Saturday 30 November 2013

Laugh Out Loud Moments

(The 100th post this month! Preferring to work in round numbers, I will save any more written today until tomorrow.)

(You folks out there have been great with page views recently: 190 yesterday; 125 by 11.10 am today. Maybe everyone who views can comment just once to tell us who and where they are?)

One, not the only, laugh out loud moment - an Interstellar Bureau of Investigation agent, responding to a role-playing Hoka:

"...caught on and nodded as if it hurt him. 'Of course,' he said in a strangled voice. 'I would be the last to compare myself with Mr. Holmes.'"
- Poul Anderson and Gordon R Dickson, Earthman's Burden (New York, 1979), p. 98.

Jones and the IBI man have flown to the Tokan island of England and landed in Victorian London with its peaked roofs, winding cobbled streets, River Thames, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, St Paul's still being built, fog, gas lamps, Scotland Yard, cockney policeman referring to "...'Er Majesty...'" (p. 97), Inspector Lestrade, hansom cabs pulled by large reptiles, 221-B Baker Street, Mrs Hudson and, of course...

2 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

And another funny bit I recalled was the dismay Jones felt at the idea of a Hoka Queen Victoria. The original, and human Queen Victoria had been amply awesome, even intimidating, but a HOKA Queen Victoria....! (Smiles)

Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

I forgot to add I too am eager for more visitors to your blog giving us some idea of who they are, where they live, and thoughts about both your notes and the works of Poul Anderson. At the very least, I hope this blog has done something to stimulate interest in his books!

Sean