Third SMAC novel is out

michael_ely · January 29, 2002, 23:46

Just in case there are SMAC fans who haven't checked those forums for a while, I thought I would post this here as well:

Hey everyone

Just wanted to let you know that Twilight of the Mind is out, the final installment in the Alpha Centauri trilogy of novels. It's available at good old www.amazon.com and should also be available at your local bookseller (though it can be tough to find...some bookstores put it in the regular sci-fi section, and some mix it in with the Star Trek books and other game books).

The blurb from the back reads:

"A century after the events of Dragon Sun, civilization is braced for a final reckoning. Science and faith collide as the fanatical Believers of Sister Miriam vie with the technological might of Prokhor Zakharov in a merciless war of destruction.

"Five beseiged factions join the battle against Miriam's zealots while Zakharov and Miriam spar in the virtual labyrinth of a sprawling technological network. As the planet Chiron prepares itself for a new era, humanity's struggle hurtles toward a shocking conclusion..."

Hmmm, "fanatical believers" versus "technolgical might?" It may sound familiar, but the manuscript for this book was actually written before the events of Sept 11th. Lal, Morgan and the Human Hive also play a role in this book. There is a summary note in the beginning of the book for those who haven't read the others in the series.

Hope you enjoy...

michael ely

Dis · January 30, 2002, 00:40

now when is the civ3 novel coming out?

I'd like to see a writer justify in words how a spearman wipes out a division of tanks. Should be some interesting reading

yin26 · January 30, 2002, 01:02

"It was a dark and stormy night. The President looked at his cities in riot, wondering why in the face of a profitable and victorious campaign against its enemy -- an enemy that launched an unprovoked war, killing tens of thousands before the tide was turned -- why they now ruined themselves in anger. To call off the war now before the job was finished would be to invite further and perhaps stronger attacks next time. To continue the war would leave city after city in chaos ... or worse: Forced luxury, like so many pigs begging to be slaughtered in the sauces of their own bloody anti-war sentiments.

Then, too, was the corruption. The President had developed an inside joke among his closest Cabinet members: "If the city is far enough away to warrant an new zip code, it's far enough away to burn it to Hell." So exasperated was The President at his own people's greed.

The science reports fared no better. Double, triple, quadruple our science spending! The President had pounded into the heads of those who control the budget. For surely, The President reasoned, 4 times the spending should yield at least twice the technological edge over other nations. But as if the hand of God himself defied the Laws of Nature, progress came in a slow and measured pace no matter the piles of money set to change all that.

"Report from the front, Mr. President."

"Go ahead."

"2 Tank divisions on the Eastern Front were annihilated today."

"By God! What have they got left to fight us with?! Were they holding back some secret deadly weapon?"

"No, sir. Three high school kids picked up some pointed sticks. It was touch and go for a while, but they annihilated our tanks."

"Well what of our 20 unit garrison just West of there?"

"You mean in Osaka? Oh, that city flipped sir. We lost everything?"

"Flipped!? What the hell do you mean flipped?"

"Mr. President, the people there were impressed with the ruins of their imminent defeat and simply took our 20 units hostage. We think they sold them to buy more pointy sticks."

"Oh, God..."

"Yes, Mr. President. More pointy sticks could mean big trouble for our planned bombing runs."

And so it went. And just as it seemed nothing could possibly get any worse than this, another knock at the door:

"Mr. President: You need to sign these Pollution Orders. Toxic waste is running rampant and even threatens the capital. Here they are, Sir. All 150 of them."

"150? You mean I need to sign the same order 150 times!?"

"Well, I'm sure there will be more soon to follow."

"Christ! Why can't I just issue the order once and be done with it. How do you expect a man to survive the tedium of doing something so mindless 150 times?"

"Good question, Sir. Shall I order the workers shot?"

"No, they probably have pointy sticks just waiting for us ..."

Tune in for next week's installment: "My Domestic Advisor Recommends a Hearty Breakfast."

Dis · January 30, 2002, 01:11

I knew someone would come up with something.

I'm not a good enough writer to write all of that.

Ralfi · January 30, 2002, 08:33

Great Yin!

You should post it into the stories section.

Kassiopeia · January 30, 2002, 11:42

Mister Ely, Sir, are there any plans to combine the three books to a one big version? Haven't read any of them, and could use the possibility to reduce postage costs...?

Yin, your little story was so... Yinish. Really.

yin26 · January 30, 2002, 11:55

Ralfi: Well, if you insist!

kassiopeia: Ummm, thanks? LOL!

Kassiopeia · January 30, 2002, 12:05

Quote:

Originally posted by yin26
kassiopeia: Ummm, thanks? LOL!

Well, I think a writer is at his best when writing something that is "like" him. This time the writing was sarcastic and full of dislike towards a certain game (or at least some of it's characteristics, or bugs, or whatever you want to call them). And that is how I conceive Yin26 to be.

Getting a bit philosophical here, I am afraid.

Zoid · January 30, 2002, 14:42

Quote:

Originally posted by michael_ely
Just in case there are SMAC fans who haven't checked those forums for a while, I thought I would post this here as well:

Hey everyone

Just wanted to let you know that Twilight of the Mind is out, the final installment in the Alpha Centauri trilogy of novels. It's available at good old www.amazon.com and should also be available at your local bookseller (though it can be tough to find...some bookstores put it in the regular sci-fi section, and some mix it in with the Star Trek books and other game books).

Great, keep up the good work, Michael

I loved the other books

Zoid · January 30, 2002, 14:46

Quote:

Originally posted by yin26
"It was a dark and stormy night. etc...

You´re the man, Yin!

Who needs Dilbert, when you´ve got Yin and Lib.

hexagonian · January 30, 2002, 15:30

It wouldn't be funny if it weren't so darn true...

DarkCloud · January 30, 2002, 23:19

... Ming looked for his "moving the post to the appropriate section rod"- MASS rod. Instead he found his banning rod and acidentally banned Michael Ely

Michael- did any of our suggestions make it into the book? Just wondering

Civ III tale:
... and the cheats tablet was disabled.
And the president wept.
All was not good.
The babylonian civilZATION sat right next to his onlly citadel, the city of Athens, population 1 in the year 3000 BCE.... And he couldn't edit the change.
He hit the RESTART button...

Cesa · January 31, 2002, 09:59

Quote:

Originally posted by yin26 "It was a dark and stormy night. etc.

michael_ely · February 3, 2002, 17:05

DarkCloud:

Several suggestions made it into the book, most dealing with the 'genetics of the future.' Genetically tweaked superhumans play a pretty big role in the book. Check it out!

thanks,
michael