# XXIII explained — Space Viking

> Chapter companion for Space Viking by H. Beam Piper.

## What happens

Trask returns to Tanith, studies Hitler to understand Zaspar Makann, and learns of political turmoil on Marduk and Gram. He renounces allegiance to King Angus, proclaims himself Prince of Tanith, and receives Princess Lucile and her son Steven as refugees from Marduk, where Makann has become Chancellor and Dunnan is suspected of involvement.

## Themes in this chapter

### Political Systems and Governance

Explored through Marduk's democratic safeguards being exploited by Makann, and Trask's establishment of a princely state on Tanith.

### Decline and Decay of Societies

Trask studies Hitler to understand how civilizations like Marduk are declining; the lights of civilization are going out.

### Class and Social Mobility

Discussion of ruling class discrediting itself on Marduk versus the barbarian rulers of the Sword-Worlds.

## Character check-ins

### Lucas Trask

Returns to Tanith, studies Hitler to understand Makann, renounces allegiance to Angus, proclaims himself Prince of Tanith, and receives Princess Lucile and her son.

### Otto Harkaman

Away raiding and visiting trade-planets in the Corisande; Trask wishes he were present for advice.

### Andray Dunnan

Suspected of ties with Zaspar Makann; mentioned as possible Prime Minister on Marduk.

### Simon Bentrik

Not directly present, but his wife and son flee to Tanith; he insisted they leave Marduk.

### Boake Valkanhayn

Sent to Gimli in the Space Scourge; reports no sign of the Honest Horris and details of Mardukan political interference.

### Nikkolay Trask

Trask's cousin on Tanith; reports that Traskon is now owned by Queen Evita and that Angus is building ships for war.

### Princess Lucile

Flees Marduk with her son Steven; dines with Trask and reports that Makann has become Chancellor.

### Count Steven of Ravary

Son of Princess Lucile; accompanies her to Tanith and expresses bitterness about Marduk's politics.

## Key lines

> It wasn’t the war that put Hitler into power. It was the fact that the ruling class of his nation, the people who kept things running, were discredited.

Hitler's rise was due to the discrediting of the ruling class, not the war itself.

_Trask reflects on the parallels between Hitler's rise and Makann's on Marduk._

> What they have on Marduk is a ruling class that has been discrediting itself. A ruling class that’s ashamed of its privileges and shirks its duties.

Marduk's ruling class is failing by being ashamed of its privileges and neglecting its responsibilities.

_Harkaman's analysis of Marduk's political decay._

> Our rulers are the barbarians among us. There isn’t one of them… who is devoted to civilization or anything else outside himself, and that’s the mark of the barbarian.

The Sword-World rulers are barbarians because they are self-serving and not devoted to civilization.

_Harkaman criticizes the selfishness of Sword-World leaders._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/space_viking_se/chapters/xxiii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/space_viking_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/space_viking_se/chapters