Friday 3 April 2020

Unwritten Anderson Stories?

Robert Heinlein's Future History time chart lists five bracketed "Stories-to-be-told." Heinlein explains three of these as potentially comprising an extra Future History volume between The Green Hills Of Earth and Revolt In 2100. (See here.) The other two, one earlier, the other later, remain unexplained.

Poul Anderson tells us that he imitated Heinlein by compiling a time chart:

"...and, from time to time, completed a piece whose title was on it."
-Poul Anderson, Afterword IN Anderson, The Complete Psychotechnic League, Volume 1, pp. 229-231 AT p. 229.

- so were any stories left unwritten on Anderson's chart and, if so, what were they about? There ought to be at least one story giving an account of the social turmoil on Earth that is merely mentioned in "Brake."

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I know of only one story Anderson mentioned as being something he might someday write, but never did. In his Foreword to the 1971 revised version of THE BROKEN SWORD we find this: "As for what became of those who were still alive at the end of the book, and the sword, and Faerie itself--which obviously no longer exists on Earth--that is another tale which someday may be told." Alas, he never did write that sequel!

In 1985 I wrote a long letter to Anderson about THE GAME OF EMPIRE and in his reply Anderson mentioned he had no plans for writing additional Technic stories. Some he rather regretted because it meant cutting off writing further about Flandry's daughter Diana. And that's about for stories Anderson might have written but did not.

Ad astra! Sean