Now releasing The Arwen, Season 7: Battlesphere by Timothy P. Callahan
Today Tim is starting the release of the 7th book in his “Arwen” series. If you’re a follower of the series, enjoy The Arwen, Season 7: Battlesphere.
During a raid of the Ulliam system the Handler’s manage to drop off a message to Captain Cook and the United Corps Planets in the form a 16 year old clone of Captain Cook. The clone, who names herself Ann, has one simple message: Some of Handler’s want peace.
While on her way to deliver the message the Arwen, as well as the other Corps sentient computers, start acting strangely as a virus turns them against their crew.
Meanwhile, Professor Ricter works on way to manipulate wormholes. His ultimate goal is to fling a small start at one of the Handler’s Dyson Sphere’s.
The Arwen Season 7- Battlesphere brings an end to Handler’s saga. The final chapter of a quest that started on The Water Planet, then continued with Dyson Sphere and The Final Days of Peace.
June 26th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Great series, very sorry to see it end. Your books would make a really cool animation.
July 12th, 2011 at 2:11 am
Like Mike, I was impressed by how deft you are in conveying dramatic visuals. What’s more important is that your characters are living and breathing persons, not just cookie-cutter (or throw-of-dice) props. You show compassion and interest in even many of the side characters. In some well-known modern space epics the deaths of thousands of personnel don’t register at all; in Arwen saga, the space battles are not just fireworks, they contain horror and heroism and the demise of individual persons.
This contrasts strangely with prof Ricter’s science team, which you say is of trusted, capable individuals that Ricter can soften for a little. The sicence team feels definitely cardboardish, they don’t have any life outside the scene where they obidiently nod to the professor. This is one jarring discontinuity in your otherwise pretty good handling of personalities and characters.
I was left wondering about a “pacifist” as a commissioned officer in the armed forces of the United Corps. Apparently you use the word in a different way than I do. In my opinion war is one of the most horrible things that humanity can pull on itself, but at the same time I feel strongly enough about my country that I had only a little to search in my conscience to take my commission and serve in the armed forces. To have a commanding officer that thinks of themself as “pacifist” and never thought of firing a gun in battle, while at the same time commanding a truly powerful fighting ship feels highly odd.
***SPOILER*** However, the wholesale destruction of hostile societies is no big deal. We can only live in peace when everyone has been rendered very very much weaker than the human consortium. The epilogue displays some sadness over this result, but when it happened, it didn’t seem to be too horrible for your characters. ***SPOILER END***
The way you handle science and technology appeals to me. You don’t overexplain everything; the envisioned technology is just as much a part of the everyday environment of your characters as our cell phones and internet is for us. I could have a million more questions and niggling criticisms of what appear to be inconsistencies or illogicalities in the science and technology, but I won’t bother much.
In general, when people speak about stories in the “same universe” they really mean “with these same characters who show no learning and no building of personality over their decades-long publishing arc”. Your characters grow and learn, and I do wish your societies will as well.
The Arwen sagas have been good listening for me. Thank you!
//P
July 12th, 2011 at 5:17 am
Thanks Pirvonen for all your comments, you make some excellent points and if I ever get back to writing the Arwen those are some of the subjects I would like to deal with.
I did miss an opportunity with the Professors team, I wrote a few scenes with them without the Professor but cut them as they were pretty much “boy, Professor Ricter is hard on us.” “I know, but that’s just his way.” which didn’t really add anything to the plot and really, if you don’t understand the Professor by this point then you never really will.
The Pacifist comment is interesting. It was inspired by something I saw on the History Channel where one of the Civil War Generals considered himself a Pacifist, wish I could remember who. Seems an odd contrast and one I’d likely explore more in future stories.
July 13th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
the last book ! i am gutted all 7 books have had me truely rivetted Fantastic, i do hope its not to long for arwen 8 / 9 ect
from cold sort english winter days to long summer(rain)days,driving around my little town delivering meds for a pharmacy.with my ears pluged into my ipod and taken on a ride around the universe,,,great books well done from the uk
February 14th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Tim, I loved the series. I went through the whole series in about a week. I would have gone through it quicker if it wasn’t for the pesky things called work and sleep getting in the way. Your books sure made me glad I was suffering from insomnia and the few nights I was actually able to go to sleep I couldn’t cause I wanted to find out what was going to happen next.
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You left me wondering what strong message did Capt. Cook told Prof. Ritcer in the note that it almost made him appear like a warm gentle soul. What did the corp decided to do with the kabal aliens after the discovery of the treachery and manipulation attempts. Did the handlers accept Capt Cook quickly or did her arrival speed the potential civil war that was probable to occur. What was the total price on the Handlers courtesy of Prof. Ritcer’s accident. The list goes on and on.
******** SPOILER ALERT **********
Once again, thanks for sharing your stories with us and hopefully you decided to write the next installment in the Arwen series in the near future.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Hey El, thanks for the kind words and sorry about the insomnia, if it helps most of the Arwen was written in my head while trying to fall asleep so I guess I was just returning the favor!