Here is a question that had never occurred to me before: the three volume collection of Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic History short stories is incomplete - so are the missing stories included in any of the NESFA collections? One story in which human beings colonize an extrasolar planet without initially realizing that the planet is already inhabited is of particular interest. That planet appears later in the series and its discoverer is referred to but I have yet to read the account of its discovery and colonization and of the first contact with its natives.
Although the Psychotechnic History is an early body of work and therefore is undeniably crude by Anderson's own later standards, the series is much richer in imaginative details and in background thinking than I had realized after the first cursory reading. It will be gratifying, if possible, not only to read the missing stories but also to trace their connections with the rest of the series.
However, whether or not this is about to happen, the NESFA collections present a considerable quantity of Poul Anderson's short fiction to be read for the first time.
9 comments:
Hi, Paul!
None of the five NESFA Press Anderson collections I have includes "The Snows of Ganymede," "The Acolytes," or "The Green Thumb." I hope some of these stories will be included in NESFA's sixth volume, A BICYCLE BUILT FOR BREW.
What puzzles me is why the three stories I listed above were not included in the three Psychotechnic History volumes we got in the 1980's. I had to get "The Snows of Ganymede" in one of those old double story Ace books. And my copy is in poor condition with loose pages. And while definitely an early work, and thus in some ways rather crude compared to his later writing, "Snows" still tells an interesting, well thought out story with some unexpected plot twists which surprised me.
I agree, absent a COMPLETE COLLECTED WORKS OF POUL ANDERSON, NESFA Press is doing fans of Poul Anderson a real service!
Sean
Sean,
I also got "Snows" (recently) in an old Ace Double and I still have not read the other two. The most poignant section in "Snows" is the reasons for the failure of the Psychotechnic Institute.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Dang! Now I have to think of rereading "The Snows of Ganymede" along with the Time Patrol stories after I finally finish John Wright's THE JUDGE OF AGES. Maybe I should reread "Snows" first, then the Time Patrol stories.
Sean
Just reread the whole of Anderson, Sean! (That's what I've been doing more or less for the past couple of years.)
Hi, Paul!
Ha! I've noticed! And I have reread quite a lot of Anderson's works last yeawr for instance! And I do plan to read Anderson's works again as well. I simply like to read other writers in addition. Such as S.M. Stirling, Avram Davidson, or John Wright. (Smiles)
I particularly desire to read the forty or more Anderson short stories which has never yet been republished or collected. To say nothing of how I'm impatiently waiting for MULTIVERSE to come out. I pre ordered a copy TWO YEARS ago!!!
I checked the contents list for MULTIVERSE at Subterranean Press, and the contribution George R.R. Martin was supposed to have sent in was not on the list. My guess is the publishers got tired of waiting for Martin to send his story in and decided to just go ahead!
Sean
(Now this where I make you drool.) Greg Bear was kind enough to send me the word file of MULTIVERSE (and, non, I won't send it to you--think of it as a review copy, as I needed it to write an essay on Poul Anderson for French SF magazine Bifrost), and I can confirm there is no George RR Martin in it. Pity, though, cause his first SF novel, "Dying of the Light", was definitely andersonian in theme and tone.
Jean-Daniel Brèque
Thank you, Jean-Daniel. Is there any clue as to when MULTIVERSE might be published?
Paul.
Hi, Jean Daniel and Paul!
Paul, I DEFINITELY feel like drooling, knowing you have any kind of copy of MULTIVERSE! (Smiles) Alas, I don't know French, but do you think you might translate your essay into English for British or American publication?
Paul, the latest I read is that MULTIVERSE is SUPPOSED to be published by April 30. It's been two long years since I pre ordered a copy!
Sean
Correction, I meant to address the first paragraph of my note above to Jean Daniel Breque! Embarassing, that I used the wrong name!
Sean
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