Van Rijn In Context

The first Nicholas van Rijn Story, "Margin of Profit," and the first van Rijn novel, The Man Who Counts, are to be read before the van Rijn collection, Trader To The Stars. That gives us five narratives in a chronological sequence. The only remaining story that features van Rijn without any other continuing characters is "Esau." The Technic Civilization Saga places "Esau" between The Man Who Counts and "Hiding Place," the first story in Trader To The Stars. However, I think that "Esau" belongs later, in the same period as "The Master Key," the last story in Trader To The Stars. In "Margin of Profit," van Rijn, a former spaceman, runs the Solar Spice and Liquors company from Earth but returns to space when necessary. The Man Who Counts, "Hiding Place" and "Territory," the second story in Trader..., all begin with van Rijn off Earth. By contrast, in both "The Master Key" and "Esau," van Rijn remains in his penthouse where some of his employees report to him. 

Rethinking the van Rijn stories leads to reflecting on the whole Technic History.

Introductory Stories (the item listed as introduced is not necessarily the main point of the story)

"The Saturn Game" the Jerusalem Catholic Church

"Wings of Victory": Ythrians

"The Problem of Pain": Ythrian Faiths; Gray/Avalon

"Margin of Profit": the Polesotechnic League; van Rijn

"How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson": Adzel

"The Three-Cornered Wheel": David Falkayn; the planet Ivanhoe

"A Sun Invisible": rogue planets

"The Season of Forgiveness": Ivanhoe

Van Rijn Off Earth

The Man Who Counts

"Hiding Place"

"Territory"

The Trader Team

"The Trouble Twisters"

"Day of Burning"

Van Rijn In The Winged Cross

"The Master Key"

"Esau"

Threats To The League

Satan's World

"A Little Knowledge"

"Lodestar"

Mirkheim

Falkayn's Solution: Avalon Colony

"Wingless"

"Rescue on Avalon"

Manuel Argos' Solution To Post-League Trouble: Terran Empire

"The Star Plunderer"

"Sargasso of Lost Starships"

Empire versus Avalon

The People Of The Wind

Flandry And Others Defend The Empire...

After The Empire...