Difference between revisions of "The Chara Talisman"

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=== Plot ===
 
=== Plot ===
The novel builds on the short story "Stone Age" which first appeared in the June, 2011 issue of ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' magazine, his third appearance in that magazine (although first non-flash piece).  Archeologist Hannibal Carson finds, on an alien planet ([[Verdigris]]) what appears to be a primitive artifact, but later turns out to have high-tech origins some 15,000 years earlier.  The book further explores the significance of the find, which appears to be some kind of key to a store of alien technology hidden on yet another planet.   
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==== Elevator Pitch ====
 +
The original "elevator pitch" for the book was "Indiana Jones meets Han Solo", set in the same T-Space universe (but later in time) as the Jason Curtis story "Into the Fire".
 +
==== Brief Synopsis====
 +
The novel builds on the short story "[[Stone Age]]" which first appeared in the June, 2011 issue of ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' magazine, his third appearance in that magazine (although first non-flash piece).  Archeologist Hannibal Carson finds, on an alien planet ([[Verdigris]]) what appears to be a primitive artifact, but later turns out to have high-tech origins some 15,000 years earlier.  The book further explores the significance of the find, which appears to be some kind of key to a store of alien technology hidden on yet another planet.   
  
 
Star pilot Jaqueline "Jackie" Roberts, who had a romantic relationship with Carson some years earlier, crosses paths with him again as she's hired (by a mysterious organization) to be his charter pilot to track this alien storehouse down.  Along the way they pick up Marten, a [[timoan]] archeologist colleague of Carson's.
 
Star pilot Jaqueline "Jackie" Roberts, who had a romantic relationship with Carson some years earlier, crosses paths with him again as she's hired (by a mysterious organization) to be his charter pilot to track this alien storehouse down.  Along the way they pick up Marten, a [[timoan]] archeologist colleague of Carson's.
  
 
Meanwhile, a group of bad guys with some connection to the raiders who originally jumped Carson back on Verdigris are also looking for that same alien storehouse.  They think it might be an arsenal.
 
Meanwhile, a group of bad guys with some connection to the raiders who originally jumped Carson back on Verdigris are also looking for that same alien storehouse.  They think it might be an arsenal.
==== Elevator Pitch ====
+
 
The original "elevator pitch" for the book was "Indiana Jones meets Han Solo", set in the same T-Space universe (but later in time) as the Jason Curtis story "Into the Fire".
+
Roberts manages to decipher the astronomical clues on a talisman that Marten has, and they set out to investigate.  Unknown to them, the bad guys are following them.  Carson, Roberts and Marten make a surprising discovery, just as the bad guys catch up with them.  Shenanigans (complete with exploding spaceships) ensue.
  
 
=== Locations ===
 
=== Locations ===
[[File:chara-chart.png|left]]
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[[File:chara-chart.png|left|400px]]
 
* [[Verdigris]] - Delta Pavonis III
 
* [[Verdigris]] - Delta Pavonis III
 
* [[Epsilon Eridani]] II (deep space and Spitzer Spaceport)
 
* [[Epsilon Eridani]] II (deep space and Spitzer Spaceport)
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* [[Chara]] III - aka Beta Canorum Venaticum III
 
* [[Chara]] III - aka Beta Canorum Venaticum III
 
* [[Lalande 21185]] (a red dwarf)
 
* [[Lalande 21185]] (a red dwarf)
 +
 +
=== Errata ===
 +
This section is for corrections of typos, etc. that snuck their way into print (or e-book).
 +
Each should be preceded by its printing/edition.
 +
==== First Printing ====
 +
 +
==== Second Printing ====

Latest revision as of 20:50, 9 July 2017

Chara-cover.jpg

The Chara Talisman

The Chara Talisman is Alastair Mayer's first full-length novel. (Although short by modern door-stop standards, at some 75,000 words it handily exceeds the SFWA and Hugo definitions for novel length.) It is thus, then, the first-written T-Space novel, although the events take place some fifty years after the first Alpha Centauri expeditions.

Plot

Elevator Pitch

The original "elevator pitch" for the book was "Indiana Jones meets Han Solo", set in the same T-Space universe (but later in time) as the Jason Curtis story "Into the Fire".

Brief Synopsis

The novel builds on the short story "Stone Age" which first appeared in the June, 2011 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine, his third appearance in that magazine (although first non-flash piece). Archeologist Hannibal Carson finds, on an alien planet (Verdigris) what appears to be a primitive artifact, but later turns out to have high-tech origins some 15,000 years earlier. The book further explores the significance of the find, which appears to be some kind of key to a store of alien technology hidden on yet another planet.

Star pilot Jaqueline "Jackie" Roberts, who had a romantic relationship with Carson some years earlier, crosses paths with him again as she's hired (by a mysterious organization) to be his charter pilot to track this alien storehouse down. Along the way they pick up Marten, a timoan archeologist colleague of Carson's.

Meanwhile, a group of bad guys with some connection to the raiders who originally jumped Carson back on Verdigris are also looking for that same alien storehouse. They think it might be an arsenal.

Roberts manages to decipher the astronomical clues on a talisman that Marten has, and they set out to investigate. Unknown to them, the bad guys are following them. Carson, Roberts and Marten make a surprising discovery, just as the bad guys catch up with them. Shenanigans (complete with exploding spaceships) ensue.

Locations

Chara-chart.png

Errata

This section is for corrections of typos, etc. that snuck their way into print (or e-book). Each should be preceded by its printing/edition.

First Printing

Second Printing