors emerged from a very hard school of wars against the Moors and many other nations spread out over centuries (e.g., the Catalans seen in ROGUE SWORD). Skill in arms, discipline, ability to almost instantaneously analyze a situation, and ruthlessly do whatever it took to either overcome enemies or at least survive seems to have been remorselessly drilled in. Iow, a lot like the aged but formidable Francisco Pizarro himself.
Ad astra! Sean
Well, yes, he's formidable against humans of his time. OTOH, the Exaltationists are genetically engineered, so they've got potential ordinary humans don't, and presumably they were exhaustively trained too.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Then I can only suggest the Exaltationists were so arrogantly overconfident that they got careless and let down their guard. Which was all Don Luis needed, using surprise and speed to overcome them.
Ad astra! Sean
I'm trying to suggest ways of "saving the appearances" for how Don Luis beat those Exaltationists. Also, Manse and Wanda came to have a grudging but real respect for him.
Ad astra! Sean
I think that letting down their guard is the point.
Kaor, Paul!
And I think that's how it often happens in real life.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: granted. Getting caught by surprise multiplies force.
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