Four Layers Of Narrative

In Poul Anderson's "Esau," Emil Dalmady comes from Altai, which Dominic Flandry will visit, and outwits the Baburites, who will trouble the Polesotechnic League. Rereading a future history series with full knowledge, we can look backwards and forwards simultaneously.

Dalmady's adventures on Suleiman are framed by Dalmady's dialogue with van Rijn which is preceded by an Earth Book introduction which is preserved in The Technic Civilization Saga so that nothing is lost. However, the narrative at Saga level needs to be slightly reorganized. See Hloch and Le Matelot and Collections And Introductions II. For more on Le Matelot, see here.

Addendum: See combox and Don Balthasar Carlos And His Dwarf, here.