"Basil Donovan was drunk again." (I, p. 367)
We are still in the Technic History, in The Technic Civilization Saga and even in Volume III but centuries have passed. There is no reference to Falkayns, Ythrians or Avalon but there is historical continuity. In "The Star Plunderer," the Commonwealth had disintegrated and was about to be replaced by the Empire. Now, the Empire is expanding. Donovan is not a new series character but his planet, Ansa, is referenced elsewhere in the Technic History. The story introduces quadrupedal Donarrians and green-skinned, tailed Shalmuans who also appear elsewhere.
"Ahead lay Sagittari, Galactic center and the Black Nebula." (II, p. 381)
The Black Nebula is specific to this story, which may be a fiction within the fiction, but Sagittari and Galactic Centre are strong background links to Poul Anderson's earlier future history series, the Psychotechnic History.
Upward and outward.
11 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I also recall how "Sargasso" mentioned the reigning Emperor was Manuel II, grandson of the Founder, Manuel I, about 150 years after "The Star Plunderer." That puzzled me until I realized Technic antisenescence allowed people to live 100-110 years. Still, we should think of Manuel II being an old man in "Sargasso," nearing the end of what antisenescence could do.
Ad astra! Sean
Interesting mention of the Shalmu as a one-time independent space-going civilization that had fought with, and then allied with, the humans of Ansa, and then was conquered in turn. Quite the difference with the Shalmuans portrayed in other eras of the Technic canon.
Note the skirt the (very active) woman on the cover is wearing. It's surprising how strong the "skirt = female" reflex was in Western Civ until quite recently. 'twasn't until WW1 that wearing trousers became common enough for many people to notice, and it was greeted with dismay in many circles. Even in the 1920's, it was very 'daring' except in select circumstances.
Marlene Dietrich caused a considerable amount of scandal by wearing pants in -social- settings in the 1930's, though by then they were acceptable in a context of sports or in rough environments. There were still laws on the books in many Western countries (France, for example) forbidding trousers for women on pain of criminal penalties, though by then they weren't consistently enforced.
"skirt = female" reflex:
See also the ideogram still used to indicate "This toilet for women"
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Truth to say * I * think many women look better in skirts than they do in trousers.
Ad astra! Sean
At least some women think men look better in kilts.
Whether skirt or kilt, that is reasonable to wear only in warm weather. In a Canadian winter it is crazy to wear anything but pants outside.
Someone asked a Scotsman, "Are you cold with kilt?" He replied, "No, I'm kilt with the cold!"
Scotland does not have, to put it mildly, a temperate climate!
Now, western Oregon -does- have a mild climate. Hence my Mackenzies!
Kaor, Jim, Paul, Mr. Stirling!
Jim: True, weather and climate will determine the practicality of many types of clothing.
Paul: Ha, that was funny!
Mr. Stirling: Because mild climate is all that makes kilts practicable. Got it.
Ad astra! Sean
SM - US standards for women included skirts until just a few years ago, both officers and enlisted, and for other than dress uniforms - khakis for female officers and chiefs included skirts, for example, and that was a working uniform. Not the most practical aboard ship, but not impossible; nurses aboard hospital ships wore white through much of WW II and the Cold War, for example.
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