Wednesday 18 January 2017

Revolt In 2170

Revolt in 2100 is Volume III of Robert Heinlein's Future History whereas The Snows Of Ganymede is a volume of Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic History which was modeled on the Future History. In Revolt In 2100, the Second American Revolution led by the Cabal overthrows a theocracy whereas, in the Psychotechnic History, the Humanist Revolution of 2170 outlaws the Psychotechnic Institute. In The Snows Of Ganymede, some psychotechnicians try to make a comeback but are thwarted by members of the Order of Planetary Engineers. Organizations are a feature of some future histories. Psychotechnics was a genuine, if incomplete, science of humanity and returns later in that History.

Structurally, each of these Histories could be collected in two omnibus volumes.

The Future History
I. Pre-space flight Earth and the early interplanetary period, culminating in "Logic of Empire," which is set on Venus but which also refers to the Prophet Nehemiah Scudder on Earth.
II. The theocracy and subsequent history.

The Psychotechnic History
I. The periods of the UN and the Solar Union, culminating in "Brake," which shows social fragmentation and disintegration on Earth.
II. The period of faster than light interstellar flight.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And we have debated whether or not the putative last story of the Psychotechnic series, "The Chapter Ends," belongs there at all. You are or were inclined to think it does while I do not. My view is "The Chapter Ends" is a non series story Samdra Miesel believed belongs with the Psychotechnic timeline.

Sean