The Earth Book of Stormgate: The Story of the Technic Civilization

This year starts a re-reading of the Technic Civilization tales of Poul Anderson (additional notes here and here). (I had planned to read these last year and got a small start; fate intervened, so I'm starting from scratch again.)

(My reading of this will hit at least three of the "S" plans for the year...lots of shorts, a serial, and many of these were purchased in paperback in the seventies!)

I got my start in reading science fiction with folks like Alan Nourse and Andre Norton. As I searched the children's section of the library for books with that little spaceship and atom symbol on the spine. That brought me to the John C. Winston series, introduced me to Arthur C. Clarke and others such as Robert A. Heinlein.

As I branched out, I started to receive books for my birthday, Christmas and other holidays. Many of these were from the Science Fiction Book Club, volumes that my parent's bought at yard sales and garage sales. Tossed in were bunches of paperbacks. Between these two, I encountered Poul Anderson.

I may have come across a short story or two, but the first clear encounter was an Ace Books edition of Trader to the Stars. I'll confess that it took me a couple of tries to get into the book, the main character was so...odd...But once in, I was hooked. Hooked for good. I must have read the three stories that made up that book several times that summer. Alas...that seemed to be it.

One move, a new town, and a new school later, I came across The Trouble Twisters. As I read it, I realized that this was the same series as the other collection—just another set of characters and settings. By luck, I then came across a number of back issues of the venerable Galaxy magazine with a few tales such as The Sharing of Flesh in them. Then came a series of reprints by Berkley, including The Earth Book of Stormgate, and I had a timeline to work on as well as a list of stories. Between various established (Berkley, Ace) and new (Tor) publishers, I soon put together the entire series, save one tale, a short story called Sargasso of Lost Starships. It only appeared to have ever been published in Planet Stories, the source of much rich pulpness. Not another appearance, for some odd reason. Eventually, I found a copy of that issue, so I'll be reading that story (for the first time) on this run through the cycle.

What is it that I enjoy about Anderson? The odd characters. The rich settings. The aliens and planets that are worthy of the likes of Hal Clement's creations. The stars, in all their glory from Sol-like stars to red supergiants to white dwarfs and others. The sense of time. Yes, I know that according to the timeline that appears in several places the cycle runs from the 21st century to around 7100, a mere blip on the span of the universe. But as Anderson's characters felt the weight of their years, the weariness of fighting to keep things sane and straight, as civilizations rose and fell, it felt as if stars were dying.

So, come with me as I journey down these dark spaceways once again. Finding it difficult to get the books? Baen Books, as I mentioned previously, will be publishing them again starting this year. Count yourself blessed if this is your first time, count yourself blessed as you encounter them again.

The Story Arc (taken from A Chronology of Technic Civilization, as it appears in The Earth Book of Stormgate and other sources):

The Saturn Game: Added into the chronology late in Anderson's career; I don't recall any mention that it was part of the Technic Civilization from its first appearance in Analog. A group of explorers exploring the moons of Saturn get caught up in their roleplaying personae. This version seems to have a "happier" ending than I recall, I'm going to have to dig out the original publication to see if my memory is correct. (1x)

Wings of Victory: Details the first encounter between humans one of Anderson's alien races that plays a major role throughout the Technic Civilization cycle, the winged Ythri. (2x)

The Problem of Pain: Follows up on the first contact and shows the start of the joined society between humans and the Ythri. Before that society can grow, understanding must come between two vastly different cultures. (2x)

Margin of Profit: A tale involving Nicholas van Rijn. van Rijn must solve a problem affecting his profits while expanding into a new area of space. This story shows the pattern for a lot of his tales: some action, but much more talking and thinking. (2x

How to Be Ethnic in One Easy Lesson: Introduces another one of Anderson's major alien races in the form of the Wodenite named Adzel. Humanity is reeling from multiple contacts with alien races and is afraid for its cultural identity. A year-long celebration of all that is human is planned. However, the cultural bigots are foiled when Adzel is recruited not only to participate in a Chinese-based celebration, but a German-language opera! (2x)

Three-Cornered Wheel: (1x)

A Sun Invisible: (1x)

The Man Who Counts (a.k.a., The War of the Wing-Men) (novel):

Birthright:

Hiding Place:

Territory:

The Trouble Twisters (a.k.a., Trader Team):

Day of Burning (a.k.a. Supernova):

The Master Key:

Satan's World (novel):

A Little Knowledge:

The Season of Forgiveness: (1x)

Lodestar:

Mirkheim (novel):

Wingless on Avalon:

Rescue on Avalon:

Earth Book of Stormgate: The linking tale set between the various stories in the collection.

The Star Plunderer:

Sargasso of Lost Starships:

The People of the Wind (novel):

Ensign Flandry (novel):

A Circus of Hells (made up of The White King's War and additional material) (novel):

The Rebel Worlds (novel):

Outpost of Empire:

The Day of Their Return (novel):

Tiger by the Tail:

Honorable Enemies:

The Game of Glory:

A Message in Secret:

A Plague of Masters:

A Handful of Stars:

Warriors from Nowhere:

A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows (novel):

A Stone in Heaven (novel):

The Game of Empire (novel):

A Tragedy of Errors:

The Night Face (novel):

The Sharing of Flesh:

Starfog:

Poul Anderson; The Earth Book of Stormgate (Berkley, 1978, ISBN not indicated, cover by Tony Roberts).

Made up of: The Earth Book of Stormgate (material between each story, making up something of a story in itself); Wings of Victory; The Problem of Pain; How to Be Ethnic in One Easy Lesson; Margin of Profit; Esau; The Season of Forgiveness; The Man Who Counts (novel, will be listed as a separate book as well); A Little Knowledge; Day of Burning; Lodestar; Wingless; Rescue on Avalon.

Poul Anderson; Trader to the Stars (Doubleday, 1964, no ISBN, cover artist not indicated).

Made up of: Introduction; Hiding Place; Margin of Profit (not the same as the entry from The Earth Book of Stormgate); Territory; The Master Key.

Poul Anderson; The Trouble Twisters (Doubleday, 1966, no ISBN, cover art by Emanuel Schongut).

Made up of: A Note of Leitmotif; The Three-Cornered Wheel; Notes Towards a Definition of Relatedness; A Sun Invisible; Pus Ca Change, Plus C'Est La Meme Chose; The Trouble Twisters.

Poul Anderson: The Van Rijn Method (Baen Books; September 2008; ISBN 978-1-4165-5569-8; cover by Dave Seeley). Made up of: Introduction (Hank Davis); The Saturn Game; Introduction: Wings of Victory; Wings of Victory; Introduction: The Problem of Pain; The Problem of Pain; Introduction: The Margin of Profit; The Margin of Profit; Introduction: How to be Ethnic in One Easy Lesson; How to be Ethnic in One Easy Lesson; Introduction: The Three Cornered-Wheel: Note of Leitmotif; The Three-Cornered Wheel; Introduction: A Sun Invisible: Notes Toward a Definition of Relatedness; A Sun Invisible; Introduction: The Season of Forgiveness; The Season of Forgiveness; Introduction: The Man Who Counts; The Man Who Counts; Introduction: Esau; Esau; Introduction: Hiding Place; Hiding Place; Chronology of the Technic Civilization (Sandra Miesel); Appendix I: The Original Version of "Margin of Profit"; Appendix II: "The Man Who Counts" and the Technic Civilization Series (Sandra Miesel).

Counts as twenty-one (21) entries in the 2008 Year in Shorts.