Empire
by H. Beam Piper
Terro-Human Future History (Collections and Selections — Collection containing The Edge of the Knife, A Slave is A Slave, Ministry of Disturbance, The Return, The Keeper)
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Piper provides a Toynbean view of history, that is, that civilizations rise, stagnate, and fall, and then new civilizations rise from their ashes.Tags
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According to the introduction by John F. Carr, H.Beam Piper has intended to write one short story per century of his envisioned "Terro-Human Future History." It is a shame he was only ever completed a handful before his untimely death, and "Empire" contains a few of those delightfully fascinating surviving glimpses of Piper's Universe.
One thing to keep in mind is that while Piper's was writing of the future from his perspective, the earliest parts of his future history occur in our past, and unsurprisingly differ from that of our own. Like many authors of his era (no different from those of today), he was overly optimistic regarding the rate of technological progress and the expansion of mankind throughout the solar system. Easy enough show more to make allowances for, consider it an alternate history, or a parallel world, or whatever works to not let historical hangups get in the way of Piper's otherwise excellent storytelling.
I quite enjoyed the twist at the end of "The Edge of the Knife," and it provides a few tantalising glimpses at how the Terro-Human Future History came to be.
Normally I don't particularly care for Science Fiction with overt political messaging - if they desire to make a point a clever writer can do so without bludgeoning the reader over the head with it. Unfortunately, as I understand it, Piper's editor John W. Campbell asked for changes to make the point even more explicit - that the oppressed are not innately virtuous merely by the fact of being oppressed. Despite the browbeating, it's a tale worth reading, and is in some ways a sequel to "Space Viking" (Despite being written prior), and is of interest to see how the universe has evolved since the time of Lucas Trask.
"Ministry of Disturbance" is my favourite of the tales, and is a fascinating look at a day in the life of an Emperor whose Empire is on the precipice of change, for the first in centuries.
"The Return" is a bit of a post Apocalyptic mystery - the main quest is to seek out a trove of pre-war microfilmed books, but the real hook is who the descendants of an American Platoon ultimately worship as a god. Unfortunately it wraps up too quickly and too neatly, but aside from that a magnificent post-apocalyptic tale, albeit one that does not for part of the Terro-Human Future History.
Finally, "The Keeper" a Tale of the fate Old Earth, once forgotten, now in the time of the Fifth Empire . . .
Ranking the Tales in descending order of preference:
1. "Ministry of Disturbance"
2. "The Keeper"
3. "A Slave is a Slave"
4. "The Edge of the Knife"
5. "The Return" show less
One thing to keep in mind is that while Piper's was writing of the future from his perspective, the earliest parts of his future history occur in our past, and unsurprisingly differ from that of our own. Like many authors of his era (no different from those of today), he was overly optimistic regarding the rate of technological progress and the expansion of mankind throughout the solar system. Easy enough show more to make allowances for, consider it an alternate history, or a parallel world, or whatever works to not let historical hangups get in the way of Piper's otherwise excellent storytelling.
I quite enjoyed the twist at the end of "The Edge of the Knife," and it provides a few tantalising glimpses at how the Terro-Human Future History came to be.
Normally I don't particularly care for Science Fiction with overt political messaging - if they desire to make a point a clever writer can do so without bludgeoning the reader over the head with it. Unfortunately, as I understand it, Piper's editor John W. Campbell asked for changes to make the point even more explicit - that the oppressed are not innately virtuous merely by the fact of being oppressed. Despite the browbeating, it's a tale worth reading, and is in some ways a sequel to "Space Viking" (Despite being written prior), and is of interest to see how the universe has evolved since the time of Lucas Trask.
"Ministry of Disturbance" is my favourite of the tales, and is a fascinating look at a day in the life of an Emperor whose Empire is on the precipice of change, for the first in centuries.
"The Return" is a bit of a post Apocalyptic mystery - the main quest is to seek out a trove of pre-war microfilmed books, but the real hook is who the descendants of an American Platoon ultimately worship as a god. Unfortunately it wraps up too quickly and too neatly, but aside from that a magnificent post-apocalyptic tale, albeit one that does not for part of the Terro-Human Future History.
Finally, "The Keeper" a Tale of the fate Old Earth, once forgotten, now in the time of the Fifth Empire . . .
Ranking the Tales in descending order of preference:
1. "Ministry of Disturbance"
2. "The Keeper"
3. "A Slave is a Slave"
4. "The Edge of the Knife"
5. "The Return" show less
Indeholder "John F. Carr: Introduction", "The Edge of the Knife", "A Slave is a Slave", "Ministry of Disturbance", "H. Beam Piper, John J. McGuire: The Return", "The Keeper".
"John F. Carr: Introduction" handler om ???
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"H. Beam Piper, John J. McGuire: The Return" handler om ???
"The Keeper" handler om ???
"John F. Carr: Introduction" handler om ???
"The Edge of the Knife" handler om ???
"A Slave is a Slave" handler om ???
"Ministry of Disturbance" handler om ???
"H. Beam Piper, John J. McGuire: The Return" handler om ???
"The Keeper" handler om ???
Mar 23, 2013 (Edited)Danish
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Terro-Human Future History (Collections and Selections — Collection containing The Edge of the Knife, A Slave is A Slave, Ministry of Disturbance, The Return, The Keeper)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Empire
- Original publication date
- 1981-05
- People/Characters
- Ed Chalmers (history professor); Leonard Fitch; Max Pottgeiter; Lloyd Whitburn (President of Blanley College); Obray, Count Erskyll; Harv Dorflay (Captain-General) (show all 14); Klenn Faress (Professor); Viktor Ganzay (Prime Minister); Marris (Empress); Olva; Paul XXII (Emperor); Rodrick; Snooks (dog); Yorn Travann (Prince)
- Important places
- Blanley College, USA (fictional); Aditya (planet); Odin (planet)
- First words
- Chalmers stopped talking abruptly, warned by the sudden attentiveness of the class in front of him. ("The edge of the knife")
Jurgen, Prince Trevannion, accepted the coffee cup and lifted it to his lips, then lowered it. ("A slave is a slave")
The symphony was ending, the final triumphant paean soaring up and up, beyond the limit of audibility. ("Ministry of Disturbance")
Altamont cast a quick, routine, glance at the instrument panels and then looked down through the transparent nose of the helicopter at the yellow-brown river five hundred feet below. ("The return")
When he heard the deer crashing through brush and scuffling the dead leaves, he stopped and stood motionless in the path. ("The Keeper") - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The large young man in the white coat entered. ("The edge of the knife")
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)As long as they stuck to robots, they were reasonably safe. ("A slave is a slave")
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"When Princess Olva's Empress, she's going to curse the name of Klenn Faress. Flower Festivals, all around the galaxy, without end." ("Ministry of Disturbance")
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"How I ever missed all the clues - you see, Monty, what I'm worried about is what's going to happen to those people when they find out that we're not really Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson." ("The return")
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He wondered if he could find a pair of good dogs and train them to guard it for him... ("The Keeper")
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- 359
- Popularity
- 87,261
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.78)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 2
