in Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic History, "The Chapter Ends" (with the usual caveat as to whether this story really belongs in this series);
in Anderson's Technic History, "Starfog";
in James Blish's pantropy future history series collected as The Seedling Stars, "Watershed";
in Larry Niven's Known Space series, "Safe At Any Speed."
In each of these stories, mankind has spread through a vast volume of interstellar space and has changed biologically. "Starfog" and "Safe At Any Speed" are set far from Earth. In "Watershed," Adapted Men travel to the Solar System to recolonize the now desert planet Earth whereas, in "The Chapter Ends," mankind evacuates the galactic periphery, including Earth.
These three authors give the impression of covering every option.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I agree the writers you listed, and others I might have included, covers a vast range of options and possibilities. E.g., Robert Heinlein (esp. before STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, Jerry Pournelle, S.M.Stirling, Ben Bova, etc. And I could list still more!
I'm sure of having read only one of Blish's Adapted Men stories, "Surface Tension." Fun reading, but a desperately implausible premise!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Heinlein's Future History Time Chart indicates that he originally had an idea for a concluding story of the series.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I will have to check out Heinlein's chart for that. I do remember the item for another story he thought of writing: "The Stone Pillow, about Nehemiah Scudder. But he disliked Scudder so much he never did write it.
We even see Anderson giving Heinlein a homage when he used "Nehemiah Scudder" for the name of one of Sir Malachi Shelgrave's Roundhead soldiers in A MIDSUMMER tEMPEST.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
At the very end of the Time Chart, after "Universe" and "Common Sense," there is a "story-to-be-told" called (Da Capo). Heinlein (mis)used "Da Capo" as the title of the concluding part of TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE but obviously it was originally conceived as a discrete story.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Since we do get a glimpse of Nehemiah Scudder in another of Heinlein's stories, it was "The Stone Pillow" which stuck most in my mind of the stories on his Chart which Heinlein never wrote.
And if I ever get a copy of the Winter 1955 issue of STARTLING STORIES, I've been wondering which of the Psychotechnic stories, or alleged stories, will be on Anderson's chart of that series. An actual TEXT from Anderson would settle the matter for me of whether or not "Quixote and the Windmill," "Star Ship," "The Chapter Ends," "The Acolytes," "The Green Thumb," or even "The Critique of Impure Reason" belongs in the Psychotechnic timeline. Subject to correction by other evidence, of course.
Ad astra! Sean
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