A Meeting at Corvallis

Infobox Book
name = A Meeting at Corvallis
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = S. M. Stirling
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = The Emberverse series
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Roc Books
release_date = 2006
media_type = Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
pages = 512
isbn = 0451461118
preceded_by = The Protector's War
followed_by = The Sunrise Lands

"A Meeting at Corvallis" is a 2006 science fiction novel by S. M. Stirling. It is third novel in the Emberverse series that began with "Dies the Fire".

Plot Introduction

The story describes the events of roughly a year, some nine to ten years after the Change which altered the laws of physics. It describes the war between the Portland Protective Association and the other communities of the Willamette Valley.

Plot summary

Corvallis has become a major city, and a diplomatic courthouse in the Willamette area. The low-intensity war between the Portland Protective Association (PPA) and the allied forces of the Bearkillers, Mackenzies, Mount Angel Monastery, and Dunedain Rangers has been going on for years. However, the Dunedain Rangers have captured a major knight of the PPA leading a band of raiders and are traveling with the leaders of their allied nations to Corvallis for his trial and to try to convince Corvallis to join the fight against the PPA. In the meantime, Sandra Arminger and her private servant/assassin Tiphaine travel to Corvallis to speak against their enemies. Sandra sends Tiphaine to kill the knight so he can not be used as evidence against the PPA. Tiphaine successfully kills the knight; she is ambushed by the Rangers, but manages to escape.

At the Corvallis Faculty Senate, the governing body of Corvallis originally composed of professors from Oregon State University, the allied forces are unable to convince Corvallis to side against the PPA; but they are successful in getting Corvallis to recognize the Dunedain Rangers. Norman Arminger orders a preemptive strike, and attempts to wipe out the Bearkillers, Mount Angel, and Mackenzies. Arminger divides his forces into three armies and dispatches them to destroy the three factions, but the armies are defeated in detail and the survivors are forced to retreat back to PPA territory. While Corvallis refuses to help, two thousand Corvallis volunteers arrive to reinforce the Bearkillers and turn the tide, winning their battle. The Central Oregon Ranchers Association also pitches in, sending a few hundred light cavalrymen to help the MacKenzies.

Rudi Mackenzie (the son of Juniper Mackenzie and Mike Havel), is captured in a PPA raid to free Princess Mathilda Arminger, and Sandra entrusts him to Tiphaine. Tiphaine takes the two children to her castle, where she holds them. Norman Arminger, however, decides to have Rudi captured and tortured, and sends one of his knights to collect him. A Ranger rescue mission to free Rudy, led by Astrid Larsson, arrives during the skirmish between the PPA factions, but Tiphaine is already victorious. Tiphaine has sworn vengeance on Astrid for killing Tiphaine's lover, Katrina. Rudi and Mathilda persuade Astrid to leave Tiphaine alive, and the women abandon their vendetta. Astrid and the Rangers leave with Rudi, leaving Mathilda with Tiphaine.

The war then breaks out again and this time the PPA has massed its entire army for one decisive battle. Ten thousand PPA lancers, spearmen and crossbowmen take the field against the combined allied army. Lord Bear, feeling that the allies may lose the battle, publicly challenges Arminger to a personal duel. Arminger, with rebellions back home and knowing that looking weak in front of his nobles would destroy his nation, accepts the challenge. Lord Bear and Lord Arminger meet each other in single combat with lances, swords, and daggers, and after a long fight, Lord Bear slays Arminger with a dagger thrust. However, Lord Bear was fatally wounded during the battle. After giving his final orders and messages to his closest family and friends, Lord Bear dies.

With both leaders' dead, the PPA forces begins to break up and return to their home castles. Sandra Arminger rides forward to try to get the most from the PPA's weak position by negotiating with Juniper MacKenzie and later, with the remaining Bearkiller leaders. They decide on an annual Meeting to be held at Corvallis (similar to the United Nations), a peace treaty, and agree that Princess Mathilda and Rudi Mackenzie would spend a few months each year in PPA and MacKenzie territory until they reach adulthood. Soon after, Mike Havel's funeral is held in Bearkiller territory.

At the end of the book, Juniper has a vision during a Wiccan ceremony of an adult Rudi leading a massive army that is shouting his craft name "Artos". [cite book | last=Stirling | first=S.M. | authorlink=S.M. Stirling | title=Meeting at Corvallis| location=New York | publisher=Roc | pages=512 | date=2006 |id=ISBN 0451461118]

Major characters

References to other works

Characters first introduced in "A Meeting at Corvallis" are named after characters from "The White Company" by Arthur Conan Doyle.

References

External links

* [http://hem.bredband.net/b108107/stirling/amac-links.html Maps, Flags and Links for A Meeting at Corvallis]