More fun than writing technical concept articles
Many years ago, a friend advised me to not bother with trying to convince the well established aerospace business field to drop rocket technology in favor of space access structure R&D, and instead, write science fiction. I resisted, saying that there was too little time remaining to get the space access structures built in time to "save the planet" and no time to waste; besides, the hecklers liked to intimate that my concepts were mere sci fi.
Well, eventually I took my friend's advise, after enduring writing and formally presenting eight concept technical papers, seven of which were published yet ignored; there being little else that circumstances then allowed me to do. And, I found that writing sci fi can be fun. It enabled me to live out my visions of the various space technology concepts being built and used, also putting my frustrations with the real politico-corporate inertia world into action while actually enabling my cherished space concepts get built and used, sometimes despite of, and sometimes being ramroded by, the politico-corporate system.
The four novels that eventually formed the high tech saga were not written in time sequence, and little effort has been made to adjust them to fit neatly together. Perhaps if somebody wanted to make them into movies, I would do that. Meanwhile, here they are, in saga sequence. I hope you enjoy them too.
- Building Up - Building the first Space Elevator, then building the classicical wheel space station via wet-launch, then building first KESTS.
- The Ark of 1984's Future - Struggles of a two-class system to get a KESTS to GEO built in time.
- Its Down to Earth - The technological struggles to get back down to their Earth surface homes after the KESTS was destroyed; and then reviving the ecosystem.
- Torus City Ice Shields Returning Home - Beginning to dismantle the ring of ice-shielded cities in GEO, conflict involving relics of old space elevators on the Moon, and dealing with remnants of the old arrogant rulers who had brought on all the struggles of humanity.
Some other science fiction by Jim Cline
- Masters of the Trading Game - An ambassador sent to evaluate options for trading with a newly discovered world, discovers danger where there ought not to be danger.
- Bouncing High Above the World - an old experimental rocket propelled aircraft is discovered buried near a small desert town's airport - (based on a real-world advanced project design of WWII Germany.)
- Going Past the Town Prison - A retired worker living on a desolate planet owned by the paranoid corporation that had employed him, creates a new living ecosystem at a small distant lake; but then discovers the planet-owning corporation robs him and also considers him a danger.
- Three Species on a Lava World - Sequel to "Going Past the Town Prison", three very different alien species on the same desolate planet discovering each other - (still being finished up, first draft.)
Jim Cline 20101209 Ephrata, WA - minor revisions 20110505