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 Boat Of A Million Years by Poul Anderson
reviewed by Underview
Original appearance: FTL 7, Winter 1990
Poul Anderson is one of those writers who's been around a long time and picked up critical acclaim and awards left, right and centre. The Boat Of A Million Years was a hot tip for the Hugo. It would have been a popular and perhaps sentimental choice (he's never won a Hugo for best novel). However, that particular Hugo still eludes him. I lack sentiment; this book is just not good enough. It's good and I recommend that people read it, but it's not outstanding.
The story concerns a number of men and women throughout time who discover they are immortal. They appear no different from their fellow men except that they cease to age at about twenty-five, have an immunity to disease and superior healing and recuperative powers should they get injured. Not that they can't be killed. In fact Anderson sacrifices one of their number (there are only nine altogether), although it must be said that he looked to be heading for the chop from the outset. The characters are interesting and well sketched without ever being memorable. Only Hanno, a Phoenician sailor who carries the main weight of the plot line, is fully rounded.
We follow their lives through the ages as they struggle to survive and keep their immortality secret for fellow men. For 450 of its 600 pages Boat rips along, a top-notch and highly original historical fantasy. Unfortunately the final segment becomes straight SF with supermen conquering the galaxy and is at best worthy. My fear is that his publisher will see the ending as perfect invitation to a sequel, I hope not. I would like to see Anderson exploring the historical fantasy vein of which this novel shows him to be a potential master.
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