Again The EARTH BOOK

Will I tire of analysing Poul Anderson's History of Technic Civilization? I think not although blog readers might tire of reading about it. The series is not only endlessly but also uniquely fascinating, particularly in its first major section, culminating either in The Earth Book Of Stormgate or in Rise Of The Terran Empire.

The Earth Book makes two significant contributions to the Technic History.

First, it collects twelve previously uncollected instalments and thus provides important background for what has already been read. 

It covers:

first contact with Ythri;

the joint exploration and later two-stage colonization of Avalon;

Adzel's student days on Earth;

the first van Rijn story, "Margin of Profit," which had provided the introduction to the second story in Trader To The Stars;

the van Rijn novel, The Man Who Counts, thus explaining a reference to Diomedes in the third Trader story;

an unexpected sequel to Falkayn's adventure as an apprentice on Ivanhoe;

how the trader team saved Merseia;

how van Rijn came to Mirkheim;

some other details.

Secondly, its newly written introductions and afterword substantially enhance the History for example by relating more about the characters James Ching and Emil Dalmady and also about the latter's daughter on Avalon.

If there is a better future history series anywhere, then I need to know about it.