All The Narrative Layers

By finally collecting the entire Technic History in a uniform edition, Baen Books' The Technic Civilization Saga, compiled by Hank Davis, combines several narrative layers. In The Technic Civilization Saga, Volume I, The Van Rijn Method, "How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson," still introduced by Hloch of Stormgate Choth, is followed by:

"The Three-Cornered Wheel," introduced by an extract from Commentaries on the Philosophy of Noah Arkwright by Vance Hall;

"A Sun Invisible," introduced by an extract from An Introduction to Sophontology by Noah Arkwright;

"The Season of Forgiveness," introduced by Hloch who explains that this story was written by Judith Dalmady/Lundgren, was based on a story relayed to her by her father and was published in Morgana.

In terms of content:

"The Three-Cornered Wheel" introduces David Falkayn, working as an apprentice on the planet Ivanhoe;

"A Sun Invisible" shows Falkayn working for van Rijn's company although not yet in personal contact with van Rijn;

"The Season of Forgiveness" recounts later events on Ivanhoe.

The Arkwrightian "introductions" (really independent essays) to the first two Falkayn stories had been added in the collection, The Trouble Twisters, just as Hlochian introductions were added in the Earth Book.

Thus, there were three stages of publication:

original publication of stories or serialized novels in sf magazines, notably Analog;

collection of shorter works in Trader To The Stars, The Trouble Twisters and the Earth Book as well as in the two Flandry collections and also book publication of novels;

finally, the complete Saga.