This is another of Anderson's collections of short stories written as one novel. It still has that updated Doc Smith feel, and is worth reading. ( )

Also available separated into 3 around the linchpin of the novel The Man Who Counts (The Earth Book Of Stormgate 2).

Quoting the introduction:

"Central to the work of Poul Anderson is his great future history series, The History of the Polesotechnic League, featuring two of his most famous characters-the wily trader, Nicholas van Rijn, and the explorer, David Falkayn."

The famous characters are famous for a reason - the stories they feature in are better than the rest of the tales foun dhere.

Apparently part of a series of five volumes, this being the last:"The present volume brings together these stories, which span four thousand years of future history, and sets them in the context of the whole series, with a detailed chart that incorporates many of Anderson’s later works in one enormous schema."

The chronology is quite interesting, and useful.

An alien acts as a guide to the stories at the time, and the work referenced is where the book takes its title from.

Earth Book of Stormgate : The Earth Book Of Stormgate - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Wings of Victory - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : The Problem of Pain - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : How to Be Ethnic in One Easy Lesson - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Margin of Profit - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Esau - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : The Season of Forgiveness - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : The Man Who Counts - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : A Little Knowledge - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Day of Burning - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Lodestar - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Wingless - Poul Anderson
Earth Book of Stormgate : Rescue on Avalon - Poul Anderson

"It is Hloch of the Stormgate Choth who writes, on the peak of Mount Anrovil in the Weathermother."

3 out of 5

Initial contact is for the birds.

3.5 out of 5

Flying alien religion misunderstanding poisonous.

3 out of 5

Go for some Chinese.

3 out of 5

Van Rijn has to deal with The Brain Stealers Of Antares.

4 out of 5

Entrepreneur, you, if brain you use.

3.5 out of 5

Xmas lecture.

3 out of 5

This is published under three titles - The Man Who Counts, The War of the Wing-Men and The Earth Book Of Stormgate 2.

A spot of sabotage means NVR, one of his engineers, and a noblewoman passenger are downed on a planet that has flying, bat-winged natives.

For them to get back alive they have to survive a war, and Van Rijn's insight suggests that to do that means taking a side and winning it.

So, a few ideas later it is time to upgrade the local military technology and teach them something about ground-based fighting, given they are used to flying around all the time.

Leadership theory and practice, if you like.

4 out of 5

""You swine, you filthy treacherous xeno, I'll kill you," Dologrov groaned. "Slowly."

"First you must catch me," Witweet answered. "By virtue of being small, I have a larger surface-to-volume ratio than you. My bones, my muscles, my veins and capillaries and cell membranes suffer less force per square centimeter than do yours. I can move faster than you, here. I can survive longer."

"You can't outrun a blaster bolt," Olafsson said."

3 out of 5

David Falkayn finds that negotiating assistance to a Merseian planet in the path of a supernova a little tricky.

3.5 out of 5

Some Supermetal seeking for Van Rijn and Falkayn.

3.5 out of 5

Groundhog gadgets.

3 out of 5

A bit windy out there, galemate.

3 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/09... ( )

If you have never read Poul Anderson's future history stories of the Polesotechnic League, this is a great place to start. By the end of this collection of short stories and short novels you will have become very familiar with some wonderful characters and an enchanting imaginative history. My favorite stories were the last four in this work , "The Season of Forgiveness," "Lodestar," "Wingless on Avalon," and Rescue on Avalon." These specific stories further the relationship between humans and the wonderful winged ones the Ythrians. ( )