III, pp. 16-18, summarized some future Terrestrial history.
XI, pp. 109-114, summarize the fictional evolution and history of the Betans. Because travel between human and Betan space is via T machines, we do not know whether the events summarized here are "past" or "future" in relation to human history.
The summary is complex and condensed and I do not propose to condense it even further here. Basically, the Betans' technological advances have generated a social crisis which they hope that human beings will be able to help them with.
There are echoes of other Anderson works. The Betans have met a winged migratory race. They have discovered that the placing of T machines does not allow for any temporal paradoxes. Thus, they cannot get into their own history to try to change it. Footnotes could refer readers to Anderson's The Man who Counts and Time Patrol.
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I know Anderson's THE AVATAR was influenced by Frank Tipler''s work, but I only read one of the latter's books, THE PHYSICS OF CHRISTIANITY, dealing with quantum mechanics and Tipler's theological speculations. Meaning I don't know how relevant PHYSICS might be to Anderson's book.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Physics is relevant to all his orbiting spacecraft and FTL drives.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, but I don't claim to understand quantum mechanics, despite reading popular accounts by Tipler and Sean Carroll.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
No one understands quantum mechanics.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I suspect many physicists, if they are brutally candid, would agree. In one of my letters to Anderson I discussed how he used the alternate worlds theory in works like OPERATION CHAOS and THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS. In his reply Anderson mentioned how he used the work of Hugh Everett for such stories.
Ad astra! Sean
"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we -can- imagine."
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
As Psalm 103.24 (LXX numbering) says, "How manifold are thy works, O Lord!"
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment