Three kinds of fiction refer to history:
historical fiction;
future histories;
conspiracy theories.
Of course, conspiracy theories are not meant to be read as fiction - but they involve the same kind of creative imagination and ingenuity.
Poul Anderson wrote good historical fiction and future histories. Pournelle and Stirling combine future history and conspiracy theory: the Yakuza and the UN ARM (Associated Regional Militias) are fingers of the Brotherhood which has secretly controlled humanity for centuries. Some people believe that just as others believe that Thor causes thunder. The rest of us can accept both ideas in fiction.
Notionally, the Brotherhood could be operating behind the scenes in every future history but just happens to show its face in this one MKW episode.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I know some plots are real, such as the conspiring of Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaida gang leading to the Nine Eleven atrocities. Or the Serbian terrorists of the Black Hand plotting to assassinate Francis Ferdinand in 1914. But practically alleged conspiracies involving the Templars, Freemasons, Jewish bankers, et al, are nothing but falsehoods and absurdities.
Ad astra! Sean
Jerry and I came up with the Brotherhood more or less as a joke -- some developments in that future history seemed to require a "hidden hand" to be plausible!
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I can see that! I do agree SOME plots are real. Like the ones I cited above. And Merseia, in Anderson's Terran Empire stories, was certainly busy with plots against the Empire.
I really want to reread yours and Pournelle's Man/Kzin wars contributions.
Ad astra! Sean
The ARM is an ideal agent of the Brotherhood.
Kaor, Paul!
And I do have Niven's "The Long ARM of Gil Hamilton."
Ad astra! Sean
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