Tuesday, 6 January 2026

Grand Entrance

Poul Anderson, "Territory" IN Anderson, Trader To The Stars (New York, 1966).

Nicholas van Rijn's grand entrance in this story deserves screen dramatization:

he enters Joyce Davisson's room;

she is tall like most Esperancians but does not reach his neck;

his shoulders fill the doorway;

his pot belly strains his fabricord suit;

survival equipment hangs from him;

his great hooked nose sticks from his open helmet;

he sniffs as if for blood;

ringleted, shoulder-length, greasy, black hair swirls;

waxed moustache and goatee resemble horns;

multiple chins quiver;

he looks monstrous to Joyce and should to us;

she remembers him in lace and ruffles so we should also see flashbacks...

What a sight.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kaor, Paul!

I don't know if Old Nick would look monstrous to me--but he certainly would appear formidable!

Van Rijn has been described as fully two meters tall, which I've estimated as meaning he was 6 ft, 4 inches in height. And more than proportionately massive, with plenty of muscle under the fat.

In the US at least women are considered tall if they are 5 feet, 7 inches in height. Meaning Joyce was probably 9 inches shorter than Old Nick.

I only wish we had some good-filmed versions of the Nicholas van Rijn and Dominic Flandry stories.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

A suitable actor for van Rijn would be a problem.

Paul.

S.M. Stirling said...

Of course, being overweight is rapidly becoming a voluntary choice, but Poul couldn't anticipate GLP-1's.

Anonymous said...

Kaor. Paul and Mr. Stirling!

Paul: It would be a challenge to find a suitable actor to play Old Nick!

Mr. Stirling: I get the strong impression van Rijn liked being fat, that obesity was his personal choice. I also think Technic medical science could avert the bad effects of obesity.

I deblimped myself the hard, slow way, starting in 2012, with rigid dieting and exercise.

Ad astra! Sean

S.M. Stirling said...

Sean: I recommend GLP-1's. Your appetite goes way down, your other obsessive-compulsive behaviors moderate likewise. I lost 108 pounds.

Anonymous said...

Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

Thanks, I'll look up GLP-1's, but I don't think they were available in 2012. I started by cold turkeying all at once all the bad yummy stuff I used to scarf down.

I'm glad you lost 108 lbs. I lost at least 70 pounds and I would like to deblimp myself of another 10/15 lbs. I think you are taller than me (five feet, 10 inches and a bit more).

Ad astra! Sean