Time Differential in Amber
Jul. 5th, 2006 02:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_(fictional_realm)
I've been reading Chronicles of Amber[1][2] again. Some things do click (Ah, that's what that was for. It's so we know *that* was possible, so when *THAT* happened, we could see it coming) while some things as far as I can tell really are dangling ends left because he hadn't made up everything when he started (but generally explainable as everyone being secretive and paranoid).
But does anyone follow the time-diferential? The Courts normally seem to go much faster (someone grows up 3 generations in a relatively short space of time) but when Corwin visits for the first time, he goes much slower.
Have I just misinterpreted something? Or is it a known mistake, or accepted that nearby places can just be completely opposite?
I wondered if there would be a relativistic explanation. Time goes fast where the narrator is... but that doesn't make sense when you have instant communication.
Has anyone else thought about this?
[1] I know it's not quite accurate, but I inevitably mean the first five books, the Corwin books, when I say Chronicles. If I mean the Merlin sequels, or the prequels-written-by-someone-else-authorised-by-the-estate-possibly-against-the-authors-wishes, I'll say so.
I've been reading Chronicles of Amber[1][2] again. Some things do click (Ah, that's what that was for. It's so we know *that* was possible, so when *THAT* happened, we could see it coming) while some things as far as I can tell really are dangling ends left because he hadn't made up everything when he started (but generally explainable as everyone being secretive and paranoid).
But does anyone follow the time-diferential? The Courts normally seem to go much faster (someone grows up 3 generations in a relatively short space of time) but when Corwin visits for the first time, he goes much slower.
Have I just misinterpreted something? Or is it a known mistake, or accepted that nearby places can just be completely opposite?
I wondered if there would be a relativistic explanation. Time goes fast where the narrator is... but that doesn't make sense when you have instant communication.
Has anyone else thought about this?
[1] I know it's not quite accurate, but I inevitably mean the first five books, the Corwin books, when I say Chronicles. If I mean the Merlin sequels, or the prequels-written-by-someone-else-authorised-by-the-estate-possibly-against-the-authors-wishes, I'll say so.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-05 03:22 pm (UTC)Also (d) trumps don't seem to work across large differentials.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-06 12:23 pm (UTC)(b) Moving at different paces would in theory explain it, but if the Courts are about 10 times faster than Amber (fitting in three generations in a relatively short space of time), and where Corwin went was 100 times slower (8 days cf 2 hours), then the Chaos warrior going there for two hours would be away from home for three months, and I didn't get the impression it was *that* mad.
Thanks, it makes sense. I just had the feelign I was missing something.
PS
Date: 2006-07-06 12:24 pm (UTC)(d) Yes... But there are mentions of vague feelings. Not really *working* but I read it as enough to say that one time here corresponds to a specific time there :)