I argued here that "Symmetry" does not fit in the Psychotechnic History. However, since it has been included in this volume, it made sense to include it near the end where it can do less damage to continuity!
The volume includes one story, "Entity," that has not previously been listed as belonging to this future history. Is it included by the inclusive or by the exclusive criterion? (See the section, "Constructing an American Future History," in American Future Histories.)
This volume should have included both "Virgin Planet" and Virgin Planet. It is incomplete without the latter.
"Empires rose and fell among the stars." (p. 194)
With this single additional sentence in one of her italicized interstitial passages, Sandra Miesel acknowledges how much happens between "Symmetry" and the concluding "The Chapter Ends."
I have yet to read "The Acolytes," "The Green Thumb" and "Entity."
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I'm very eager to read for the first time the three hitherto never before republished Anderson stories: "The Acolytes," "The Green Thumb," and "Entity." But I want to start with the first of the three new PYSCHOTECHNIC volumes.
I agree, both "Virgin Planet" and VIRGIN PLANET should have been included. Fortunately, I have the longer text in a separate volume.
I think when mankind finally reaches the stars we will more kinds of interstellar socio/political organization than simply the imperial. It could be something as loose as the Polesotechnic League, and include empires, federations, confederations, or something like the Allied Planets mentioned in "The Sharing of Flesh." Albeit that last was probably some kind of confederation.
Sean
Paul:
Hilariously, what that uniform reminds me of more than the Starfleet uniform is the Star Trek Original Series Klingon uniform. As described in the Star Trek wiki Memory Alpha:
"Every warrior wore a black, long-sleeved undershirt, with a gold-colored vest on top. They wore trousers made out of the golden-black-patterned fabric, but in a different hue. Apart from that, warriors wore black long boots...."
OK, what's on the cover is more a short-sleeved shirt over a short-sleeved or sleeveless black undershirt, but I still looked at it and immediately thought, Klingon! Especially since it looks like metal mesh, and the Klingons' vests, although described above as gold-colored, looked to me like grey mesh. One of James Blish's adaptations may have actually called it chain mail; I seem to remember that description.
Kaor, DAVID!
I'm reminded of how, from time to time, we see descriptions of the Imperial Navy uniforms worn by Dominic Flandry. Usually with the additional comment that he would make them as colorful as Navy regulations permitted. My point being that the Navy uniforms seen in the Flandry stories are not all that different, broadly speaking, from the navy uniforms of the UK or US. We also see mention in WE CLAIM THESE STARS of how Admiral Fenross' uniform contrasted painfully with his exhausted face (altho it was as plain as regulations would permit).
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
And your comments about "Symmetry" applies at least as strongly to "The Chapter Ends." Nothing in "Chapter" truly fits in with the undisputed Psychotechnic stories. My view is that it's a stand alone story which Sandra Miesel somewhat forcibly shoehorned into the Psychotechnic series.
Sean
Sean,
I can now live with "The Chapter Ends" because I accept that a lot of time has passed and there are still psychotechnicians.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
My basic point is that if we had seen SOMETHING in the undisputed Pyschotechnic stories about genetic modifications being used to enable human beings to gain the powers used by the Galactics of "The Chapter Ends," then it would be easier for me to accept it belongs in that series. And nothing is mentioned, even allowing for the "distancing" effect of many thousands of years passing, to make me think "Chapter" belongs in the Pyschotechnic timeline. E.g., some mention of persons and places belonging to the Psyshotechnic world line in "Chapter." And we see nothing about the "real" pyschotechnicians interesting themselves in genetically modifying humans as we see them in "Chapter."
This is one of those fine points only fans will care about! (Smiles)
Sean
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