"...solar power and synthetic fuels with superdielectrics for storage. Once power-beaming satellites went into orbit, Earth's energy worries seemed over."
-Sandra Miesel, Forward IN Anderson, The Complete Psychotechnic League, Volume 2, pp. 3-5 AT p. 4.
(Only seemed?)
There is the energy storage that we were looking for in Anderson's Technic History and that also exists in Heinlein's Future History as Dave pointed out in the combox here.
The Future History has the "Crazy Years" in the third quarter of the twentieth century.
The Psychotechnic History has:
"'...the lunatic years of the latter twentieth century...'"
-Poul Anderson, The Snow of Ganymede IN Volume 2, pp. 141-241 AT III, p. 148.
The Technic Histtory has the Chaos.
We have the first quarter of the twenty-first century.
9 comments:
See also the 'shipstones' in Heinlein's "Friday".
(Yes it is late Heinlein, but it is written closer to the style of his early stories than most of late Heinlein.)
Late Heinlein isn't as different as most people think. The biggest single difference is that after STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND he was edited less and less. His early editors made him change things and cut, cut very substantially.
Perhaps "Friday" got better editing than most late Heinlein
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Heinlein was one of those writers who needed editors, people who would cajole or force him to write better than he otherwise would have. Beginning with STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, Heinlein became mostly a bore, alas.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: He'd always had bees in his bonnet. Editors made him smoke them out now and then.
Going back to the subject of *compact* energy storage, rather than the quality of Heinlein's writing:
See also the 'astrophage' in "Project Hail Mary".
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Ha! Amusing way of putting it. I read a lot about those "bees" in GRUMBLES FROM THE GRAVE, a selection from RAH's letters. Including grumbles about his carping editors!
Ad astra! Sean
I always try to take editors seriously; they're usually smart and well-read. Though I've run into one or two who were densely obtuse and had to be worked around.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I am glad you had mostly good experiences with your editors. And you have the right attitude: listen patiently to their suggestions, comments, criticisms, and think hard about where to agree or disagree with them.
Ad astra! Sean
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