Zakharra wrote: I still think it's in the plan to take generations. Even when the Truth is exposed, most people aren't going to believe it. That their entire religion is a lie is NOT going to go over well even in Charis. Most will flat out refuse to believe that. You think things are chaotic now? Try revealing that everything an entire world believes in is a lie made by megalomaniacs and you won't believe the sheer destruction that erupts. Most if not all of the people currently alive and being born in the next 10 years, are likely going to have to be dead and buried before Safehold's society will have changed enough to accept said Truth and be able to understand the science behind the Federation level of technology. That's why I think IC engines will not be skipped over. That's a massive infrastructure that can and will benefit hundreds of millions in ways they can understand. Otherwise you're literally trying to yank an entire world from a pre-steam technological level (which pretty much all of Safehold is at, even in Charis) into Federation level technology in 20-30 years? Not possible without -massive- societal and cultural upheaval that makes everything written about to date seem like a sandbox scuffle.
Merlin wants, he NEEDS the planet to be able to adapt and innovate on its own. He cannot just hand them the technology and expect everything to do swimmingly. In order for the majority of the planet to understand it, they HAVE to take the intervening steps. It's not like there is a rush. Merlin has the time to do it, so why is everyone trying to rush it so fast?
Well, we clearly have a fundamental difference of opinion.
I believe that life-extension technology will be introduced soon enough that some of the people alive on Safehold at this time will still be alive when the Safehold fleet gets ready to face the Gbaba again.
We'll just have to see in a few books.