Monday, 5 September 2022

Children Of Empire II

Furthermore, the first Young Flandry novel, Ensign Flandry, mentions Emperor Georgios and introduces Crown Prince Josip. By the time of the third Young Flandry novel, The Rebel Worlds, Josip has succeeded. 

The Game Of Empire introduces the Merseian sleeper agent, Olaf Magnusson, and, in an explanatory chapter, informs us that Olaf's father, Erik, had become disaffected from the Terran Empire during the reigns of the well-meaning Georgios and the corrupt Josip. Brechdan Ironrede, who had appeared in Ensign Flandry, accepted Erik Magnusson's loyalty to the Merseian Roidhunate. Aycharaych, last seen in A Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows, conditioned Olaf.

Skilful retcon (retroactive continuity) incorporates a new family, the Magnussons, into the established history. There is a third generation: Vida Lonwe-Magnusson's sons and daughter are with her when she publicly disowns her husband.

1 comment:

S.M. Stirling said...

It's mentioned in several places that the Technic history has human cloning.

A monarchy based on cloning would be more stable than one depending on the genetic accidents of hereditary succession.

A clone is essentially an identical twin, except that they're younger.

Identical twins tend to have very similar personalities, even if raised apart; if raised together (or in similar environments) it's even more striking.

That would give you much more continuity -- no chance of a "Josip".