Reality And Continuity

Reality has continuity. We know that a public figure like our very own Boris Johnson continues to exist between the occasions when we see him on TV or, less frequently, in the flesh. Obvious, you might say. But we have to imagine that a fictional character like Poul Anderson's Nicholas van Rijn continues to exist between the installments of his series. Van Rijn's only material manifestations, so to say, are in several finite installments separated by narrative discontinuities.

The illusion of continuity is generated by:

a long series, especially one that reflects the passage of time;

references to events occurring between installments;

sometimes, installments written later but set earlier;

references to the character in other works by the same author;

sometimes, continuations by other authors.

Thus:

at the end of Anderson's Three Hearts And Three Lions, Holger Danske embarks on a journey between universes;

we learn something of Holger's journey when he visits the Old Phoenix in Anderson's A Midsummer Tempest;

we learn more in Harry Tutledove's "The Man Who Came Early," which ends with Holger re-entering the Old Phoenix;

 

a young woman who joins the staff of the Inn of the Worlds' End in a story by Neil Gaiman still works there in a story by Mike Carey.

 

Multi-authored inter-universal inns are good continuity venues, especially since van Rijn shows up in the Old Phoenix.

(I am stricken with a cold so please don't expect frequent posts, folks.)