Friday, 6 April 2018

A Small Change And A Big Difference

"'...every so often, a small change does make a big difference.'"
-Poul Anderson, The Game Of Empire IN Anderson, Flandry's Legacy (Riverdale, NY, 2012), pp. 189-453 AT CHAPTER EiGHTEEN, p. 394.

Not for the first time, we find Time-Patrol-type talk in the Technic History. Flandry does hope that this informal, off-the-record conversation with Olaf Magnusson will make a big difference to the outcome of the current civil war but not in any way that he discloses to Magnusson. However, on this occasion, Flandry's efforts are stymied.

Meanwhile, however, another small event, Targovi's exploration of the island of Zacaharia, will make a very big difference by establishing proof of Magnusson's loyalty to Merseia. If there is any equivalent of the Time Patrol in the Technic History, then that organization will focus its efforts on ensuring Targovi's success.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I'm simply glad Anderson did not try linking up the Technic Civilization stories with his Time Patrol series. Trying to resolve the complexities, difficulties, contradictions, etc., resulting from such an effort might have ruined both. Which is what I believe happened when "linked" up his Robot stories with the Galactic Empire/FOUNDATION series. It didn't WORK.

Sean