Author Topic: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole  (Read 4561 times)

Bernd

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Hi.

I have a problem with the starting date of Wave 2 of Operation Rat (Fourth Succession War). The "NAIS Forth Succession War Military Atlas Vol 1" states on page 22: "A pleased and optimistic Prince Hanse authorized the next phase of the operation on September 15, 3028." And on page 25: "On September 23, nearly 100 JumpShips made the jump into the Tikonov star system." (This is the beginning of Wave 2.)

However chapter 43 in the German edition of "Riposte" shows Hanse Davion in the Fox's Den on September 25th getting final reports about the battles of Wave 1. (Then they talk about Wave 2 commencing in October.) I guess that date is a misprint, but I am not sure. Does anyone please can tell me the date of chapter 43 in the English edition?

Thanks! :)
Bernd

Frabby

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Re: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole
« Reply #1 on: 11 June 2015, 10:31:24 »
In the book's english edition, the epigraph of chapter 43 dates it as 25 September 3028 as well.

The NAIS 4th Succession Wars Atlas is, as an in-character document, a treatise by Dr. Banzai about the war ("sourcebook fiction").
The novel, by contrast, is narrated from an omniscient viewpoint ("novel fiction") and as such automatically trumps the sourcebook as per the official ruling in the 25 Years of Art and Fiction tome (page 6).

That said, either source may simply be in error in the sense of a typo. In which case the "novel fiction trumps sourcebook fiction" and "newer trumps older" mantras don't apply. :)
« Last Edit: 11 June 2015, 10:34:30 by Frabby »
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skiltao

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Re: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole
« Reply #2 on: 20 June 2015, 20:12:29 »
Whoever wrote the NAIS book could have interpreted October as the date of landfall.

Since it takes about 6 days to transit from the jump point to the planet Tikonov, a standard transit might easily last from a late hour on September 23rd to an early hour on October 1st. Different systems have different transit times, so if landfall is to be simultaneous in every system, some fleets would have to leave sooner than others and some would have to accelerate harder than others. Interstellar communications aren't instantaneous so it makes sense for New Avalon to be a day or more behind.
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Bernd

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Re: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole
« Reply #3 on: 23 August 2015, 04:44:14 »
Thank you for your input. I still think it is a typo by the NAIS author, because in the NAIS "A pleased and optimistic Prince Hanse authorized the next phase of the operation on September 15, 3028." and in the novel a pleased and optimistic Prince Hanse talks about the next phase on September 25. However transit times and interstellar communication help smoothing those small date issues.

ColBosch

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Re: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole
« Reply #4 on: 23 August 2015, 05:43:56 »
No, no, no. Enough of the "FASA Two-Step" that tried to explain every continuity error away. Just accept that one of the sources is wrong and use whichever date you feel is best.
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Bernd

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Re: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole
« Reply #5 on: 23 August 2015, 08:11:50 »
That's exactly what I did in the end. ;)

skiltao

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Re: Question of detail regarding "Riposte" by Michael A. Stackpole
« Reply #6 on: 23 August 2015, 11:34:07 »
No, no, no. Enough of the "FASA Two-Step" that tried to explain every continuity error away. Just accept that one of the sources is wrong and use whichever date you feel is best.

??? I'm not saying there isn't an error, I'm speculating as to the source of the error, and looking at contextual information that will be important no matter which date you choose to go with.
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