Bright MessengersSet just before the time of Rama II, Bright Messengers begins with humanity in the midst of a massive economic depression called the Great Chaos. Yet even as civilization seems on the verge of collapse, a strange vision appears to two people of vastly different backgrounds, holding out the promise of hope - and the threat of danger. To Sister Beatrice, a priestess of the global Order of St. Michael, the cloud of tiny white particles is a message from God, the answer to the prayers of a suffering world. To Johann Eberhardt, a German systems engineer, it is an anomaly of physics, a puzzle just beyond the reach of his rational mind. But to the Rama Society, a group committed to the study of unexplained phenomena, it may be proof of the nonhuman intelligence they've been seeking ever since the brief and enigmatic appearance of a cylindrical spaceship of unknown origin ten years earlier. On Mars, these two will meet: the priestess called by faith and devotion, the engineer drawn by the scientific challenge of terraforming the red planet. What brings them together is the apparent disappearance of an Inter-Asian polar expedition leaving behind nothing but a fabulous account of a vast city beneath the Martian landscape. Soon Beatrice and Johann - mystic and skeptic, woman of spirit and man of science - will embark on a courageous journey into the heart of the unknown. Are the particles angels, as Sister Beatrice believes? Some rational - if unprecedented - natural phenomenon, as Johann argues? Or the harbingers of extraterrestrial life, as the Rama Society contends? Joined by nine Martian colonists, Beatrice and Johann will be chosen to board a strange craft that will hurtle them toward astartling revelation of humanity's ultimate place among the stars. |
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Page 157
... hole below us , but nothing that we could identify . Ismail suggested that we drop one of our emergency flares into the hole and take photographs of what was illuminated . It was an excellent suggestion . The still pictures and videos ...
... hole below us , but nothing that we could identify . Ismail suggested that we drop one of our emergency flares into the hole and take photographs of what was illuminated . It was an excellent suggestion . The still pictures and videos ...
Page 159
... hole . Throughout the morning I made intermittent attempts to con- tact my colleagues . I also examined thoroughly the entire surface region around the hole . I was convinced that nothing had been touched since my departure the previous ...
... hole . Throughout the morning I made intermittent attempts to con- tact my colleagues . I also examined thoroughly the entire surface region around the hole . I was convinced that nothing had been touched since my departure the previous ...
Page 169
... hole , was a large white thing , resembling a giant snowman riding on a skateboard . It was made of two huge snowballs , the larger one on the bottom resting on a flat white plate with six red wheels . This snowman had no eyes , no ears ...
... hole , was a large white thing , resembling a giant snowman riding on a skateboard . It was made of two huge snowballs , the larger one on the bottom resting on a flat white plate with six red wheels . This snowman had no eyes , no ears ...
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Common terms and phrases
al-Kharif Anna atrice Bakir beach Beatrice and Vivien Beatrice asked Beatrice's began believe beside boat Bright Messengers Brother Johann cave dark door dust storm eyes face faceplate father feeling Frau Eberhardt front going Goldschlag hand hatbox head hear heard hole hour Hyde Park ice harvester icemobile inside island Johann and Beatrice Johann and Sister Johann asked Johann replied Johann thought Johann told Johann turned kissed Kwame laughed light Maria Mars Martian Michael Michaelites minutes morning mother moved Mutchville Narong never night Order of St outpost particles priestesses pulled reached ribbon robe rover Satoko seconds side singing Sister Beatrice Sister Vivien sleeping slowly smile snowman spacesuit stared stood stopped talk tell Thank There's Tiergarten tion took train tunnel Uncle Hermann Valhalla voice waiting walked watched window woman women Yasin