Trader To The Stars is merely three stories about a single character, Nicholas van Rijn, who has already reached an advanced age at the beginning of the opening story;
The Trouble Twisters, also three stories about a single character, David Falkayn, is biographical, covering young Falkayn's rise from ensign through journeymen to Master Merchant and leader of van Rijn's first trade pioneer crew;
The Earth Book Of Stormgate, an omnibus collection of twelve works, including one van Rijn novel, is a single-volume future history, beginning long before the League period with the discovery of Ythri, and ending shortly before the dissolution of the League with the colonization of the Coronan continent on Avalon, a planet in the Domain of Ythri.
The Technic Civilization Saga, Volumes I-III (of VII), incorporate all three collections together with six other works. Thus, the growth of a futuristic sf series into a comprehensive future history series is finally complete.
In "Trader Team"/"The Trouble Twisters," the culminating story of The Trouble Twisters, David Falkayn begins the role that carries him through two novels and into the Earth Book and the history of Avalon.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I don't think Nicholas van Rijn was older than about fifty/early fifties in TRADER TO THE STARS. Given Technic antisenescence that's not old! But we are both familiar with his self pitying whining about how old, poor, fat, and lonely he was! (Smiles)
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Maybe I am being taken in by van Rijn's whining.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That might happen with some readers! (Laughs)
We do know Old Nick was 30 years older than David Falkayn. So whenever one of the stories mentions Falkayn's age, add 30 for van Rijn's age. And Old Nick was explicitly described as being 80 in MIRKHEIM, which I concede is old!
Ad astra! Sean
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