Ythrians In The SAGA

Seven instalments of Poul Anderson's History of Technic Civilization feature Ythrians or, in the last case, a single Ythrian.

The Technic Civilization Saga, Volume I, The Van Rijn Method, includes "Wings of Victory" and "The Problem of Pain."

Saga, Volume II, David Falkayn: Star Trader concludes with "Lodestar."

Saga, Volume III, Rise Of The Terran Empire, includes "Wingless" and "Rescue on Avalon" and concludes with The People Of The Wind.

Saga, Volume V, Captain Flandry: Defender Of The Terran Empire, opens with The Day Of Their Return.

Also, a single Ythrian, Hloch, fictitiously writes the twelve introductions and single afterword to The Earth Book Of Stormgate. These thirteen additional passages are scattered throughout Saga, Volumes I-III.

Now try to imagine the Technic History without these five short stories, two novels and thirteen additional passages.

There would probably not have been a Grand Survey story. 

Nicholas van Rijn and Coya Conyon would not have travelled to Mirkheim in an Ythrian ship.

Captain Hirharouk would not have seen God's shadow across van Rijn's way of life.

Human beings and Ythrians would not have jointly explored, then later colonized, Avalon.

Avalon would not have resisted the Empire.

The pre-Saga Earth Book collection would not have existed.

Erannath, an Avalonian Ythrian, would not have helped the Empire against Merseia.

Ythrians unify the History by linking the Grand Survey, Polesotechnic League and Terran Empire periods.