Science Fiction: The Short Stuff discussion
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He Walked Around the Horses
2024 Group Reads
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He Walked Around the Horses by H. Beam Piper
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Dan
(last edited Nov 01, 2024 05:54PM)
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rated it 4 stars
Nov 01, 2024 05:53PM
One of our short stories for November 2024's group read is "He Walked Around the Horses" by H. Beam Piper. I read this story about ten years ago. It's the first one in Piper's Paratime series. There's a Wikipedia page on it and the Paratime series. In fact, I remember contributing to that Wikipedia page. Anyway, I don't want in any way to spoil this story other than to say it's extremely short. I'd like to give people a chance to read it cold, like I did. It's widely available, including on Gutenberg. Bon appétit!
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For those who like audiobooks, there is a great (IMO) reading of this story on librivox.org by amateur English narrator Tabithat. I tried to put a link to the story's Librivox page, but is seems Goodreads doesn't allow that in comments, so, if interested, just go to the Librivox home page and search for "He Walked Around the Horses", and it should bring you to the "Short Science Fiction Collection 026", which contains the audiobook. The recording takes a little over 43 minutes.
Alternatively, the Tabithat recording is available on Youtube, on the "Short Stories Cafe" channel.
My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I read the story straight from Gutenberg's website this time. It seemed quickest and easiest. If it's your first reading of the story, you may want to have a text you can hold and ponder over as you read and reread the contents. It's not easy to understand on a first, light pass.
Nice review, Dan.This is one of my favorite short stories, as I am a big fan of both alternate history and the epistolary style.
I always get a laugh reading the last sentence of the story, where the alternate Arthur Wellesley, in his letter to Count von Berchtenwald, says:
"I was baffled, however, by one name, frequently mentioned in those fantastic papers. This was the English general, Wellington. I haven't the least idea who this person might be."
Yep. That was a great ending. I went on from this story to read several more in the Paratime series several years ago. It's quite a concept. Harry Turtledove seemed to use some of it, simplified, for his children's alternate history series.
I agree, that was a fun story, especially the last line.But poor Mr. Bathurst!
