Thanks to everyone who wrote back about _Uplift Storm_.
I think that the books note that Earth had been in a fallow section of the
galaxy during the period of time that humanity rose to sentience; and I
believe pretty firmly that humanity did it on their own, without Patrons. ;-)
As for Creideiki... He may have simply had a hunch about investigating the
Shallow Cluster, but I do think that there is a possibility that there
might have been a bit more to it than that... given the draw that older
races felt towards the "Embrace of Tides" and the dislike that most older
races had for flat space.
And I really like the time travel hypothesis... that humanity, at some
point in the very far future, manages to invent time travel and become the
Progenitors themselves. Although, in a way, this would seem to run counter
to one of the pervading themes of the Uplift universe, which cautions
against a race's tendency towards solipsism and self-centeredness. If it
turns out to be true, though, then the irony would be wonderful.
Can more books be written in the Uplift universe? I suppose they could. I
thought _Uplift Storm_ was immensely satisfying, in spite of the loose
ends, and I don't see a particular need for anymore stories in that
universe. I think some good stories could be written, but I still think
they'd be anti-climactic. :-D
Sliante,
Richard S. Crawford
http://www.mossroot.com
AIM: Buffalo2K ICQ: 11646404 Y!: rscrawford
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"It is only with the heart that we see rightly; what is essential is
invisible to the eye." --Antoine de Saint Exup�ry
"Push the button, Max!"
