Markup View

Author: Arivne

Jan 25th 2013 at 12:46:51 AM

^ ^^ The first mention of the "Earth = Dirt" in ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat'' series was in ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat Saves The World'' (1972). Someone is attacking the Special Corp by altering the past using time travel.

->Professor Coypu: We have been running a time probe backward. Following the traces of these disturbances. We have found the particular planet. Now we must zero in on the time. If you arrive too late, they may have already finished their job. Too early and you might die of old age before the fiends are even born.
->Jim diGriz: Sounds charming. What is the planet?
->Professor Coypu: Strange name. Or rather names. It is called Dirt or Earth or something like that. Supposed to be the legendary home of all mankind.
->Jim diGriz: Another one? I never heard of it.

Fun fact: there's a continuity error in the above. In the first novel ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat'' (1961), which takes place before the events in ''Saves The World'', Slippery Jim narrates the following:

"I went back to the luxury yacht and tapped the stores for a large glass of Scotch whisky (that had never been within twenty light-years of Earth) and a long cigar."

So in the first novel he knew what Earth was, and in ''Saves The World'' he didn't.