Book description
In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is
gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a
most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the
sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in North
East Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite
expert at taking conquering planets, and having determined from orbit
that this one is suitable, they initiate standard procedure. Their ship
carries guided missiles and nuclear weaponry - but they have long since
lost the art (and weapons) of hand-to-hand fighting. And this time it's
no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave - they've launched
their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left
alive - and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the
creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the
Holy Land to vanquish the infidel. And then . . . ? Poul Anderson
(1926-2001) was born in Pennsylvania of Scandinavian stock. He started
publishing science fiction in 1947 and became one the great figures in
the genre, serving as President of the Science Fiction Writers of
America, winning multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, and was named a SFWA
Grand Master. He collaborated regularly with wife, Karen, and their
daughter is married to noted SF writer Greg Bear. Poul Anderson died in
July 2001.
