Monday 3 October 2022

Deaths In Future Histories

There is a paradox about deaths in future histories. Nicholas Van Rijn and David Falkayn are long dead by the time of Manuel Argos who is long dead by the time of Christopher Holm who is long dead by the time of Dominic Flandry who is long dead by the time of Roan Tom who is long dead by the time of Daven Laure who is alive at the end of the Technic History but only because his single story is the concluding instalment of this entire future history series. However, each of the other characters named is still alive at the end of his particular story or sub-series. Holm appears in The People Of The Wind and is a co-author of the Earth Book. Argos and Tom each star in a single pivotal story. The other three are series characters. All of these characters could have had further adventures. They die some time but not in stories read by us.

Henry Kittredge is alive, as far as we know, at the end of Mirkheim. Kit Kittredge is alive at the end of "Hunters of the Sky Cave." Ensign Helen Kittredge is introduced in The Game Of Empire just so that we can be told how she is killed. She is in energy weapons control in the light battleship, Zeta Sagittarii, which is lost at Battle Sun. Thus, the unknown narrator personalizes warfare.

6 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul

And we never find out exactly what later happened to characters lie Leon Ammon and Djanda, seen only in A CIRCUS OF HELLS.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

As Tolkien said of LORD OF THE RINGS, "It is too short."

Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And he was right! E.g., the siege of Minas Tirith by the Witch King was too short.

During my convalescence at the rehabilitation hospital I reread Douglas Anderson's THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT and started rereading THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

I think those boxes of papers left behind by PA at his death included a few unfinished stories. I like to think one or two could be published if Greg Bear or Stirling were authorized by the Anderson estate to complete them.

ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

In THE LORD OF THE RINGS, the characters set off on a long journey and almost immediately it is over.

Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Most of that journey was long enough, IMO. I think it was the ENDING that seemed too rushed.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Whatever.