(i) alternative timelines where historical events and/or natural laws differ;
(ii) a war between Law and Chaos occurring in every timeline.
Operation Chaos is a collection of four "Operation..." stories. Thus, the entire sequence of interconnected works comprises nine items:
Three Hearts And Three Lions
"Operation Afreet"
"Operation Salamander"
"Operation Incubus"
"Operation Changeling"
Operation Luna
A Midsummer Tempest
"House Rule"
"Losers' Night"
I think that this sequence would look good if presented in five uniform volumes, the fifth being a collection to be called The Old Phoenix. Admittedly, only two short stories, the last two titles in the above list, are set in this inter-universal inn. However, two other alternative timeline stories, "Eutopia" and "The House of Sorrows," could fit in the same volume. "Eutopia" was collected in Past Times, which is almost entirely time travel stories, so I think that "The Man Who Came Early" should replace "Eutopia" in a revised Past Times.
In "Eutopia," Alexander does not die in Babylon. In "The House of Sorrows," the Jews do not return from Babylon. So these stories are complementary.
6 comments:
Hi, Paul!
I don't know if I would agree with putting "Eutopia" and "The House of Sorrows" with THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS, etc. While "Eutopia" and "House" are certainly time traveling/alternate unverse stories, we have no reason to CONNECT them to the THREE HEARTS/Operation/and Old Phoenix series. I think it's more logical to consider "Eutopia" and "The House of Sorrows" to be independent, one off works.
Sean
Yes, but I am trying to imagine appropriate contents for a collection to be called THE OLD PHOENIX as a fifth volume following the three interconnected novels and one collection (ie, OPERATION CHAOS being the one collection). The protagonist of "Eutopia" travels between universes. Also there is an odd connection between these 2 stories: in "Eutopia", Alexander does not end in Babylon, as he does in our world; in "The House of Sorrows", the Jews do end in Babylon, as they do not in our world.
Hi, Paul!
Then it would be better to put "Eutopia" and "The House of Sorrows" in an expanded PAST TIMES volume. And that should include the "Little Monster," which also seems to be an independent, one off story.
Sean
Hi, Paul!
I changed my mind a bit. Rereading your note and then the combox comments made me realize you were thinking of a collection containing "House Rule" and "Losers Night" ALONG with other stories like "Eutopia" and "The House of Sorrows." In that case, I withdraw my previous objection. Esp. if such a collection was called THE OLD PHOENIX AND OTHER STORIES. That would be enough to hint at there being a distinction to be made between the Old Phoenix stories and works totally unconnected to them.
Sean
I agree with the proposed title change. I would prefer if PAST TIMES, Revised Edition, were just stories of visits to past or future along a single timeline: "Wildcat"; "The Little Monster"; "The Nest"; "The Man Who Came Early"; "Welcome"; "Time Heals"; "Flight To Forever".
But I would be very selective about which alternative timelines stories I thought were good enough to go in THE OLD PHOENIX ETC. Any others could go in a different volume.
I think the collection's title should be THE OLD PHOENIX AND OTHER UNIVERSES. The contents page could show a heading "The Old Phoenix" followed by 2 story titles and a 2nd heading "Other Universes" followed by other story titles.
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