I express preference for a chronological sequence of events which precludes a violence.

Why not? If enough people believe, you can be god of anything.

What can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the Reaper Man?

What is magic? There is the wizard's explanation... wizards talk about candles, circles, planets, stars, bananas, chants, runes and the importance of having at least four good meals every day.

A European says: I can't understand this, what's wrong with me? An American says: I can't understand this, what's wrong with him? I make no suggestion that one side or other is right, but observation over many years leads me to believe it is true.

Progress just means bad things happen faster.

[Science fiction is] out in the mainstream now. You can tell by the way mainstream literary authors pillage SF while denying they're writing it!