Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen
Encyclopedia
Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen is a 1965 science fiction novel by H. Beam Piper
and is part of his Kalvan series
of stories, which is part of his larger Paratime series. It recounts the adventures of a Pennsylvania state trooper
who is accidentally transported to a more backward parallel universe
. It is Piper's last science fiction novel.
The book is an expanded version of the novelette Gunpowder God, which had been published in 1964 in Analog Magazine. Gunpowder God itself is a Paratime-series rewrite of the unpublished story "When in the Course
", which takes place in the Terro-Human Future History milieu.
of the Pennsylvania State Police
.
Morrison ends up in a significantly different version of Pennsylvania. Initially confused by the old-growth forest and lack of settlements, Morrison meets some friendly peasants who speak an unknown language. In the middle of a meal, they are attacked by a large raiding party armed with flintlock
pistol
s, which he helps fight off with his police-issue .38 revolver
. Reinforcements arrive, but in the confusion, he is shot by the beautiful young woman leading them. Fortunately, the bullet hits his police badge; he is seriously wounded, but not killed. While recuperating, he learns the local language.
This alternate version of North America is split up into a number of kingdoms, each composed of small principalities, with a level of technology roughly equivalent to that of the late European Renaissance
. Morrison finds himself the guest of Prince Ptosphes of Hostigos — whose blonde, blue-eyed daughter Rylla was the woman who shot him by mistake. He learns that the principality is being threatened by two of their neighbors, Nostor and Sask, with a third, Beshta, hungrily looking on. Ptosphes' overlord, Great King Kaiphranos of Hos-Harphax, refuses to intervene because the priests of the god Styphon want Hostigos to be destroyed. The religious sect uses its monopoly of black gunpowder
, known in this timeline as "fireseed", and the secret technique of how to manufacture it, to control the various princes and kings. Hostigos has a sulfur
spring; since sulfur is a key ingredient of gunpowder/fireseed, Styphon's House intends to seize that spring once Hostigos is destroyed.
Denied gunpowder, Hostigos is certain to be defeated. That is, until Morrison (or Lord Kalvan, as the people begin to call him) organizes production of it in quantity. He also introduces the rapier
, improved cannons with trunnion
s and rifling
. With his understanding of military strategy
and tactics
, he reorganizes the outnumbered Hostigos army and repulses Nostor, capturing an important border town in the process. Then, to undermine the primary enemy (Styphon's priesthood), he sees to it that the secret technique of gunpowder manufacturing is spread far and wide. He assumes that this will soon undermine support for Styphon's House amongst the princes, a tactic subsequently proven correct.
Meanwhile, Verkan Vall, a top agent of the Paratime Police, tracks Kalvan down and infiltrates his army. The standard procedure would be to "remove" the displaced person to protect the secret of the existence of alternate timelines by any means judged necessary, generally memory erasure, but other possibilities are committal to an insane asylum or even assassination. Vall takes a liking to the resourceful Kalvan and realizes that his brother policeman has fabricated a background for himself, one that also conceals the Paratime secret. To help persuade his superiors to leave Morrison alone, Vall also recruits historians on the Home timeline. They can now use Kalvan to do an experiment testing the Great man theory
— can a single, extraordinary individual change the course of history?
After the defeat of Nostor, Sask and Beshta become allies, forcing Kalvan to attack before their armies can unite. After a day of confused fighting against the larger Saskan forces, he emerges victorious once again. Sarrask of Sask is captured and agrees to become a vassal of a new Great King after he learns that he can share in the looting of Styphon's lavish temples. At first, Kalvan proposes that his future father-in-law assume the new throne, but Ptosphes refuses, stating that the other princes would never stand for being ruled by someone they consider only an equal. Kalvan, as an outsider, is the only one they would accept. Plus, his cover story — that he was sent by the gods from a far-away land — plays into local legends. Thus, Lord Kalvan becomes Great King Kalvan of Hos-Hostigos, with Rylla as his queen.
When Gormoth of Nostor hears of Kalvan's successes, he turns against Styphon's House himself. This leads to a bloody civil war in Nostor, followed by Gormoth's assassination. His replacement, facing open and implacable opposition from Styphon's House, soon acknowledges Kalvan's sovereignty. Balthar of Beshta at first declines to become subject to Kalvan, until he discovers there are no gunpowder mills in his realm; he then quickly changes his mind. Other neighboring princes soon side with Kalvan, as this gets rid of the usurious taxes and loans levied by Styphon's House (which functions as both a provider of weapons and as a bank).
King Kaiphranos is infuriated by the defections, as is the Archpriest of Styphon, but the novel ends at this point. A sequel written by Roland Green and John F. Carr
, Great Kings' War
, continues the story. Carr further continues the storyline with his novels Kalvan Kingmaker
, Siege of Tarr-Hostigos
, The Fireseed Wars and the forthcoming The Gunpowder God (which shares the same name as the novelette from which Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen was expanded from).
H. Beam Piper
Henry Beam Piper was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales.He wrote under the name H. Beam Piper...
and is part of his Kalvan series
Kalvan series
The Kalvan series is a fictional series started by H. Beam Piper about a Pennsylvania police officer who is transported to an alternate world. The series is part of Piper's Paratime series and features many of the characters from that series...
of stories, which is part of his larger Paratime series. It recounts the adventures of a Pennsylvania state trooper
Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. It was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, in response to the private police forces used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes and the inability or...
who is accidentally transported to a more backward parallel universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
. It is Piper's last science fiction novel.
The book is an expanded version of the novelette Gunpowder God, which had been published in 1964 in Analog Magazine. Gunpowder God itself is a Paratime-series rewrite of the unpublished story "When in the Course
When in the Course
"When in the Course" is a science fiction short story written by H. Beam Piper. It is a part of Piper’s Terro-Human Future History series, and has the distinction of being nearly identical with his 1964 Paratime short story, Gunpowder God, which was later expanded into the novel, Lord Kalvan of...
", which takes place in the Terro-Human Future History milieu.
Plot summary
Humans on an advanced time-line have discovered "lateral" time dimensions that allow them to travel to "worlds of alternate probability". They use it to exploit natural resources from these alternate realities for their benefit of their home time-line. The Paratime Police are tasked to keep the invention of lateral "time travel" secret (referred to as the "Paratime Secret") and to combat abuses. Occasionally, objects or people get caught in the paratime "conveyors" and are inadvertently transported to alternate timelines. While attempting to apprehend a felon at a remote farmhouse, this happens to Corporal Calvin MorrisonKalvan (Calvin Morrison)
Kalvan, formerly known as Calvin Morrison, is a character from the fictional Kalvan series started by H. Beam Piper. He was a former state trooper of the Pennsylvania state police, who was accidentally picked up by a cross-time flying saucer and carried to another timeline.-Life Before...
of the Pennsylvania State Police
Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. It was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, in response to the private police forces used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes and the inability or...
.
Morrison ends up in a significantly different version of Pennsylvania. Initially confused by the old-growth forest and lack of settlements, Morrison meets some friendly peasants who speak an unknown language. In the middle of a meal, they are attacked by a large raiding party armed with flintlock
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
s, which he helps fight off with his police-issue .38 revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
. Reinforcements arrive, but in the confusion, he is shot by the beautiful young woman leading them. Fortunately, the bullet hits his police badge; he is seriously wounded, but not killed. While recuperating, he learns the local language.
This alternate version of North America is split up into a number of kingdoms, each composed of small principalities, with a level of technology roughly equivalent to that of the late European Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
. Morrison finds himself the guest of Prince Ptosphes of Hostigos — whose blonde, blue-eyed daughter Rylla was the woman who shot him by mistake. He learns that the principality is being threatened by two of their neighbors, Nostor and Sask, with a third, Beshta, hungrily looking on. Ptosphes' overlord, Great King Kaiphranos of Hos-Harphax, refuses to intervene because the priests of the god Styphon want Hostigos to be destroyed. The religious sect uses its monopoly of black gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
, known in this timeline as "fireseed", and the secret technique of how to manufacture it, to control the various princes and kings. Hostigos has a sulfur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
spring; since sulfur is a key ingredient of gunpowder/fireseed, Styphon's House intends to seize that spring once Hostigos is destroyed.
Denied gunpowder, Hostigos is certain to be defeated. That is, until Morrison (or Lord Kalvan, as the people begin to call him) organizes production of it in quantity. He also introduces the rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
, improved cannons with trunnion
Trunnion
A trunnion is a cylindrical protrusion used as a mounting and/or pivoting point. In a cannon, the trunnions are two projections cast just forward of the centre of mass of the cannon and fixed to a two-wheeled movable gun carriage...
s and rifling
Rifling
Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis...
. With his understanding of military strategy
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
and tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
, he reorganizes the outnumbered Hostigos army and repulses Nostor, capturing an important border town in the process. Then, to undermine the primary enemy (Styphon's priesthood), he sees to it that the secret technique of gunpowder manufacturing is spread far and wide. He assumes that this will soon undermine support for Styphon's House amongst the princes, a tactic subsequently proven correct.
Meanwhile, Verkan Vall, a top agent of the Paratime Police, tracks Kalvan down and infiltrates his army. The standard procedure would be to "remove" the displaced person to protect the secret of the existence of alternate timelines by any means judged necessary, generally memory erasure, but other possibilities are committal to an insane asylum or even assassination. Vall takes a liking to the resourceful Kalvan and realizes that his brother policeman has fabricated a background for himself, one that also conceals the Paratime secret. To help persuade his superiors to leave Morrison alone, Vall also recruits historians on the Home timeline. They can now use Kalvan to do an experiment testing the Great man theory
Great man theory
The Great Man Theory was a popular 19th century idea according to which history can be largely explained by the impact of "great men", or heroes: highly influential individuals who, due to either their personal charisma, intelligence, wisdom, or Machiavellianism utilized their power in a way that...
— can a single, extraordinary individual change the course of history?
After the defeat of Nostor, Sask and Beshta become allies, forcing Kalvan to attack before their armies can unite. After a day of confused fighting against the larger Saskan forces, he emerges victorious once again. Sarrask of Sask is captured and agrees to become a vassal of a new Great King after he learns that he can share in the looting of Styphon's lavish temples. At first, Kalvan proposes that his future father-in-law assume the new throne, but Ptosphes refuses, stating that the other princes would never stand for being ruled by someone they consider only an equal. Kalvan, as an outsider, is the only one they would accept. Plus, his cover story — that he was sent by the gods from a far-away land — plays into local legends. Thus, Lord Kalvan becomes Great King Kalvan of Hos-Hostigos, with Rylla as his queen.
When Gormoth of Nostor hears of Kalvan's successes, he turns against Styphon's House himself. This leads to a bloody civil war in Nostor, followed by Gormoth's assassination. His replacement, facing open and implacable opposition from Styphon's House, soon acknowledges Kalvan's sovereignty. Balthar of Beshta at first declines to become subject to Kalvan, until he discovers there are no gunpowder mills in his realm; he then quickly changes his mind. Other neighboring princes soon side with Kalvan, as this gets rid of the usurious taxes and loans levied by Styphon's House (which functions as both a provider of weapons and as a bank).
King Kaiphranos is infuriated by the defections, as is the Archpriest of Styphon, but the novel ends at this point. A sequel written by Roland Green and John F. Carr
John F. Carr
John Francis Carr, was born December 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Diego, California. He is a science fiction editor and writer.-Career:John F...
, Great Kings' War
Great Kings' War
Great Kings' War is John F. Carr and Roland J. Green's sequel to H. Beam Piper's Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen and continues the story of Corporal Calvin Morrison after he is transported to another timeline by a Paratime conveyor...
, continues the story. Carr further continues the storyline with his novels Kalvan Kingmaker
Kalvan Kingmaker
Kalvan Kingmaker is the third book in the Kalvan series and the sequel to Great Kings' War. It is written by John F. Carr .-Returning Characters:...
, Siege of Tarr-Hostigos
Siege of Tarr-Hostigos
Siege of Tarr-Hostigos by John F. Carr, 2003, is the fourth and most recent book in the Kalvan series.-Returning Characters:* Great King Kalvan* Queen Rylla* Prince Ptosphes* Prince Sarrask* Prince Balthames* Prince Phrames* General Harmakros...
, The Fireseed Wars and the forthcoming The Gunpowder God (which shares the same name as the novelette from which Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen was expanded from).
Characters
- Great King KalvanKalvan (Calvin Morrison)Kalvan, formerly known as Calvin Morrison, is a character from the fictional Kalvan series started by H. Beam Piper. He was a former state trooper of the Pennsylvania state police, who was accidentally picked up by a cross-time flying saucer and carried to another timeline.-Life Before...
- Queen Rylla
- Prince Ptosphes of Hostigos
- Prince Sarrask of Sask
- Prince Balthames of Sashta
- Prince Balthar of Beshta
- Prince Gormoth of Nostor
- Highpriest Xentos
- Alkides
- Great King Kaiphranos
See also
- Hos-Hostigos
- Minor Characters in the Kalvan seriesMinor Characters in the Kalvan series-Archpriest Anaxthenes:-Prince Balthames:-Prince Balthar:-Archpriest Cimon:-Knight Commander Geox:-Prince Gormoth:-Great King KaiphranosCommander Lestros:-Prince Pheblon:-Prince Ptosphes:-Archpriest Roxthar:-Warlord Ranjar Sargos:-Knight-Sergeant Sarmoth:...
- When in the CourseWhen in the Course"When in the Course" is a science fiction short story written by H. Beam Piper. It is a part of Piper’s Terro-Human Future History series, and has the distinction of being nearly identical with his 1964 Paratime short story, Gunpowder God, which was later expanded into the novel, Lord Kalvan of...
External links
- Review of Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen, by Jo WaltonJo WaltonJo Walton is a Welsh-Canadian fantasy and science fiction writer and poet. She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2002 and the World Fantasy award for her novel Tooth and Claw in 2004. Her novel Ha'penny was a co-winner of the 2008 Prometheus Award...