History Literature / TechnicHistory

* LoopholeAbuse: David Falkayn in The Three Cornered Wheel is stranded on an alien planet and needs a wagon to carry supplies. The problem is that circles are holy on that planet and therefore one cannot use a wheeled vehicle. The local chief is sympathetic and helps him arrange to build a wagon that has wheels that are technically three cornered rather then roun

-->''This is the tale as told, not by Rennhl and those on whom she drew for the 'Sky Book', but by Terrans who walk the earth. Hloch will seek to explain what is alien; though only by swinging your mind into that same alienness may you hope to seize the knowledge behind.''
-->''Then read-Hloch of the Stormgate Choth The Earth Book of Stormgate''
-->--'''The Van Rijn Method'''

* TheCycleOfEmpires: A theme of the series as a whole.

* TheJeeves: Dominic Flandry's valet, Chives.

* NotAGame: used on van Rijn in "Lodestar"

* SettlingTheFrontier

* SpaceColdWar: Meresians vs Terrans

* SpaceOpera

* StoutStrength: Nicholas van Rijn.

* WarriorPoet: Avalonians in general, especially Ythrians.
** Meresians often have WarriorPoet qualities as well.
** Aycharaych is a villainous WarriorPoet in the service of the Meresians. Or [[DragonWithAnAgenda not...]].

* {{Worldbuilding}}
* WorthyOpponent

* SpaceCossacks: Avalon is settled because of the decay of the Polesotechnic League.

* LoopholeAbuse: David Falkayn in The Three Cornered Wheel is stranded on an alien planet and needs a wagon to carry supplies. The problem is that circles are holy on that planet and therefore one cannot use a wheeled vehicle. The local chief is sympathetic and helps him arrange to build a wagon that has wheels that are technically three cornered rather then round.

* NotSoDifferent: When some Meresians visit a Terran outpost for a drinking party Flandry observes that they both have a history of [[ProudWarriorRace war]] and [[ManlyMenCanHunt predation]].

-->''This is the tale as told, not by Rennhl and those on whom she drew for the 'Sky Book', but by Terrans who walk the earth. Hloch will [[HumansThroughAlienEyes seek to explain what is alien]]; though only by swinging your mind into that same alienness may you hope to seize the knowledge behind.''
-->''Then read-Hloch of the [[TheClan Stormgate Choth]] [[EncyclopediaExposita The Earth Book of Stormgate]]''

* BeastWithAHumanFace: Ythrians look like human/bird hybrids, but ‘’backwards’’ from what one would expect: They have human-like heads and faces on top of long necks and bird torsos. Their limbs and wings are also backwards. Their featherless “hands” are on the upper half of their torso while their wings are on the bottom half. Both their hands and wings can be used as feet. The overall effect is something like the bird people in M. C. Escher‘s ‘’Another World’’ mixed with a microtaptor.

* BeastwithaHumanFace: Ythrians look like human/bird hybrids, but ‘’backwards’’ from what one would expect: They have human-like heads and faces on top of long necks and bird torsos. Their limbs and wings are also backwards. Their featherless “hands” are on the upper half of their torso while their wings are on the bottom half. Both their hands and wings can be used as feet. The overall effect is something like the bird people in M. C. Escher‘s ‘’Another World’’ mixed with a microtaptor.

* CreepyCute: Ythrians look like human/bird hybrids, but ‘’backwards’’ from what one would expect: They have human-like heads and faces on top of long necks and bird torsos. Their limbs and wings are also backwards. Their featherless “hands” are on the upper half of their torso while their wings are on the bottom half. Both their hands and wings can be used as feet. The overall effect is something like the bird people in M. C. Escher‘s ‘’Another World’’ mixed with a microtaptor.

* OurElvesAreBetter: Averted. Ythrians are a vague analogue to SpaceElves in some ways, but are not particularly better then humans. They are more honorable on the whole then humans(it is specifically said by an official of the Terran Empire that their intelligence could not get a Ythrian mole), and cannot understand random crime and hence the need for government beyond a judicial council. However they are also often more cruel; for instance they are likely to routinely attack trespassers, they become irrational and often violent during mating season, they make less provision for the disabled then humans, and the more old fashioned still maintain slavery and sophant sacrifice for a long time after FirstContact.

* LetsFightLikeGentlemen: Both the Terrans and the Ythrians were civilized and when they fought they respected TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar.

Most of the stories set in this period feature IntrepidMerchant Nicholas van Rijn, and/or his protege David Falkayn. They include the novels ''The Man Who Counts'' (aka ''War of the Wing-Men''), ''Satan's World'', ''Mirkheim'', and the {{Hugo|Award}}-nominated ''The People of the Wind'', as well as many short stories.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: ''People of the Wind'' was based on a German speaking city in France enduring siege from the Prussian army during the FrancoPrussianWar much as the humans on Avalon preferred fighting beside their Ythrian friends against fellow humans in the Terran Empire.

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-->''This is the tale as told, not by Rennhl and those on whom she drew for the 'Sky Book', but by Terrans who walk the earth. Hloch will [[HumansThroughAlienEyes seek to explan''), ''Satan's World'', ''Mirkheim'', and the {{Hugo|Award}}-nominated ''The People of the Wind'', as well as many short stories.
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!!! The Terran Empire period (31st century).
Most of the stories set in this period feature Imperial Intelligence agent Dominic Flandry, including the novels ''Ensign Flandry'', ''A Circus of Hells'', ''The Rebel Worlds'', ''A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows'', and ''A Stone in Heaven'', as well as many short stories. Novels in this era that ''don't'' feature Flandry include ''The Day of Their Return'', ''The Game of Empire'', and ''Let the Spaceman Beware''.in what is alien]]; though only by swinging your mind into that same alienness may you hope to seize the knowledge behind.''

-->''From 'The Van Rijn Method'''

!!! The Polesotechnic League period (25th century).
Most of the stories set in this period feature IntrepidMerchant Nicholas van Rijn, and/or his protege David Falkayn. They include the novels ''The Man Who Counts'' (aka ''War of the Wing-Me

* SpiritualAntithesis: ''Day of their Return'' is in some ways an antithesis of Franchise/{{Dune}}. The hero lives on a provincial semi-arid planet, flees from political troubles and spends time among a series of people. He is told he is chosen to lead a holy war. But instead he discovers this to be a fraud because the the Meresians had hoped to [[ManipulativeBastard exploit]] his world's spiritual enthusiasm. In revulsion he [[KnowWhenToFoldEm surrenders to the Empire]]. And becomes a peacemaker.

* TheSiege: Avalon was besieged by the Terran fleet and protected by a wall of robatic [[SpaceMine war-satillites.]]

-->''This is the tale as told, not by Rennhl and those on whom she drew for the 'Sky Book', but by Terrans who walk the earth. Hloch will [[HumansThroughAlienEyes seek to explain what is alien]]; though only by swinging your mind into that same alienness may you hope to seize the knowledge behind.''

Most of the stories set in this period feature IntrepidMerchant Nicholas van Rijn, and/or his protege David Falkayn. They include the novels ''The Man Who Counts'' (aka ''War of the Wing-Men''), ''Satan's World'', ''Mirkheim'', and the {{Hugo|Award}}-nominated ''The People of the Wind'', as well as many short stories.

!!! The Terran Empire period (31st century).
Most of the stories set in this period feature Imperial Intelligence agent Dominic Flandry, including the novels ''Ensign Flandry'', ''A Circus of Hells'', ''The Rebel Worlds'', ''A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows'', and ''A Stone in Heaven'', as well as many short stories. Novels in this era that ''don't'' feature Flandry include ''The Day of Their Return'', ''The Game of Empire'', and ''Let the Spaceman Beware''.
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* TheCasanova: Flandry. Generally loses the girl when she realizes he's not going to be able of anything permenant.

** He also likes opera, and sings Fafnir on stage.

* WholePlotReference: ''The Game of Empire'' is, as aknowledged in the Author's Note, a {{Gender Flip}}ped, [[RecycledInSpace space opera version]] of ''Literature/{{Kim}}''.

* CityOfSpies: Flandry meets Aycharaych at one of these and figures out a way to [[CrowningMoment deceive a telepath.]]