Two Instalments

Poul Anderson's Technic History is enriched by the presence of two instalments between Young Flandry and Captain Flandry. John Ridenour who was on Starkad with Dominic Flandry in Ensign Flandry is on Freehold without Flandry on "Outpost of Empire." Here, as in The People of the Wind, the colonials successfully resist the Empire! The planet, Aeneas, whose revolt was defeated by Flandry in The Rebel Worlds is back on-stage in The Day Of Their Return. Or, more accurately, the surface of Aeneas is the setting for the entire action of this novel. But none of the characters are familiar. It must be explained to us why a Frederiksen is Firstman of Ilion now that the defeated and possibly wiser Hugh McCormac has fled outside known space.

Flandry, suddenly and surprisingly, is quoted - like van Rijn on "A Little Knowledge." Two characters are introduced whom Flandry will meet when he is a Captain. This fictional narrative is as similar to real, interconnected history as its author can make it.