The High Crusade

Anderson's The High Crusade is a compelling, readable, and hilarious romp in which 14th century Englishmen encounter an alien race, hijack one of their ships, and eventually defeat their galactic empire. Perhaps implausibly, medieval weapons, tactics, siege warfare, and hand-to-hand fighting give them an edge against the more advanced Wersgorix, who possess space ships, nuclear bombs, and other amenities of advanced civilizations. 

This short novel is endlessly entertaining as Sir Roger leads the English crusaders against aliens with guile, charisma, and exaggerated threats of Earth's military prowess. Somehow, against all the odds, he successfully forms an alliance with the other star-faring aliens and establishes English supremacy in a feudal political system across the former Wersgorix Empire. The novel succeeds so well because it is essentially the manuscript of Brother Parvis, a friar whose writing style and language almost really reads like something written by a 14th century English friar. The use of archaic English, references to medieval theology and philosophy, and the language and moods of Sir Roger, Owain, and others really does convince the reader these are feudal lords and knights. 

For such a silly novel, it is very entertaining and points to the possible problems of political overcentralization in a galactic administration, not to mention the fact that technology alone will not save a civilization. A strong, charismatic leader whose decentralized political system allows for local leaders and fealty successfully overthrows an empire. In a short story sequel of sorts, which is heavily based on Arthurian legends and the Holy Grail, we see how the English have spread Christianity and their culture across their new kingdom, led by Roger, and incorporated various alien races into their society. Surprisingly, Anderson never did write another novel set in the same universe, although one exploring relations between Earth and the descendants of these English adventurers.