The Serendipity computer knows David Falkayn's name in connection with:
"'...episodes involving Beta Centauri, Ikranaka, and Merseia.'" (p. 349)
If we are reading the Technic History in its original publication order, then we also know of Ivanhoe but do not yet know about Merseia but we also know that Falkayn has been involved in a lot more than just three or four episodes.
An author can impart information about a text, how and why it was written etc, in a Foreword or Afterword. Within the text, background information, whether real or fictional, can be imparted by:
the omniscient narrator;
a viewpoint character's thoughts and reflections;
dialogue between some of the characters.
Sometimes one character lectures another unnecessarily just in order to tell the reader something. David Falkayn wonders why Thea Beldaniel lectures him about information storage, retrieval and usage. So do we. Will Poul Anderson draw attention to Beldaniel's odd behaviour but leave it unexplained? No. Right at the end of Chapter II, Falkayn realizes:
"He believed he could tell why she behaved the way she did, dwelt on elementary details though she must realize he knew most of them already. He'd encountered that pattern elsewhere. It was usually called fanaticism." (p. 347)
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
The phenomenon you described here is one peculiarly unique to science fiction: how to impart big chunks of necessary background futuristic fictional information to readers. The kind of information that would already be routinely known by Falkayn but not by us. Called by fans "infodumps."
Ad astra! Sean
As it turned out, helping the Mersians was a really, really bad idea. No way to know that in advance, of course.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
While regretting seeming to be callous, I agree. Better for Earth/Terra if the first Grand Survey had not discovered.
That said, it's very probable some other race would have become the rival of the Empire. Hmmm, maybe better the devil we know than the one we don't know!
Ad astra! Sean
Ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrr! End of first paragraph of my comment above: "....Survey had not discovered Merseia."
Sean
Sean: the League was expecting gratitude from the Merseians. And gratitude is, as the old saying goes, worth its weight in gold.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree, but it wasn't quite that simple in "Day of Burning," as when Falkayn told Morruchan Long-Ax that the League would charge the Merseians a stiff, but reasonable fee for all services rendered. The big complicating factor was Merseian politics and rivalries.
Ad astra! Sean
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