compare several future history series, maybe imagining that they exist in parallel timelines (we do know that Rhysling of Heinlein's Future History and van Rijn of Anderson's Technic History both have access to Anderson's inter-universal inn, the Old Phoenix);
contemplate a single future history series in its entirety from its opening instalment in a comparatively near future to its concluding instalment in a remoter future;
focus on a single period in a particular future history, e.g., Poul Anderson's The Earth Book Of Stormgate is a future historical volume in itself quite apart from the fact that it is followed by the nine-volume Flandry period and its single-volume sequel;
focus on very specific details in a single period, e.g., precisely what Christopher Holm and Tabitha Falkayn eat and drink in the Old Phoenix in Centauri on the Gulf of Centaurs on the Coronan continent on the planet Avalon in the Domain of Ythri during the Imperial period of the Technic History!
Poul Anderson presents many more such details for readers to read, reread, compare, criticize etc.
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
We can also ponder mysteries, obscurities, unanswered questions, etc., that any "future history" worth its salt should bring to mind! Something we have both done here.
Ad astra! Sean
Future histories should not cover the near future; it dates too quickly. Unless it's an alternate history.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Meaning "The Saturn Game," set in about 2050.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: yeah, that was an error, IMHO.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
The story was first pub. in 1981, meaning 2050 must have seemed safely distant to Anderson.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: well, it was for Poul, since he died around the turn of the century. But on aesthetic grounds...
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