Star Trails Tetralogy Box Set

Star Trails Tetralogy Box Set

by Marcha Fox
Star Trails Tetralogy Box Set

Star Trails Tetralogy Box Set

by Marcha Fox

eBook

$6.99 

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Overview

This Box Set includes all four volumes of the Star Trails Tetralogy as well as the Star Trails Compendium which includes a glossary of terms and definitions, and detailed information about the Cyrarian planetary system, its weather, political structure and indigenous people. As a bonus, it also includes a section with discussion ideas and lesson plan suggestions specifically for educators who may want to use this hard science fiction series to stimulate interest in physics and engineering.
Beyond the Hidden Sky (Volume I)
Laren Brightstar knew refusing to work for Augustus Troy would make him a target. Being reassigned to the chief terralogist position for Cyraria, a planet on the other side of the galaxy, seemed the perfect solution. Getting there, however, isn’t. Not with a teenage daughter like Creena.
She’s intelligent.
She’s a rebel.
And now she’s missing.
In deep space.
Was it an accident? Or abduction?
Either way, he has to find her. Before Troy does. And somehow he knows life will never be simple again as increasingly suspicious circumstances scatter his family across the galaxy, each wondering if they'll survive long enough to be reunited ever again.

A Dark of Endless Days (Volume II)
Cyraria's lethal weather extremes challenge Laren's engineering skills to the max, but his family will perish unless he can build a heat exchanger (air conditioner) to keep their meager ballome at livable temperatures during Opposition. Before its completion, however, old debts come due, leaving his son, Dirck, to complete the task. But how can he possibly do so with no money and limited engineering know-how?
Meanwhile, Creena's situation isn't much better. Her attempt to return to Mira III for help as directed by her father is foiled when the planet on which they expect to find starship passage not only can't help but confiscates their ship. Will she remain trapped forever on a backward and alien world called Earth where she's being pursued by mysterious and hostile forces?

A Psilent Place Below (Volume III)
Taking refuge in Cyraria's network of caverns to survive Opposition, Dirck and his mother share a cryptic dream that promises death or worse for his imprisoned father unless immediate action is taken. Will the daring and potentially lethal rescue Dirck and his friend, Win, fabricate succeed or will Laren be lost forever?
The planet's political turmoil increases as the Integrator pursues planetary domination through devious and aggressive means. The formation of an opposition group to fight these hostile actions delivers heavy consequences while additional threats to the Brightstar family at a more personal level arise in the form of cultural clashes between Mira III and Esheron. Creena's return partially reunites the family at last, but ongoing disagreements with her brother distract them from issues that have even more dire consequences.

Refractions of Frozen Time (Volume IV)
Creena and her little brother, Deven, believe the cavern's crystals can reunite their family at last, including bringing back their father who's on a prison ship heading for permanent exile. Before she can unlock their secrets, however, Integrator forces find their underground hideout, forcing a harrowing escape loaded with unexpected consequences. The lonely days that follow change Dirck forever while also revealing what drives the crystals' ability to manipulate time.
Meanwhile, Laren has discovered the ship's dirty little secret which he hopes to exploit while back on Cyraria, his long-time nemesis, Augustus Troy, not only gains more power than ever before but acquires a weapon capable of wiping out anyone opposed to his despotic goals.
Do the Brightstars have what it takes to survive their final confrontation with the Integrator and his evil proponents? Or will the family’s longed-for reunion take place in another dimension of time and space? Find out in this suspense-laden conclusion to the Star Trails Tetralogy.


Product Details

BN ID: 2940151974134
Publisher: Marcha Fox
Publication date: 07/03/2015
Series: Star Trails Tetralogy
Sold by: Smashwords
Format: eBook
File size: 3 MB

About the Author

Marcha Fox has loved science fiction since she was a child with the stars always holding a strong sense of mystery and fascination. Her love of astronomy resulted in a bachelor of science degree in physics from Utah State University followed by a 21 year career at NASA where she held a variety of positions including technical writer, engineer and eventually manager. Her NASA experience was primarily at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas but included trips to Cape Canaveral in Florida, visiting other Centers in Mississippi, Alabama and Maryland as well as visits to the European Space Agency in The Netherlands. Her most memorable experience, however, was the sad task of helping to recover space shuttle debris in East Texas following the tragic Columbia accident in 2003. "NASA was a great career experience, but writing is what I've always wanted to do. To me there is nothing more exhilarating than bringing a character to life."

She has made it a point to "do the math" regarding various elements in her books to assure accuracy and hoping to instill an interest in science and engineering to her readers in an enjoyable and entertaining way. She admits that Cyraria's figure-8 orbit around a binary star system is a bit of a stretch but maintains it is mathematically feasible even though it would be unstable with life on such a planet beyond challenging with its seasonal extremes. "But that's what makes it a good setting for the story," she adds.

Born in Peekskill, New York she has lived in California, Utah and Texas in the course of raising her family and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country. Whether “Refractions of Frozen Time,” the fourth and final volume of the Star Trails Tetralogy series will be the last she states, "These characters have a life of their own and may move on to other adventures."

Before publishing "The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon" Marcha wanted to confirm her portrayal of Native American culture and the story's protagonist, Charlie Littlewolf, was accurate as well as not offensive in any manner. She was fortunate enough to find Pete Risingsun, an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, who did the honors. Pete offered insights and changes, but best of all, was so taken with the story he ultimately became its co-author.

Marcha's experience as a retired NASA engineer and seasoned author of the science fiction series, "The Star Trails Tetralogy," combined perfectly with Pete's knowledge of his tribe's history and ceremonies. The pair, who has never met face to face, collaborated via phone call and text messages between her home in the Texas Hill Country and his on the reservation in Montana. Thus far they have produced two multi-award winning thrillers in the "Dead Horse Canyon Saga."
The collaboration has been comfortably divided with Pete taking the lead on Charlie's role while Marcha develops the other characters and over-all plot, then tying them together in a manner that has earned several awards and dedicated fans anxiously awaiting the third and final volume of the trilogy.

In preparation for writing the saga's explosive conclusion, Marcha and Pete have conducted extensive research. In doing so, they have uncovered fascinating details of Northern Cheyenne history and ceremonies that dove-tail perfectly with the complex tale and tie multiple plot threads together that reach back to the 19th Century. (Forthcoming Spring/Summer 2023)

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