The Man Who came Early Poul Anderson (published 1956)
The mountain goats that stood watch over the fjord, indifferently chewing on the wild grasses between the rocks, had kids following them on their steep paths... Olaf, my third father, my king, had a son, stillborn. Olaf wept. Kenna wept. I wept as the boy was buried inside the casket with his mother in our graveyard by the church.” ― Jason Born, The Norseman (The Norseman Chronicles)
- Length:Twenty Three Pages
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Category: Time Travel in the Golden Age of Science Fiction
- Characters
| Civilized |
Barbarian |
| Priest |
Thorbrand-Norse Warrior |
| White Christ |
Thor and the Frost Giants |
| Time Traveler Gerald |
Warlocks |
| Irish Monks |
Norsemen |
- Setting:
- Iceland
- Time Periods
| Time From |
Time To |
| 1933 |
970 |
What's It About, Man?A time traveler,Gerald, finds himself in a time before Iceland had been civilized. He must find a way to survive, in spite of the culture clash, and the lack of knowledge of the time. Will the shock be too much for him? This story is told from the perspective of the Icelandic of 970 A.D.; which is a nice twist to the usual narrative told from the time traveler's perspective.
First Words
YES, WHEN A MAN grows old he has heard so much that is stranger there's little more can surprise him.
Last Words
Maybe some of them, walking about on the heaths will see that barrow and wonder, what ancient warrior lies buried there, and they may well wish they had lived long ago in this time, when men were free.
Favorite Quote
What I Learned About Writing
- Twist the narrative... who would tell the story in the most interesting perspective. It does not have to be always the time traveler's perspective on the new world.
Turnip Tidbits
- Poul Anderson investigated time travel in a series of short stories "Time Patrol" which are collected in Guardians of Time
- Time Patrol and Guardians of Time was ranked 110 and 111, of the best Time Travel Books of All Time
- You can read a number of his books at the Free Speculative Fiction Online.
Where to Find The Story
The Best Time Travel Stories of the 20th Century
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