History And SF

"High Treason."

"(You see, I've read quite a lot of history. Hobby of mine, and a way to pass the long time between stars.)" (p. 56)

Historical fiction and futuristic sf have in common that they are set in periods other than that of the author and his readers. Poul Anderson wrote historical fiction and his sf includes historical sf. Interstellar travellers reading and reflecting on history is a good way to bring history and sf together.

"'Earth-type planets are none too common. They wanted the same real estate we did.'" (p. 57)

Exactly the same language is used of Terrans and Merseians in Poul Anderson's Technic History.

Because of the narrator's treason (= refusal to commit genocide), Earth will lose the interstellar war but this defeat will not be a disaster. It will be like the Americans defeating the English or the English defeating the French but not like the Germans winning World War II.

In the collection, Conflict, "High Treason" ends:

"So I am now going to spend what time remains in thinking about

"THE END" (p. 67)

- whereas, in the anthology, Four For The Future, this story ends:

"So I am now going to spend what time remains in thinking about"

Poul Anderson, "High Treason" IN Harry Harrison (Ed.), Four For The Future (London, 1974), pp. 45-59 AT p. 59.

Editor Harry Harrison saw no reason to add "THE END" after Anderson's unfinished concluding sentence and there isn't one.