Ragnar's Weeb Page: Book Stuff | ||
Cordwainer Smith's Universe |
The Stories | Date | Events at the time |
No, No, Not Rogov | 2000 | Forgotten first age of space |
War No. 81-Q | 3000 | The Ancient Wars, culminating in the collapse of all nations save China. Retreat of the true men into isolated cities, with most of Earth left to Beasts, manshonyaggers and the Unforgiven. |
Mark Elf | 4000 | Advent of the Vomacts and the return of vitality to mankind. Rule of the Jwindz succeeded by that of the Instrumentality. |
Queen of the Afternoon | 5000 | |
Scanners Live in Vain The Lady Who Sailed The Soul |
6000 | Second age of Space. Earth repopulated. Expansion to the nearer stars. Survivors of old Paradise VII colony settle Old North Australia. |
When the People Fell | 7000 | Fall of China. Discovery of Stroon |
Think Blue, Count Two The Colonel Came Back from Nothing at All |
8000 | Discovery of planoforming. Early signs of anti-Utopia |
The Game of Rat and Dragon The Burning of the Brain |
9000 | Age of Planoforming. Settlement of thousands of worlds, compared to 200 by sailship. |
From Gustible's Planet | 10000 | Stabilization of Utopia. Life spans standardized at 400 years, growing use of robots, underpeople |
11000 | Possible appearence of Daimoni. Adaption of men to strange worlds like Viola Siderea. | |
Himself in Anachron ??? | 12000 | |
The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal Golden the Ship Was--Oh! Oh! Oh! |
13000 | Ascendency of the Bright Empire and other potential rivals to the Instrumentality. |
The Dead Lady of Clown Town | 14000 | Martyrdom of D'Joan, rebirth of old strong Religion. Founding of line of Jestocost |
Under Old Earth Drunkboat |
15000 | Appearance of Lady Alice More, partner to Lord Jestocost In rediscovery of Man. Holy Insurgency. Visions from space3. |
Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons Alpha Ralpha Boulevard The Ballad of Lost C'Mell Norstrilia A Planet Named Shayol |
16000 | Civil rights for underpeople. Odyssey of Rod McBan. Spread of Rediscovery of Man |
Cashier O'Neil Series: On the Gem Planet On the Storm Planet On the Sand Planet Three to a Given Star |
Embargo on religion | |
Projected series: Lords of the Afternoon |
Common destiny of men and underpeople; religious climax |
Timeline From The Instrumentality of Mankind, Compiled by J.J. Pierce.
Note: With Smith's own notebooks lost, chronology is largely a matter of guesswork, based on internal evidence. But the order of stories and surounding events can be fairly well established.
© Ragnar Torfason 2005 December 28 |