The Pivotal Role Of "Lodestar"

This post says nothing new but is part of what this blog is about.

I still think that Poul Anderson's History of Technic Civilization is by far the best future history series and that one of its volumes, The Earth Book Of Stormgate, is the summit of American future historical writing.

The short story, "Lodestar":

was written as a conclusion to the Polesotechnic League period of the Technic History although fortunately Anderson subsequently added the novel, Mirkheim;

is the last Polesotechnic League instalment in the Earth Book;

is the last instalment in The Technic Civilization Saga, Volume II, David Falkayn: Star Trader;

incorporates into a single narrative -

Nicholas van Rijn's first trade pioneer crew comprising David Falkayn, Adzel and Chee Lan;

Nicholas van Rijn;

Ythrians.

These four individuals and one species have appeared, either separately or in combination, in thirteen of the previous seventeen instalments of the Technic History with van Rijn, Adzel and Falkayn all appearing separately before coming together.

Any future history instalment builds on the foundation of earlier instalments and also adds new information that will provide foundations for later instalments. Thus, "Lodestar" introduces:

the supermetals-rich planet later to be named Mirkheim;

van Rijn's granddaughter, Coya Conyon.

In the sequel entitled Mirkheim, Coya has married Falkayn - and most of the Technic History still lies ahead of us although we must say goodbye to the Polesotechnic League, to van Rijn's Solar Spice & Liquors company and to the Falkayn-founded Supermetals company. Next will come the Falkayn-founded human-Ythrian colony planet, Avalon.

Read it.