Chee Lan says:
"'We enjoyed the trader game as long as that lasted.'" (XXI, p. 291)
She speaks for the readers if we have read the volumes in chronological order. First, the title of Trader To The Stars is self-explanatory. The title character is Nicholas van Rijn but he paves the way for the others. Second comes The Trouble Twisters about David Falkayn's ascent from apprentice to Master Merchant. The "Trouble Twisters" of the title are the trader team of Falkayn, Adzel and Chee Lan. Van Rijn cameos to initiate the team. Thirdly, Satan's World features all four characters. Fourth comes Mirkheim! We think that that is the end but then The Earth Book Of Stormgate presents eight more instalments about these characters or about other merchants of the Polesotechnic League. We enjoy the trader game as long as it lasts, then read the later periods of the Technic History.
2 comments:
I've always felt that the denoument of the League comes a little abruptly.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Once you made that suggestion I came to believe you were right. MIRKHEIM should have been set 20 or 25 years later. I think Anderson "timed" the book as he did to make sure Old Nick would not be too advanced in age to play a major role in the story. That "abruptness" was understandable, but still a bit regrettable.
Ad astra! Sean
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