Skip to main content

novel - Story (series) identification: Mind controlling satellite, a return to Earth, and two warring alien species


I'm trying to find a series of stories (a trilogy, I think) with a slew of distinctive features. I can't remember when the books were written (I read them about a year and a half ago), but I can remember several points about the story:


1: It begins in a peaceful city controlled by a matriarchy.



2: Young men and women are tutored in the ways of the world by 'Aunts' and 'Uncles' (who have no actual familial connection).


3: The whole world is actually a colony whose inhabitants are being prevented from developing scientifically by a highly complex mind controlling satellite.


4: The satellite starts to break down, allowing some (including one particularly successful warlord) to fight it's control and develop destructive technologies.


5: The satellite loads itself up with some people (the protagonists) and heads back to Earth for repair.


6: Earth has changed and is now home to two sentient species, one avian ('angels', I seem to recall) and the other subterranean (and fond of sculpture).


7: These two species are in conflict, but are also intricately linked with each other's breeding behaviour.


8: The humans, returned from the colony by the mind controlling satellite, create peace between the two civilisations.


There are so many disparate elements here that I'm beginning to wonder if I just made the whole thing up in a fever dream. Anybody got any ideas?



Answer



That sounds like the Homecoming Saga (A trilogy) by Orson Scott Card. It starts out in a very ancient city (40 million years) on a world where the people are kept from developing along certain warlike technological lines by a mind control satellite, whose breakdown forms a major plot point. For instance, magnetic levitation is an available technology, but plain wheeled wagons are not because they can be used to haul soldiers. Young men are tutored in sex by their Aunties, although I don't remember anything about Uncles. IIRC, it was scifi retelling of the book of Mormon. I don't recall any aliens, but I only read the first book.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Do the Kwikspell courses work?

In Harry Potter we are introduced to Kwikspell course in The Chamber of Secrets (and never hear about it again). We see Filch taking courses, presumably by mail. The descriptions of Kwikspell make me think it is for people who are weak in magic (kind of like how Neville was supposed to be when he was younger), but had magic in them nonetheless. However, Ron's comments later in the chapter make it sound like it is mainly for Squibs to learn magic. However, it is strongly implied through out all the books that Squibs are essentially Muggles, and will never be able to do magic. How then is a Kwikspell course supposed to work? Do we have any information to know if it works at all? Is it a scam? An answer from any level of canon is welcome. Answer Kwikspell courses are (probably) useful to some wizards, but not to squibs. The Kwikspell course literature comes with two testimonials. Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes: ‘I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke...
Post a Comment
Read more

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.
Post a Comment
Read more

game of thrones - Is Syrio Forel dead?

In the episode 'The Pointy End' (Season 1 Episode 8) when Arya runs from the Lannister guards you hear the sound of a sword being dropped (around 4:56): [embedded content] After that neither Syrio or Ser Meryn Trant is never mentioned or seen in the show again, except when Arya mentions to the Hound that Ser Meryn Trant killed Syrio. Is there any mention in the books that Syrio actually dies?
Post a Comment
Read more

tolkiens legendarium - Difference between elves and dwarves blacksmithing in the Lord of the Rings

Both the elves and the dwarves were famous for their metal work in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but what is the difference between what they made, and which one had the better skill of making amours and swords? Answer James Christopher's answer sums up the second part of your question well, but as to the difference in what they made, a little more detail is needed. Once the Elves learned to forge with steel, the shape of the sword changed, now being able to take on the form of a great broadsword or a light and agile curved sword. Additionally, they took great pride in decorating their swords. As we see in the Lord of the Rings , some swords like Sting had magical properties such as glowing blue when orcs are near. As far as the use of Mithril, lotr.wikia has two contradictory passages: Thus, Elven blades became renowned as great weapons, capable of performing deeds beyond the skill of their handlers and were even more glorious when the use of Mithril was allowed to the Elves. ...
Post a Comment
Read more