| The Chronicles Of The Starship Alexandria |
Article Index for The Chronicles |
Website Links For Chronicles |
Information AboutThe Chronicles Of The Starship Alexandria |
|
''The Chronicles of the Starship Alexandria'' is a series of four science-fiction novels written by Jon Bing , a Norwegian professor and Science Fiction enthusiast. It tells the story of the library-ship Alexandria, as it journeys across the vast reaches of space. OVERVIEW As mentioned the novels tells of the Starship Alexandria as it journeys between the colonized planets of the galaxy. In the novels the starship consists of large spherical pods, each measured to be about 20 to 100 meters in diameter, and is noted to resemble a gargantuan vine of red grapes. The ship is propelled by sails, powered by the solar winds and moves at a speed of a third of the Speed Of Light . The crew are called Librarians, because the ship is an interstellar library containing every fragment of human knowledge. They travel between the stars lying in suspended animation (commonly known as ''cold beds''), aiding the human colonies with their knowledge if it is needed. It originates from Earth, and has travelled continously for nearly one thousand years. But the focus of the novels is on the main characther Benji and his batcat Miromurr (a cat with bat-like wings instead of front legs), who joins the Librarians on their journeys in the first book. Three other main characthers introduced during the course of the series are Pinocchio (a young boy from the desert planet Zalt), Skare av Gnist (a secluded and partially handicapped girl from the mountain planet Mizt) and her smart-alecy robot Gorm, a box-robot with five short legs, six arms and three optical recievers on the top. Other characthers include several librarians, who are generally concidered secondary, but important characthers. The most important is Kayab and Mol, the two who have worked most with the three youngsters. THE BOOKS The Chronicles span four books and subsequently the visitation of four planets: Azur, Zalt, Mizt and Tanz. The books were published by N.W Damm & Sønn : Azur in 1975, Zalt in 1976, Mizt in 1982, and Tanz in 1985. Over the years they have been out of print, and can only be found in certain libraries. PLOT SUMMARY AZUR, PLANET OF THE CAPTAINS The first book - Azur, the planet of the Captains - mainly tells the story of Benji, a young boy native on the planet Azur. Azur orbits a star called Selket (named after the egyptian deity), located somewhere in the constellation of Scorpio and is not even visible from the sun. The planet is a tropical planet, with no large continents but rather thousands of islands scattered across the vast sea. Approximatly 90 % or more of the surface is covered with water. The names of islands and seas are largely taken from colours (the noted islands in the story include: Umbra, Almagra, Indigo, Peridot, Sepia, Arramentum, Amber, Madder, Giallolino, Colcothar, Blende, and Byfrost; and the seas are called Tourmalin, Ultramarin, Aquamarin, and Outremer). On his twelth birthday he recieves a disk from the head teacher of the boarding school he is attending. It is a disguised message from his father, who died several years ago in a hospital, and with it follows the silhuette profile of a poorly drawn human head and a short song: ''On the bluest island'' ''Under a rose of stone'' ''Awaits the greatest treasure'' ''- Wish you to see it, then go.'' As he reviews the message over and over he figures out that it is not a message, but a request. He figures out that ''the bluest island'' infact is an island called Indigo. After some planning he descides to run from the school and seek this ''greatest treasure'' that his father was talking about. Meanwhile the starship Alexandria enters orbit around Azur and attempts to make contact with the planet. However, the society on Azur is under tight control by the Captains, all dressed in white uniforms. Certain technology is highly forbidden, owning a book is considered a major crime, and all the accepted machines (computers, electrical cars, and suchlike) come from the capitol island Byfrost. This means that the Librarians cannot make contact by use of radio. One of the Librarians, Kayab, is chosen to made physical contact with the population. He is brought down to the island Almagra with a small spaceship. Unfamiliar with the planet's culture, he is captured by a local Captain named Manuel and accused of being in possession of books and illegal technology (in this case, a remote video camera). He is held captive by Manuel, until a Captain from Byfrost arrives on the island by airship. Kayab explains to the Captain Meriann concerning the Librarians' presence on the planet and their intentions, and Capitain Meriann explains why Azurian culture is how it is. Appearanlty, five hundred years ago, Azurian ecology was nigh destroyed by human use of oil and gasoline, and the Captains took hold of Azur and turned it into the planet it is today. After some discussion she decides that Kayab shall be brought to Byfrost, where his case will be tried before the Council of Captains. From the island where he went to school, Benji and his batcat Miromurr stowes away on the DiPilato, a cargo freighter bound for the island Umbra. The island Indigo is located east of the large island, and as the freighter draws near, Benji is discovered by the crew and is placed on a small islet not too far from Indigo. He swims the short distance and finds the house where he lived before his parents died. Not far from the house, he finds a stone formation in the shape of a rose and a passageway behind a slab door that leads to a hidden room. Inside he finds a shelf full of books! A few moments later he is surprised by Captain Meriann and Kayab, who came to the island enroute to Byfrost to see where the last Librarian of Azur lived. The Captain take Benji into custiody, and now he too is on his way to the Capitol. On the way, however, the airship is surprised by a storm, and suffers wreckage. Kayab contacts the Librarians and they are brought up to the Starship. There, they are treated of their injuries and the Librarians gain proper contact with Byfrost. Kayab asks Benji if he would concider joining them on their journey, and he accepts. ZALT, PLANET OF THE STEAMLORDS The events in this novel takes place about forty years after Azur. Alexandria has reached the star Pepe, a great white star about 6 lightyears from Selket, and wish to make contact with the desert planet Zalt. The planet is so named due to the high density of salt in the planet's ocean, and has only one large continent which is dominated by a sandy desert. Due to the planets low quantity of fresh water, the settlers needed to find other means of quenching their parched throats. Thus came the Steamtowers and subsequently the Steamlords, that brings the salty seawater into numerous sunwell-towers, boiling away the water and extracting fresh water from the steam. From the salt that remains they can extract numerous types of minerals, like copper and even gold. But what the librarians do not know is that the Steamlords do not give the fresh water away cheap, and the society on Zalt is therefore a fuedal society of sorts. Benji is now a fully trained Librarian and will assist the contact as best he can. Meanwhile on the arid planet, a young boy called Pinocchio (due to his skinny frame which resembles a puppet) is going to work for thirty days at the local Steamtower, Foxtrot 4 (most territories on Zalt are named after musical terms and dances: the Sea of Tango, bay of Can-Can, penninsula of Arpeggio, and so on). During this time the Librarians Kayab and Chen travels to Foxtrot 4 to visit Steamlord Freddo di Foxtrot. They are shown how the Steamtower operates and how it is distributed. But in the end of their meeting, Freddo di Foxtrot refuses to let them leave, as they are his "most distinguished guests". They are put in house arrest. During their imprisonment, Kayab make some slight contact with Pinocchio who brings food to the two Librarians. While this happens, Benji and Mol have made contact with a seperate society of people living in the only vegetated region on the planet, the penninsula of Capriccoso, where it actually rains. They are untouched by the oppression of the Steamlords, and live a free life. While there, the two recieve a message from Alexandria that Kayab and Chen are held captive, and they perform a swift rescue in the veil of night. TRIVIA
REFERENCES Norsk Barneboksinstitutt's listing of Azur, Kapteinenes Planet Norsk Barneboksinstitutt's listing of Zalt, Dampherrenes Planet Norsk Barneboksinstitutt's listing of Mizt, Gjenferdenes Planet Norsk Barneboksinstitutt's listing of Tanz, Gåtenes Planet |
|
|