We fully accept that some kinds of fictional characters are written by multiple authors, e.g.:
Sexton Blake, 4000 stories by 200 authors in 5 media;
comic strip and TV characters.
Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller have been able to re-create comic book characters and to write substantial graphic novels about previously inconsequential heroes and villains. A writer with such skills would be able to make new additions to a future history series that is already consequential but this is unlikely to happen.
Meanwhile, we appreciate how much a single author was able to put into the Technic History.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Anderson did write "Quest," a short story sequel to THE HIGH CRUSADE. And he made contributions to Larry Niven's Man/Kzin Wars timeline, the last of which was "Pele." He also contributed "The Deserter" to the War World subseries of Jerry Pournelle's Co-Dominium tineline. A very good story was "Deathwomb," Anderson's contribution to Saberhagen's Berserker world line.
Last, "The Valor of Cappen Varra," "Fairy Gold," and "The Lady of the Winds" were his additions to the Thieves World universe. He also tied in the two OPERATION books and THREE HEARTS AND THREE LIONS with A MIDSUMMER TEMPEST using the Old Phoenix Inn. Heck, we even see Nicholas van Rijn (from the Technic series) while he was visiting the Old Phoenix in "House Rule."
Anderson made a surprising number of additions to many different timelines, both his own and those of other writers. And the single best story in MULTIVERSE was Stirling's Time Patrol pastiche "A Slip in Time." Stirling even said he would love to write a Dominic Flandry pastiche. I hope Anderson's estate might someday give consent to that, perhaps in a second and better MULTIVERSE.
Ad astra! Sean
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