EON - The Book!

#21

David - Thanks for your thoughts on the Plasma-Tube.

Is the airplane built actually also of humans? Or how am I to understand that? Fly with the airplane to the hole and in the hole is then paralell the whole to the internal airplane? Can someone help there further?

Jakyll - Yes, the plane is built by humans… Well, technically, everything is built by humans here! But the Plane is built with only-slightly-more-advanced-than-modern technology, roughly 30 years down the road or no, not really far future. It’s actually in 2 parts: There’s the tube-rider itself, which attaches to the tube and jets along while clamped onto the axis. And then there’s a landing craft, more like a real plane or a contemporary VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Lift) craft which attached to the tube-rider, refuels there, but can seperate and fly down to the chambers’ surfaces. It can function both as a jet and a plane, and can land vertically or horizontally (i.e. like a plane.) If I were going to illustrate the landing craft, first place I’d look is at photos of modern VTOLs. As for the tube-rider part, you’re on your own! :slight_smile:

Hope this helps…

-mike

#22

Ah, thanx for your reply. But we missunderstood each other. Probably my english formulation. I wanted to say, that I found description about “6” chambers (2,3,4,5,6 and 7 ) but there should be 7 of them. I was wondering what is inside the one which isn´t listed within inspiration folder - first chamber from my point of view, if they are listed correctly… :thumbsup:

#23

No problem guys, glad it helped!

The Singularity exists only in the 7th chamber - and is a ‘tube’ much like the plasma tubes, which reaches from the central axis of the 7th chamber cap to the other end (infinity basically - as the 7th chamber aparently never ends). Its a much smaller diameter, however (measured in inches, 10 I think? Possibly larger, I’d have to double check) - and is dead center of the cylinder, with the plasma surrounding it. It ends abruptly in the chamber cap leading to the 6th chamber, and would give the illusion of a long floating rod if you’re in the bore hole.

Hieneman (?) flew the Tube Rider down the axis of the stone, through the plasma the whole way, using the jets on the VTOL plane - so it seems that travel through the plasma is totally possible. At the end of the 6th chamber he pilots the Tube Rider over the open end of the Singularity at the chamber cap, and clamps it in place.

#24

Oweron, let me see if I chose the right one. The first chamber is the one that connects to the entrance of the asteroid. It’s smaller than the other chambers and was used by it’s makers more as storage space. The researchers have set up a cafeteria and housing in the chamber. It’s more like a staging ground than the other chambers. Either that or it’s a very small space with a sandlike material on the ground and a small gym. I got kind of confused on that point.

#25

This is an extremely general question, but could someone explain the fourth chamber to me? I don’t really understand it’s structure or function :confused:

#26

The fourth chamber is a sort of nature based environment regulation system. The plants and lakes help maintain the balance for the oxygen levels throughout the asteroid. It’s also considered an ‘outdoor’ recreation area. It’s like a national park with a varied environment. It has forests, large lakes, rivers, fish farming, and a quarter of the chamber gets light snow. Overall it has a moderate climate. Its become somewhat overgrown since the residents vacated the asteroid. It’s described as self sustaining.

The researchers have several farming projects going in the fourth chamber as well.

The chamber contains four islands each with a different habitat along with more land and finger lakes in one area. There are billions of gallons of water in the chamber’s water system but a good deal of land too. Someone in the book refers to the chamber as summer camp.

#27

Axis City
So i don not know that tha cylinder and the vans are in horizontal line or vertical. Could someone help me? Thank you.

#28

I dont understand the Axis city as well. BTW, what happened to the Stoners? did they die? or left the asteroid back to their Earth? I like the story very much though I just read what’s in the inspiration section. I might participate as well if I got a fancy concept.

#29

Great challenge topic. I got the book from a local library here and started to read it. If I manage to read it in time I might participate as well. Very inspirational story (so far) :slight_smile:

#30

So I was thinking about Axis city, and I sat down to try and figure how much space it would take to cram 10 million poeple into the smallest amount of space.

Axis city is described as being 1km across. So the research begins…
First is it even possible by todays standards.
Answer : yes : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon_Walled_City
At its height or even better by description, its lowest point of being completely overcroweded and just packed and disgusting. Kowloon had a population of 1.9 Million people in a 1km Sqaure. With buildings only able to be a height of 14 stories. One thing to point out is to take a look at the result of the conditions that are achieved when people get this close.

The Next step. Proving it by math.
1 person = 1 10foot by 10foot space for living.
1 Kilometer = 3280 (rounded down) feet

328 (10 foot sqaure rooms) per km

328 cubed = 35,287,552 (10 foot square units) in 1 km
reduced the number by two third for pasage ways and recreation space

this gives us 10586265.6 units remaining. This is more than enough space provided that people can see fit to live in 10 foot square room/studios for an eternity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcology

#31

Keep in mind that not everyone in Axis City is shaped like a humanoid. The neomorph residents can be shaped like anything from a metal bird to a floating metallic egg. They don’t need as much space and probably live without kitchens or bathrooms in their homes. It does have 20 million residents that are corporeal with 70 million more stored as data in the city’s memory.

Also the city stretches 40 km down the length of the Way so that should give everyone some space.

#32

Hey Everyone, some more “optional” research for our enlightenment, There is a sequel to
EON, titled ETERNITY, and a prequel titled LEGACY. I have read them all and they are great.
ETERNITY deals with the same characters and is the continuation of the EON story.
LEGACY is the story of Olmy’s first incarnation (and would make a great challenge also)
Yeah lets sell some of Greg Bears books, they rock!

#33

Can someone help me to describe the cubicle and condition in the library (on the chapter we’ve giver for those who can’t read the book). Where Patricia read about the history book then cry with Garry Lanier.
Since is only part of the chapter, i’m not too understand which chamber it is or what’s look like.

i’m not too good reading english, pardon me

Thank You,

Rianti

#34

Hi, does anyone have some more information about Mirsky and the Paratroopers ? I am especialy interested in a character description. I would also like to know in which chamber the invasion takes place.

Thanks - Karel

#35

Rianti-Wong - I just reread that part of the book yesterday. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but at least the first time they enter that area, there’s just not a lot of detail. Cubicles stretching down the chamber. Walls. Doors. But no really descriptive passages. Sounds like you’re free to explore! But is it’s the library in the “quaint” city of Alexandria, it might not be fantastically futuristic, it may even be similar to our own modern libraries! Good luck…

-mike

#36

i’m not quite finished with the book yet (chapter 56) and i’m at a point where axis city is involved but i haven’t really gotten much of a description of it (or i was reading too fast to realize it). i noticed also in the inspiration page that there weren’t that many details of axis city either. it talks about some cylinder being 40k along the way and some vanes but i don’t really get a sense of how it all looks… any insight?

#37

Yes, i have the same problem. This cylinder and vans are vertical or horizontal?

#38

Mike (walrus) : thanks a lot…i’ll try to reread it once more. Is the chair there in cubicle form? just wonder which chamber it is…

Regards,

Rianti

#39

Hi, People.
It is a great pleasure to participate of this challenge.
I am just a bit upset that probably I will not I find the book in my city, and I know it is going to take time if I order it.

My doubt concerns the Stone. As some of you have already described, the entrace to the “inner space” of the asteroid is made through the First Chamber. It sounds unlikely but does it mean that the First Chamber stopple the hollow side of the Stone? This idea does not match to some images I’ve seen around the forum that show the Stone with this big hole. Is it possible to see within the Stone anyway?

Thank you!
Regards.
Hugo.

#40

hi I am trying to work out the structure of this section at the moment but I am having some difficulty between what seems to be conflicting discriptions from the inspiration sections.

In the ‘Axis city’ section it describes two cubes (navigation and power source), followed by Axis Nadir a cylindrical city (the one first built i think after the exodus from Thistledown), and then 3 curved blades that extend to the surface of the plasma tube (the plasma tube is extended 10km out in this discription so that it appears that the whole scene is underwater due to the blue glow).

The description for ‘Gate traffic & Axis City’ describes a Maltese cross which extends from two cubes (it is not clear if these are the same two cubes as in the description before) which acts as propulsion system for the ‘cities’. The cubes are followed by a buffer shaped like a wine glass which rests flush against a cylindrical section, Axis Nadir (no mention of this wine glass shape is made in the previous description). Then beyond Axis Nadir is Axis City itself which is basically a cube shape with twisted pyramids on each of its faces. Beyond Axis City are two more cylinders, Axis Euclid and Axis Thoreaux which are I think are the most recently built of the cities. The absense of the three curves blades in this description further confuses matters.

The only way I can make sense of the discreprancies is that if they are actually describing the cities at different points in their history, the first one being at an earlier stage of the city building process. Although this doesn’t seem add up as in the first description, Olmy and Patricia are actually in the environment descibed. In the second description it seems that the scene has been projected, as there is mention of a ‘pictor’ which seems to be somekind of holographic projection, so could pontentially be a discription from a different point in time from the main story. However I dont think this is right either as the city in the second description appears to be more advanced.

I am finding it a bit confusing so ignoring the differences as best I can - if anyone else can help it would be very welcome!