It is aesthetically satisfying and economically sound to publish a series of books in uniform volumes of approximately equal lengths. Hence, the precise lengths and contents of Volumes I-VII of Baen Books' The Technic Civilization Saga by Poul Anderson. However, I have speculated about an alternative way to present this series. See the "Bite-Size" search result, here.
Here would be another way. In terms of content alone:
the opening three short stories of the Technic History describe the exploration of Iapetus, Ythri and Gray/Avalon;
after Mirkheim, the other five installments, including one novel, in the existing Volume III form a coherent sequence -
Avalonian islands are settled;
an Avalonian continent is settled;
Argos says that he will found the Terran Empire;
the Empire incorporates Ansa;
the Empire fails to incorporate Avalon.
Potentially, this gives us three volumes of very different lengths:
Early Extraterrestrial Explorations;
The Polesotechnic League;
Avalon And Empire.
But, however we look at it, we appreciate the length, coherence and complexity of Anderson's Technic History.
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I would love to see a standardized COMPLETE COLLECTED WORKS OF POUL ANDERSON, as was done for the works of Jack Vance and Robert Heinlein. And I recall Anderson writing somewhere of obtaining the complete works of Rudyard Kipling in such a format (called the "Shropshire" edition?).
IF such a project for collecting the complete works of Anderson was ever set up, I would recommend you as one of the editors. And, of course, a special effort would need to be made to track down stories and essays by Anderson which has never yet been recollected/republished. I made a stab at listing some of these at risk of being lost works in my "Uncollected Works of Poul Anderson" article.
Sean
I would enjoy reading "Green Thumb," I've never seen it in print. Any info about it appreciated.
-kh
Keith,
Not a great story but it is in THE (so-called) COMPLETE PSYCHOTECHNIC LEAGUE,
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
If "The Green Thumb" was written before 1959, that places it in Anderson's early phase as a writer, when he was, in many ways, still learning how to write. So I would expect most of Anderson's weaker early stories to belong to his early phase.
Sean
Much appreciated, Paul. I have only the first two volumes. Is it in Volume 3?
-kh
Keith,
Volume 3, after "The Acolytes."
Paul.
Thank you,
KH
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