Tuesday 5 January 2021

The First Mention Of Adzel

Poul Anderson, "How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson" IN Anderson, The Earth Book Of Stormgate (New York, 1979), pp. 51-67.

In his introduction to this story, Hloch tells us that it:

"...makes the first mention known to Hloch of a being who was to take a significant part in later history." (p. 49)

Indeed. If we are reading Poul Anderson's Technic History in its original publication order, then we have already encountered Adzel in "The Trouble Twisters," Satan's World and Mirkheim and will meet him again within the Earth Book in "Day of Burning" and "Lodestar" whereas, if instead we are reading the seven-volume The Technic Civilization Saga, then this story in Volume I is our first encounter with Adzel and his remaining five appearances are dispersed through Volumes II and III.

Appreciating the Technic History is like driving forward while continually looking in the rear view mirror.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

If my memory is correct, we see one last mention of Adzel in the first chapter of THE GAME OF EMPIRE, with Diana Crowfeather referring to him as (possibly) "Adzel the Far Faring."

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

And there is an Adzel Square on Aeneas in THE DAY OF THEIR RETURN.

Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I remember that! And I thought it a bit odd, because I don't think Adzel had ever been to Aeneas.

Finished rereading THE DAY OF THEIR RETURN a couple of days. Now I'm rereading Olson/Miesel's THE DAVINCI HOAX. And we both know who Miesel is! I felt like a change after rereading four of Anderson's books.

Ad astra! Sean