For complex espionage and counter-espionage in ancient Bactra, see here.
PART TWO begins and ends with chapters headed 1985 A. D. These chapters have a common viewpoint character, Yuri Alexeievitch Garshin, and are set in the same year although in different timelines.
Between these "bookends," there are five chapters headed 209 B. C. Each such chapter is followed by another with a different year date. Manse Everard converses with:
Wanda Tamberly in 1987 A. D. and in 1988 A. D.;
Merau Varagan in 976 B. C.;
Unattached agent Shalten in 1987 A. D. and in 1902 A. D.
In chronological order:
976 BC
209 BC
1902 AD
1985 AD
1987 AD
1988 AD
Complicated but worth it.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Very complex! I'm sure Anderson had to write detailed notes and outlines, to keep track of plot developments, before he could start writing SHIELD. And THEN had to painstakingly review first and second drafts for errors, inconsistencies, contradictions, plain old misspellings, etc.
HARD work to be a GOOD writer!
Ad astra! Sean
You can often sort of "see" the plotline in your head.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I think I can see many writers having a general idea of how their stories will turn out, but I thought the detailed working and fleshing out of the plots is another matter.
Ad astra! Sean
Depends on the writer. Dave Drake uses 35K notes to write a 120K book -- every scene mapped out and described. I mostly fly by the seat of my pants, though to be fair I have a trick memory.
George Martin usually ends up writing 400 or so extra pages and then cutting them; he doesn't use notes either.
If you write for a living, you end up being able to "see" plot. It's very rare for me to watch a movie without knowing pretty much what's going to happen by 10 minutes in; ditto most books.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Got it. It varies, IOW, from writer to writer. Some have to painstakingly write detailed notes and outlines, others do not.
Ad astra! Sean
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