Saturday 26 December 2020

Future History Continuity

In Rise Of The Terran Empire, The People Of The Wind is immediately preceded by a very dissimilar work, "Sargasso of Lost Starships," originally published in Planet Stories, January 1952, which makes this a very early Technic History installment.

The Early Technic History In Planet Stories
"Tiger By The Tail," January 1951
"Honorable Enemies," May 1951
"Sargasso of Lost Starships," January 1952
"The Star Plunderer," September 1952
"The Ambassadors of Flesh," Summer 1954

These five stories are, at least, an early Terran Empire series with no conception as yet of any future history series. The earliest Nicholas van Rijn story was published elsewhere in September 1956 and had to be revised to make it consistent with the emergent Technic History.

In the opening chapter of "Sargasso...," we find:

the planet Ansa
tailed green Shalmuans
Terrans
the Imperial Fleet
a quadrupedal Donarrian who is also a loyal slave

Thus, if we are sufficiently familiar with the Technic History, then we appreciate much future historical continuity. Van Rijn likes Ansan soup and Helen Kittredge possibly visits Ansa. See here.

2 comments:

S.M. Stirling said...

Poul's style progressed very rapidly in that period. He never renounced his pulp roots, but he transcended them.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

I agree! I date his early, most "pulpish" stage from 1947-58. By the time he pub. WE CLAIM THESE STARS Anderson was entering his middle and mature phase as a writer. Transcending, but not renouncing his pulp origins.

Ad astra! Sean