Stein Oleson
Names: Stein OlesonSteinieBlue EyesSteinlovieVikingberserkerSteinlovesquareheadthe Battlemaster
First appears in Book 1: THE MANY-COLORED LAND, chapter 3 (2)
Appearances
What you know
Book 1: THE MANY-COLORED LAND
- Ch 3Stein is a huge, hard-drinking, berserker-tempered drill-rig operator who fantasizes about being a Viking and believes he is the best bore-zapper in Lisboa.
- Ch 3Stein was fined and ejected from Saga pageants twice, once for maiming an actor and once for peeing in the mead bowl; he is now barred from all pageants.
- Ch 3Stein was born on the Old World (Earth) and has never considered emigrating to the stars, despite his craving for a primal life.
- Ch 3Humiliated at being denied the mainline rebore, Stein swallows his rage and quietly obeys Georgina.
- Ch 11Stein is leaving Earth for Exile, and Georgina was the only person sorry to see him go.
- Ch 11Stein was once called a murdering little animal by a man who was grieving a woman's death; Stein understood the words, though the man didn't know it.
- Ch 11Stein fears his genes are substandard, but Georgina says his psychological profile's squiggles stem from upbringing, not heredity.
- Ch 12Stein is a huge blond driller who loves beer and akvavit; he plans to learn brewing and distilling for life in the Pliocene.
- Ch 12Georgina gave Stein farewell presents: a wolfskin kilt, a studded leather collar and belt, a bronze Viking helmet with demountable horns, and a battle-axe.
- Ch 18The Viking plans to be a zymurgist (brewer) and possibly a mercenary warrior.
- Ch 20Dressed as a Viking with helmet, wolfskin kilt, battle-axe and vitredur-tipped spear, he is eager for heroic battle and barely contains his urge to roar.
- Ch 24Drugged beer failed to stop Stein, a Viking-like rock driller. He broke out with an iron axe and killed several castle guardians.
- Ch 24Stein is struck down by a club blow to the neck, netted, and fitted with a gray torc by Creyn, making him harmless.
- Ch 25Stein went berserk in the corridor, killing five guardians and seriously injuring seven; he was left bruised and given treatment to prevent another attack.
- Ch 26Stein was taken and 'treated' to prevent further trouble, which the group understands to mean he was neutralized.
- Ch 27Stein is a wounded berserker whose subconscious holds old psychic wounds and suppressed violence; his strong will resists Elizabeth's redaction.
- Ch 30Arrived unconscious, hurt physically and mentally, carried off for treatment; his muscle suggests he may be chosen for the Grand Combat.
- Ch 32Stein is carried aboard on a litter, sleeping, and Sukey eyes him uneasily.
- Ch 34Put under with the torc, he lies in suspended animation, unconscious and with slowed metabolism; Sukey watches over him.
- Ch 36As a three-year-old, Stein wandered into a cornfield and was nearly killed by a robot harvester; his mother Cary threw him clear and died.
- Ch 36Stein's father blamed him in grief, screaming that he was a murdering little animal; Stein carried guilt and anger over this for decades.
- Ch 36After Sukey's healing, Stein forgives himself and his father and can remember the trauma without guilt, fear or anger.
- Ch 36Stein is huge, blue-eyed, and wore a Viking costume at the auberge; he had called Elizabeth the Ice Queen with his pal Richard.
- Ch 36Stein wears a gray torc, meaning he is not a latent; the Tanu can control, locate and punish him through it.
- Ch 36Stein vows he will never be a flunky to the Tanu and would rather have his brain burned out; Sukey sees he would break rather than bend.
- Ch 38Stein expected the Rhône delta to be at sea level and is puzzled by the gradient.
Book 2: The golden torc
- Ch 1Stein was collared by the Tanu when he became a menace, without psychocompatibility testing.
- Ch 2Stein was dressed in a green tunic, brocade cloak and bronze two-handed sword, and wears his horned bronze helmet.
- Ch 3Stein is a giant Viking ex-driller recovering from an injury; his torc has damaged his sanity, and he fights with a bronze sword.
- Ch 3At the banquet Stein showed his skill by slicing flung oranges with his sword; the Tanu then auctioned him as a likely gladiator for the Low Mêlée.
- Ch 7Berserker whose wife Sukey is missing; he breaks Dedra's coercive hold in rage and demands the truth.
- Ch 7Is Aiken Drum's servant; Tagan offers him a place at the fighting school, which Stein is coerced into politely answering.
- Ch 7Stein is fiercely devoted to Sukey; she taught him mental control techniques during their trip down the river.
- Ch 7Stein kills Tasha-Bybar with his bronze sword after she mocks and provokes him with a bell dance.
- Ch 7Stein's psychoenergy is a powerful masculine surge that overwhelms the restraints of both Dedra and Sukey.
- Ch 10Stein, a gray-torc Viking novice-at-arms, killed a hyainailouros in the arena by swinging his lanyarded vitredur axe and beheading it.
- Ch 10Thagdal gave Stein the accolade medallion, making him the King's man-at-arms; the crowd's cheers were tentative and Tanu men were hostile.
- Ch 13Stein volunteers to go into the cave with Aiken because he fears being enslaved by a Tanu and never seeing Sukey again.
- Ch 13Stein was a crust driller before and carries a bronze sword; he tries to farspeak Sukey in the cave.
- Ch 21Stein is a giant gray-torc human who is delighted at the coming rescue and wants to fire the zapper; his torc is causing him dread-filled sensations.
- Ch 25A man-at-arms to Aiken Drum, secretly married to Sukey; arrested at the Coercer College and to be imprisoned until the Grand Combat as a gladiator.
- Ch 27Aiken placed a mental block in Stein's mind so he would not betray Aiken or others after Culluket captured him.
- Ch 30Imprisoned with a gray torc he cannot tolerate, he suffers spasms and blames himself for Sukey's miscarriage, but is drifting toward blaming Aiken Drum.
- Ch 30His collapsing mind-block leaks that saboteurs planned to invade the torc factory expecting Aiken's help, and Aiken's arrangement with Gomnol.
- Ch 32Stein was a crust driller and is a giant blond man whose gray torc was neutralized by Elizabeth, leaving brain dysfunctions that can be healed.
- Ch 33Stein's torc was cut off and he was healed; he and Sukey are a couple.
- Ch 33After learning of the baby, Stein blames King Thagdal and agrees to scout by balloon, though he first resisted drowning innocent humans.
- Ch 34Stein has lost his torc and is now mentally convalescent; he thinks of Pliocene life as an unreal culture-drama until Felice's blast convinces him it is real.
- Ch 34Stein is an experienced earth driller who once caused similar destruction in an armored drill-rig, and he coaches Felice on where to strike the isthmus.
- Ch 34Stein plans to seal the fjord so the volcanic ridge becomes a soft dam, then build water pressure to flood the battlefield at the White Silver Plain.
- Ch 34Stein cuts Sukey's golden torc off with steel cutters, trying to stop her from contacting others, as he believes the flood must happen.
- Ch 34Stein tells Sukey he loves her, but says the flood will wipe out 'the whole nightmare' and she need not worry about the others.
- Ch 34Stein pilots the balloon, adjusting the heat generator to ride an airflow in their desired direction.
- Ch 35Stein, a top-ranked gray gladiator, was scratched from the Low Mêlée with no explanation given.
- Ch 41Stein is reluctant to leave their haven and never wants to return to the place where he did something terrible.
Book 4: The adversary
- Ch 12In Aiken's dream the fallen eagle-knight, the Battlemaster, is revealed to be Stein Oleson; Aiken revives him's sword and kisses him.
- Ch 21Stein is alive, living by a river near Rocilan with Sukey and their baby son Thor; he hunts, fishes and traps.
- Ch 21Stein remembers helping Felice at Gibraltar and thinks it was necessary; Elizabeth says he must be left alone.
- Ch 30He ignored the proclamation, sensing from the Fimbulvetr that the Field of Gold was no place for him or his family.
Connections
- member ofLisboa Power Grid
- led byGeorgina
- enemy ofJango
- partner ofGeorginafarewell lovers on his last day in Lisboa
- friend ofRichard Voorheesbefriended in the café while both heading to Exile
- related toGeorginagave him farewell presents
- member ofGroup Green
- friend ofAiken Drum
- friend ofSister Annamaria Roccaro
- partner ofSukey Daviespledge sealed after healing
- family ofCarymother
- ally ofAiken Drum
- member ofAiken DrumStein serves Aiken Drum as his master
- family ofSukey Davieshusband and wife
- ally ofCreyn
- enemy ofAnastasya-Bybar
- ally ofFelice Landry
Key moments
- Book 1 · Ch 3Alert and descent
A klaxon interrupts the Lisboa crew's card game. Georgina's team takes drill-rigs down the service tunnel under the Atlantic to repair a Class Three break in the Cabo da Roca-Azores power bore.
- Book 1 · Ch 3Stein sidelined
Georgina gives the prized mainline rebore to Hubert, humiliating Stein, who suppresses his fury and starts cutting open the service tunnel with Georgina.
- Book 1 · Ch 11Farewell dive into Stromboli
On Stein's last day, he and Georgina bribe a contact, take a deep-driller into Stromboli's magma chamber, make love, and Georgina declines to join him in Exile.
- Book 1 · Ch 11Stromboli erupts
Fleeing as the heat shields strained, they escape via an extinct underwater vent and surface to find Stromboli erupting, and joke about causing it.
- Book 1 · Ch 12Last meal in France
Richard meets fellow Exile-bound Stein at a village café and, over a lavish non-synthetic meal and three bottles of Yquem, they share their stories and speculate about life in the Pliocene.
- Book 1 · Ch 12Costume run to Lyon
Drunk Richard laments having no costume, so they fetch a pirate costume from a Lyon opera impresario in exchange for a case of Mouton-Rothschild.
- Book 1 · Ch 12Arrival at the auberge
The costumed pair arrive drunk at l'Auberge du Portail, pound on the door with the axe, and are put to bed by attendants.
- Book 1 · Ch 20Group Green enters the time-gate
At five hundred hours Mishima leads the eight travelers through the garden to the Guderian cottage cellar. Bryan, Stein, Richard and Felice are translated first.
- Book 1 · Ch 24Stein's breakout and capture
Drugged, Stein smashes out of his room with an axe and kills several guardians seeking Creyn, but is clubbed, netted, and fitted with a gray torc by Creyn.
- Book 1 · Ch 25Amerie's escape thwarted
Amerie plans to cut through her window grille but Tully and Shubash enter, confiscate her cord-saw, and explain that Stein killed five guardians in a rampage.
- Book 1 · Ch 27Sukey's botched redaction of Stein
Sukey, urged by Aiken, tried to heal Stein and was caught in his rage. Elizabeth intervened, freed Sukey, calmed Stein and began healing him.
- Book 1 · Ch 30Arrival at Roniah
Creyn's caravan with the captive time-travelers reaches the illuminated city past midnight, enters through the gate, and is greeted by Tanu nobles in the marble quarter.
- Book 1 · Ch 34Prisoners lodged at Darask
The travelers stop at the Riverside Palace, where Kennedy locks the prisoners in a tower chamber, and Elizabeth is summoned to help Creyn with the dangerous birth.
- Book 1 · Ch 36Stein's final healing
Guided by Sukey and Elizabeth, Stein relives the harvester accident that killed his mother and his father's anguished words, then accepts them and is freed of guilt, fear and anger.
- Book 1 · Ch 36Stein learns of the torc and Exile
Sukey explains the Tanu, torcs and the human situation; Stein learns his gray torc controls him and declares he will never serve the Tanu.
- Book 1 · Ch 36Stein and Sukey pledge themselves
Stein invites Sukey to look into his mind and finds love there; they seal a pledge and complete each other's healing.
- Book 1 · Ch 38Descent of the Dreadful Slide
The riverboat goes over the continental brink at the end of the Rhône and plunges into the empty Mediterranean basin, ending after four hours in a great bitter lake. The torc-wearers refuse Creyn's offer of oblivion.
- Book 2 · Ch 2Time-travelers appear at the feast
The five time-travelers meet in new Tanu finery, joined by Aiken, who hints at coming mischief and shows he is working around his metafunction curb before the court procession.
- Book 2 · Ch 3Stein's sword display and auction
Stein cuts flung oranges and the Tanu bid for him as a gladiator. A bid of Delbaeth's death by Aiken Drum halts the auction.
- Book 2 · Ch 3Mayvar takes Aiken to kin
After Aiken displays his growing mind, the assembly grants him a test. Mayvar takes him to kin and leaves with Aiken and Stein; Thagdal departs.
- Book 2 · Ch 7Stein breaks free of Dedra's coercion
Enraged that Sukey's mind-call has stopped, Stein breaks Dedra's coercive hold and threatens her. She reveals Sukey is at Bybar's; Mayvar orders Dedra to take Stein there.
- Book 2 · Ch 7Journey to Redact House
Dedra and Stein ride by calèche toward Redact House, stopping at a fountain where Dedra tidies up and explains Tasha-Bybar's role.
- Book 2 · Ch 7Stein kills Tasha-Bybar
Dedra brings Stein to the Redactor Guild tower to see Sukey. In her recovery room, Tasha-Bybar taunts him with a bell dance and he kills her with his sword despite Sukey and Dedra's attempts to restrain him.
- Book 2 · Ch 7Creyn reveals he is an ally
Creyn arrives after the killing, shows no anger, and tells Stein that Sukey must now be hidden until the Grand Combat and their plans must be accelerated.
- Book 2 · Ch 10Stein's arena trial
At the Sport Meeting Stein slays the hyainailouros, is given the King's accolade, while Aiken upstages him, irritating Thagdal.
- Book 2 · Ch 10Aiken aids Raimo
Raimo begs Aiken for help; Aiken eases his tormented mind, but six Tanu women arrive and carry Raimo off.
- Book 2 · Ch 13Aiken and Stein enter Delbaeth's cave
After the Hunt loses Delbaeth underground, Aiken and Stein defy the King's ridicule, shed armor and vanish into the cave as bats while several Tanu agree to wait three days.
- Book 2 · Ch 13Delbaeth killed with iron
After two days searching the caves, Aiken and Stein find Delbaeth's lair. Aiken throws a lit iron sparkler, which extinguishes and kills the Shape of Fire.
- Book 2 · Ch 13Stein reaches Sukey by farspeech
Stein's attempt to farspeak Sukey appears to fail, but Aiken later detects her faint reply that she loves him.
- Book 2 · Ch 21Aiken and Stein plan torc liberation
Stein learns Group Green is coming with the Spear; Aiken promises to free the torcs and withholds the secret from Sukey.
- Book 2 · Ch 25Sukey's treason exposed
The Queen and Culluket reveal Sukey's plot knowledge and marriage to Stein; she is condemned as an outlaw human, and Stein is imprisoned.
- Book 2 · Ch 30Stein and Sukey in the cell
Sukey comforts Stein after her miscarriage and calms his torc spasm while concealing the truth; Stein begins to blame Aiken.
- Book 2 · Ch 30Aiken learns Stein's thoughts are a threat
Aiken and Mayvar overhear Stein's leaking thoughts; Mayvar suggests killing the pair, Aiken refuses, and she promises to send them out of Muriah that night.
- Book 2 · Ch 31Balloon escape of Stein and Sukey
Creyn brings Stein and Sukey to Elizabeth's balloon on the mountaintop and reveals Felice, whom Elizabeth is invited to save. The balloon then rises over Muriah and drifts southwest toward Gibraltar.
- Book 2 · Ch 32Felice awakens free and plans revenge
Felice wakes in the balloon, discards her dead torc, her mind regrows with full powers, and she resolves to destroy the Tanu, landing by a fjord to enlist Stein and Sukey.
- Book 2 · Ch 33Stein's torc is removed
Felice cuts off Stein's torc while Sukey heals his mind, leaving him whole.
- Book 2 · Ch 33Felice proposes flooding the Med Basin
Felice reveals her plan to open Gibraltar, and exposes that Thagdal had Sukey tortured while pregnant. Stein, enraged, agrees to reconnoiter.
- Book 2 · Ch 34Felice destroys the fjord
Felice blasts the fjord entrance and cindercone, burying the channel to create a dam; Stein is shocked into accepting that Pliocene Exile is real.
- Book 2 · Ch 34Felice breaks through the Gibraltar isthmus
Guided by Stein, Felice carves a crevice through the isthmus, falters, then draws on new power to unleash a shockwave; the Atlantic begins to flow through as a waterfall.
- Book 2 · Ch 34Stein cuts Sukey's torc
Watching the flood from the balloon, Stein, resolved to let the catastrophe proceed, cuts Sukey's golden torc with steel cutters to silence her. Brede still reaches her mind.
- Book 2 · Ch 34Isthmus breached and the Empty Sea floods
The isthmus gap widens as a torrent pours into the Empty Sea, with dust and smoke streaming over the Atlantic.
- Book 4 · Ch 12Aiken's dream of rebirth
Aiken dreams of dragon, hag and eagle ordeals, defeats and kisses Stein Oleson, and sees the chimaera as his reflection; Elizabeth explains he is reborn with an integrated psyche and resolves to be a true King.
- Book 4 · Ch 21Aiken and Elizabeth confer
Aiken and Elizabeth discuss Marc's teleportation, a meeting to settle matters, and the Monte Rosa assault. Elizabeth shows him Stein, Sukey and baby Thor, and Aiken promises not to interfere.