Friday, 8 February 2019

Shield: Dates

Poul Anderson, Shield, II, XI.

The short version of Shield was published cover-dated June, 1962. See here. The book-length novel was published the following year. Thus, everything after 1962, or perhaps '63, is "future."

A car is referred to as a "...blue 2012 Eisenhower..." (II, p. 13) Therefore, the novel is set perhaps not very long after 2012.

Leah Abrams is:

"'...on the local committee for the World War One Centennial observances. We're going to re-enact a Liberty Bond rally...'" (XI, p. 92)

The US entered WWI in April, 1917, so maybe the novel is set in early 2017? There have been two atomic wars and nine Martian expeditions between 1962 or '63 and the time of the novel: a crowded timeline.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I think any committees in SHIED mentioned as organizing remembrances and commemorations of WW I would be most active in 2014 to 2018. So either 2017 or 2018 is meant.

And I only wish we had nine MANNED expeditions to Mars by now!

Sean