Thursday 3 February 2022

Switch To The Saga

Given the content of the preceding post, it is no surprise that, in The Technic Civilization Saga, Volume III ends with The People Of The Wind and Volume IV comprises Young Flandry, the beginning of the Flandry series. The twelve Earth Book installments, each accompanied by Hloch's introduction to it, are dispersed in chronological order throughout Vols. I-III with the curious effect that Hloch mentions the much later Terran Empire even when introducing the single very early short story about the pre-League Grand Survey. This story, "Wings of Victory," is only the second installment to be collected in Volume I, The Van Rijn Method. Thus, The Technic Civilization Saga begins with "The Saturn Game" and continues with "Wings of Victory" whereas the Earth Book, now fully embedded in the Saga, begins with "Wings of Victory." I have said all this before but I never cease to be amazed by the changes of perspective involved in contemplating the alternative reading orders of the Technic History. So what comes next? I will have to finish rereading the much lighter weight "Captive of the Centaurianess," then see what happens after that.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I think it tends to be overlooked, but ENSIGN FLANDRY also begins with an introduction, some relevant quotes from THE PILOT'S MANUAL about Starkad.

Ad astra! Sean