This long chapter opens:
"Galenos looked around the dinner table..." (p. 173)
At least for the time being, Galen is the pov character. The dinner conversation and Galen's thoughts impart information to the reader rather than advance the plot.
Near the top of p. 185:
"...Galenos thought."
He is still, consistently, the pov character. With dinner concluded and with those who do not "need to know" having withdrawn, Galen begins to convey a message from the Emperor to the three Americans who are present and to their single other confidante on the most important matter (time travel), Josephus. There is a double space between paragraphs...
After the space and with the message delivered, the leading American, Artorius/Arthur, not only slams his fist down but also sees that Galen is observing their reactions. Thus, the pov has shifted from Galen to Artorius. (I notice all this because I am a pov cop.)
The narrative must shift from imparting general information to delineating how the Americans respond to the devastating news that they are not the only time travellers in 170 CE and that is more than I can cope with this evening. Sorry to build up to a climax, then trickle to bed.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I appreciated that Chapter Thirteen and how deftly Stirling imparted a massive amount of information to his readers using Galen's POV. You remnded me of Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Book II, Chapter II, The Council of Elrond, an even more complex chapter with multiple POVs skillfully handled by the author.
Chapters like these would have been so easy for less competent writers to bungle and mess up
Ad astra! Sean
Yeah, that chapter was tricky. Note that the Emperor, Galen and Josephus... and the Americans... are getting more info from the returning ambassador than the ambassador knows himself.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I missed that, how the last surviving member of the embassy Marcus Aurelius sent to Han China knew less than his sovereign. Usually, it's the other way about, envoys discovering information unknown to his gov't.
Ad astra! Sean
Ah, but his information was crucial. Marcus Aurelius just knew what it -meant-.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
An excellent point, one I should have thought about.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment