Environmental Details

The Technic Civilization Saga, Volumes I-III, incorporates The Earth Book Of Stormgate in its entirety. Hloch's first introduction precedes the first of the eleven works collected in Vol I and his concluding passage comes at the exact mid-point of Vol III. Thus, the two parts of the Polesotechnic League series, the original Tetralogy and the eight further works that had been collected as the Earth Book, whether in one or in three volumes, are fitted together into their chronological order, e.g., with "Lodestar" earlier than Mirkheim. 

Anderson's attention to detail is never more evident than when he shows us the merging of three ecologies on Avalon. From the tall stone tower of the Weathermaker Choth, Nat Falkayn sees:

Terrestrial grass, clover, oak and pine;
Ythrian starbell, wry, braidbark and copperwood;
beyond the cultivated area, native susin, chasuble bush and janie;
in flight, native draculas and a young Ythrian;
on the nearby meadow, grazing meat animals - from where?

Colors: susin is red; chasuble is intense green; janie is delicate blue.

Of course, there are other details in the scene:

paved courtyard;
rambling wooden buildings;
the rising golden sun, Laura;
distant ocean;
clouds;
the sinking moon, Morgana.

As with many of Anderson's fictional places - other Technic planets and the legendary city of Ys - we feel that we have been there.