Currently Reading: The High Crusade by Poul Anderson

Well, I've finished reading The Einstein Intersection. I was kind of disappointed in how it lacked weirdness compared to what it claimed. Yes, it was weird, and it was a good book, but I'd read far weirder books than that. Books for instance where you could tell the author was on LSD when writing it. I suppose though that that could be for another post, one about bad books. Luckily for me though I hardly come across bad books. They're one in a million to me.

Anyway, I started The High Crusade by Poul Anderson last night. Seems very promising. The picture I've chosen here of the cover isn't the cover I've got on mine, but mine's a very lame cover. I actually can't tell what's on it. It looks very nondescript. I guess I shouldn't complain much though because this is one of the old books I'd gotten from a guy selling them out the back of his truck in Vermont. Every year I seem to find some gems from this guy, and he always seems to appreciate me coming back every year and he gives me a good deal. Got 9 books for about $2 this year if I remember right. This book is dated to around the 60's and 70's, so the cover looks pretty trippy. I like this modern cover much better though. You can actually tell what you're getting yourself into.

Got into the first chapter last night and it seems to be a very promising read. Lots of laughs involved with knights trying to figure out what they're experiencing when an alien space ship lands to pay them a visit, err to invade. These knights were on their way to help King Edward III in England's war against France. How dare they intrude! Go back to your home planet, you brutes!

Description of the book follows:

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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 northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but 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!