Monday 7 October 2019

Succession And Simultaneity In The Early Technic History

Of the first five installments in The Technic Civilization Saga, Volume I, the first three are set in different centuries whereas the fourth and fifth, "Margin of Profit," introducing van Rijn, and "How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson," introducing Adzel, could be simultaneous and are listed as both occurring in 2416. (For an alternative view of the Chronology, see here.)

In The Earth Book Of Stormgate, "How To Be Ethnic..." precedes "Margin of Profit" whereas The Technic Civilization Saga reverses this order. I prefer the Earth Book order as slightly delaying the introduction of van Rijn. This way, four diverse stories:

"The Saturn Game";
"Wings of Victory";
"The Problem of Pain";
"How To Be Ethnic..."

- provide a varied basis for the Technic History before the interweaving Nicholas van Rijn and David Falkayn sub-series are launched. As we have also seen recently, much that becomes important later is introduced in those three - or four - opening stories.

5 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Hmmm, both Miesel and I placed "Margin of Profit" before "How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson." But we both agreed in placing that story in the same, but different years (Miesel's date was AD 2416, mine was 2461). The events in those stories COULD have happened more or less simultaneously, despite "Margin" being listed before "How To Be Ethnic." One of those two stories had to be listed first, after all!

Ad astra! Sean


paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Heinlein's point: 10 stories seem to fill 25 years in his Chart but only because space is needed on the page to print each of the titles.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

But I'm sure those ten stories were spread out thru those 25 years, but I'll have to look up Heinlein's Future History chart.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
I am quoting Heinlein's Note on untold stories that you sent me.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Glad to have helped you! I'll be looking up that Note myself. I think Heinlein mentioned feeling unable to write "The Stone Pillow" due to disliking Nehemiah Scudder.

Ad astra! Sean