There are many hidden mysteries and dilemmas in the book, some obvious, many not obvious. Here’s a list to get you thinking. You need to read the entire book to solve most of them. E-mail me with your discoveries: brian@briantissot.com
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Geology of Thalassa
The geology of Thalassa was created based on real-world examples of planetary dynamics on Earth and other planets, especially Mars. Here I present the research concepts I used to create the geology, geography, and oceanography of the planet. To begin, let’s travel back in time about 100 million years ago to the planet Thalassa… AtContinue reading “Geology of Thalassa”
Maps of Thalassa
Included below are more detailed maps of Thalassa indicating major locations in the book. Spoiler Alert: the names of some locations may provide unwanted information about the plot and are best viewed after the book is completed.
Sage: Heroine’s Journey
Sage’s story, like many in modern fiction, was modeled after Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey but adapted for a woman to the Heroine’s journey. To develop her story I used several books to guide me as well as feedback from female reviewers. These include Campbell’s book (1949), The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness byContinue reading “Sage: Heroine’s Journey”
Music of Thalassa
Earth is teeming with life, all literally bursting with sound. On land we hear these sounds every day and most people are familiar with the noises of the forest: the hooting, chirping, moaning, howling, tweeting, clucking, whistling, squawking and hooting that creates a complex sonic melody. The sound of nature is everywhere but we don’tContinue reading “Music of Thalassa”
Mythology & Beliefs
A large part of SOT involves Sage’s cultural upbringing and her embracing of Hawaiian culture, and eventually a new worldview. Here I explore aspects of Hawaiian mythology and culture including in the book in more detail. I also explore the concept of Pantheism. “Hanau ka poThe night gave birth Hanau Kumulipo i ka po, heContinue reading “Mythology & Beliefs”
The Fermi Paradox
The Fermi Paradox is a great way to think about the possibility of life, in this case technologically advanced civilizations in the universe. Below is the text from an early draft of SOT that was deleted from the book. This is a conversation the crew had in space on the way to Thalassa and isContinue reading “The Fermi Paradox”
Procyon: A System in Chaos
While Thalassa is a fictional planet, the science of the Procyon system in SOT is based on real research and our current understanding of stellar evolution and binary star systems. Procyon: A Binary Star System Procyon is the 8th brightest star in the night sky and thus a highly visible star. Together with Sirius (theContinue reading “Procyon: A System in Chaos”
Procyon In Hawaiian Voyaging Traditions
While Thalassa is a fictional planet, the science of the Procyon system and its role in mythology and Polynesian navigation is based on factual research. “O na hoku no na kiu o ka lani. ‘The stars are the eyes of heaven.’ “ – Hawaiian Sailing Proverb (Pukui, 1983) Procyon is a close stellar neighbor andContinue reading “Procyon In Hawaiian Voyaging Traditions”
The Birth of the Procyon System
While Thalassa is fictional, the science of the Procyon system in SOT is based on real research and our current understanding of stellar evolution and binary star systems. Gas & Dust The planet began two billion years ago as frozen clouds of dust and molecules dispersed across vast areas of space. Somewhere in the galaxy,Continue reading “The Birth of the Procyon System”