Thursday 13 October 2016

Hloch and Le Matelot

In The Chronology of Technic Civilization, "Esau" is listed as occurring shortly before "Hiding Place." However, in his Introduction to "Esau," Hloch says that, at that time, the philosophy and practice of the Polesotechnic League were becoming archaic, even obsolete, whereas "Hiding Place" is preceded by a passage from "Le Matelot," beginning:

"'The world's great age begins anew...'" (The Van Rijn Method, p. 555)

- and ending:

"We do not know where we are going. Nor do most of us care. For us it is enough that we are on our way." (p. 556)

According to the Chronology, the League had been founded two centuries earlier in the twenty third century. Therefore, the passage from "Le Matelot" should be moved from before "Hiding Place" to between "Wings of Victory," the only story set in the twenty second century, and "The Problem of Pain," the only story set in the twenty fourth century. This passage introduces the entire League period which ends after "Rescue on Avalon" in the twenty sixth century.

The Earth Book Of Stormgate stretches from "Wings of Victory" to "Rescue on Avalon." The first two and a half volumes of the seven-volume The Technic Civilization Saga not only span the entire League period but additionally include every story or novel set in this period.

The Technic History was written in the twentieth century and includes only one work set in the twenty first. "The Saturn Game" is now only thirty nine years in our future.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I think it is also possible Le Matelot wrote at a time EARLIER than the lifetime of Old Nick and the events we see in "Hiding Place." That would "save the appearances."

Sean