Ian Arnstein was a Classics professor from San Diego and recurring visitor to Nantucket Island. He arrived most recently on the day of of the Event.[1]
After the Event had passed and before its implications began to become apparent to most people, Ian attended the town meeting and pointed out how completely isolated Nantucket Island had just become. The Nantucketers would have to produce everything they consumed. When the subject of food came up, Ian suggested potatoes and slash-and-burn agriculture to temporarily fertilise the sandy soil.
Because of his knowledge of ancient history, Ian became a passenger on the first mission of the USCGC Eagle after the Event. His fluency in Classical Greek led to translation of Isketerol's Bronze Age Achaean.
He and Doreen Rosenthal married and became de facto ambassadors to Alba after the war with William Walker, proceeding from there to become Nantucket's ambassadors to Kar-Duniash. Meanwhile, both were setting up networks of intelligence agents reaching well into Walker's territories.
Ian was captured when Troy fell, and was sent back to Achaea, where Odikweos of Ithaka interrogated him and confirmed his suspicions of what Walker was doing, and had done, to Achaea.
Trivia[]
Ian Arnstein appears to be based on Harry Turtledove.
References[]
- ↑ Island in the Sea of Time, Chap 1