Author name: gardensofhansen@hotmail.com

Ryder and his friends team up with two of the Cryellians (mentioned in last blog post) for a trip to Shimmer’s Head. Shimmer’s Head is an outcropping along a wild river, where an retired Terran and his wife run a river rafting business. In some ways this chapter is simply adventure, but there are other short term questions about trust, and factors that play into the plotline further in the book. This was a particularly fun chapter to write. As they floated quietly away from the landing, Ryder could see the bottom of the river clearly. It was only two or three feet deep here, and he saw a variety of trout-like fish lolling back and forth along the bottom. They looked like they were big enough to take a good bite out of someone’s arm, but not big enough to swallow anyone. The minutes glided by, and first Aster, then Steerman, then everyone else peeled off layers of clothing. Ryder couldn’t help noticing how nice Cynthia’s legs looked in cutoffs. Her swimsuit top looked good too. “Are you leering, boy?” Hondo asked him in a loud voice, then guffawed. “Knew I should have paired you with your sister.” Ryder sank into his seat as everyone laughed, including Cynthia. He wondered if he could crawl out of the boat and provide a snack for the trout. Maybe there was one big enough to swallow him whole. “No, I like him right here,” Cynthia retorted. “I admire his pecks.” Ryder, recovering, leaned over and whispered to Cynthia, “Thanks.” She whispered back, “It was all I could think of. I’m glad you think I look good in cutoffs.” She winked. He wanted to continue the conversation, but it was getting noisy. He glanced ahead and saw that the river was starting to churn, and he could see outcroppings of rock that were mostly along the banks of the river. “All right boys and girls, time to earn your keep.” Hondo raised his voice and turned the raft with the large oar on the right. “Things will get a bit more interesting in a few minutes.” Ryder thought things were interesting already. He saw Hondo pulling first one oar then another to try to keep them in the channel as the raft started moving faster and faster. Every now and then, Hondo would shout, “You, on the left, paddle! Harder, you fools!” The noise continued to get louder. Then it was their turn on the right. “Harder, you fools!” seemed to end nearly every sentence that Hondo shouted. Ahead, Ryder saw a white swirling mass in the middle of the river. He looked to either side and couldn’t see a safe passage. About this time, Hondo yelled, “Pull those paddles out, OUT of the water!” Then added, “Hang on,” and chortled. For the next ten minutes Ryder wasn’t sure if he was going to fall overboard, fly out, or just get beaten to death by the raft. They actually flew out of the river at one point like a killer whale breaching out of the ocean and slapping back into the water. That was when he was sure things were going to end badly. Even Cynthia grabbing him didn’t really help his mind clear away from the thought, I’m going to die. I’m going to die. Abruptly the raft emerged from the chutes, and the waters calmed back down. They were gliding through shallows again. Ryder was relieved that the river once more widened and slowed. The canyon walls on the right were still sheer, and they were passing a small alcove and beach like the landing at Shimmer’s Head. The left side showed signs of numerous rockslides, and Ryder thought he spotted some movement in one of the rubble-laden piles of rock. He wondered if the movement had been from a gopher or rabbit, or some totally foreign creature. They were floating leisurely for several minutes, and then he started to hear the river thundering ahead again. The cycle of cataracts and calm water continued over and over for the next four hours. After a particularly rough ride traversing what Hondo referred to as Devil’s Gate, they pulled ashore on a narrow beach to eat a quiet lunch. Randy, Joel, and Ryder were drafted to carry three boxes that were strapped to the raft behind Hondo. Lunch was comprised of sandwiches on homemade bread, and water. Everyone devoured their first sandwich without so much as a word. By his third sandwich, Joel commented that it was the best meal that he had ever eaten, and Randy and Ryder quickly agreed. Hondo gave Joel a not so gentle jab. “Those are just chicken sandwiches and jelly sandwiches.” He laughed. “Although I admit that Margaret makes great homemade breads and jellies. Just wait ’til dinner. You’re in for a real treat then.” Turning toward Becky, Hondo asked, “What do you think of them?” Surprised at the attention, Becky faltered, but responded that the sandwiches were delicious. “So how are things back on Earth?” Hondo sidled up next to Becky “They’re fine,” Becky responded, somewhat embarrassed. “And your family, how are they taking all this?” Hondo leaned forward with his hands on his knees, almost staring at Becky’s face. “They don’t know. They think I’m in Europe.” Becky stared down at her water bottle. “Well, you know, the Europe on Earth.” “That devil, Steve! Still supporting kidnapping, eh?” Having finished a couple of sandwiches and two bottled waters, Hondo got up and walked to a small rock overhang and was immediately asleep. Ryder was tired, but not that tired. Aster and Steerman joined Cynthia and Ryder. “Better than you thought?” Aster inquired. “Depends on whether dying is fun?” Ryder sighed. “I could have sworn I was dead meat for the fish every time we went through those rapids.” “Yeah, Hondo is kind of crazy. I think he’s the only one that is willing to run this part of the river,” Aster replied. “Who is

Syfy movies in the 1960s exploded. Yes, a pun. Beginning in the 1950s and continuing into the 60s the fear of atomic bombs and a nuclear war fed an expansion of this sub-genre of science fiction. Most of these films were cheap B movies. The best movie from this group actually slips back into 1959, “On the Beach”. “On the Beach” was a more realistic look at the outcome of a World War III nuclear war. It was based on a best selling novel, had a big budget and a great cast including Gregory Peck, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins and Ava Gardner. The storyline follows the crew of a nuclear submarine that docks in southern Australia after the northern hemisphere is decimated with radioactivity. The film ends with an overt message, “There is still time…Brother.” It was a bit of a soap opera, but relayed a great message in a serious film. 1960 did not see much in the way of outer space adventures excluding a couple of comedy vehicles, but it did have three films worth noting. “The Last Woman on Earth”, “The Lost World”, and “The Time Machine”. “The Last Woman on Earth” is interesting mainly because so many recent films and even a television series seems to play off the story line of two men and a woman being the only people left on Earth. It is a Roger Corman film and needs little further discussion. “The Lost World” to me is a classic. A scientist, Professor Challenger (I love the name) leads an expedition into the Amazon basic to study an isolated plateau. They get stuck on the plateau when a dinosaur destroys their helicopter. From there the adventure continues with dinosaurs, cannibals, killer plants and a great volcano to destroy all evidence of their find. Well, they did bring out a dinosaur egg that hatches into a baby tyrannosaurus rex. Okay, maybe this is a guilty pleasure. “The Time Machine” with Rod Taylor is a great film. I like it much better than the remake, although we do have to deal with 1960 special effects. 1961 does take us off world with “The Phantom Planet”. It is not a great film, but does bring us an interesting storyline. A planet is approaching Earth. It turns out that the planet is a planet converted into a spaceship, but the humanoid creatures have all died. Could be end of the world except for out adventurous heroes. One of my two favorite films from 1961 is a film loosely based on Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island. Other than the Captain Nemo (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) the film today reminds me of a bigger budget version of the 1960 “The Lost World”. It still stands up as a great fantasy adventure. My other favorite film from 1961 science fiction is “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”. Rather than facing extinction from a nuclear war, the problem this time is the potential loss of the Van Allen Belt. It has a great cast, an interesting story, and was eventually turned into a popular TV series. 1962 left a lot to be desired. “Journey to the Seventh Planet” at least gets us back into space. It is a pretty weak entry though. 1963 brings us “The Day of the Triffids”. The best thing about this film is the title. It is based on a novel by John Wyndham, but the movie strays far from the book. Basically the world is being conquered by alien plant spores. 1964 gave us a couple of cult classics: “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” which I don’t care for, and “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” which I loved as a kid and still have fond memories of the film with Adam West (out of his Batman costume). “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” is a much more simplistic version of Matt Damon’s “The Martian”. Which is more entertaining? I’ll leave that to you. Which is more science-y? “The Martian”. One other film I would like to mention is “The Last Man on Earth”. I thought it was Roger Corman as Vincent Price is the protagonist, but it is actually an Italian/US film. This is the first version that I am aware of, of Richard Matheson’s novel “I am Legend”. The film was remade as “The Omega Man” with Charleton Heston, and more recently as “I am Legend” with Will Smith. The book is often given credit as the source material for all zombie movies. Of this five year period I’ll have to vote for “The Time Machine” as my favorite. So what do you think? Do you have a favorite science fiction movie from 1960-64 that I missed?

Excerpt 6 – Orion’s Spur Demeter – Meeting Aliens No, they’re not little green men in this story, although green and orange are relevant. In this excerpt we meet one, and get a brief description of a second alien race: Cryellians and Sagittarians. The Cryellians are much like the people of Earth. Like Terrans the Cryellians are a lost civilization of the Wars. In Cryellian’s case they crash landed on a barely habitable planet and not only survived but retained at least some of their technology. Cryellian’s were the other civilization that the Sagittarians recruited to aid in conquering and maintaining Demeter. In part, because they were further along the technological trail than Earth, they traditionally deal more with flyers and fighters, while those from Earth are more of a ground force. This difference has been melding for decades, but the young Cryellian fighters are still arrogant as you’ll see. Enjoy Excerpt 6 “Around the building there was a lot of activity. Dozens of people moving back and forth, and small groups of others clustered in circles talking. There was one group of five young men playing a game similar to hacky sack. They looked like normal teenagers wasting some time, but they had a greenish-brown skin color that Ryder had never seen before. He tried not to stare. As Ryder, Cynthia, Debbie, and Becky were passing, one of the group glanced at them and sneered. “Earthling grubs.” It was obviously intended as an insult. Ryder wasn’t sure why it irritated him so much. He replied, “Well, Earth grubs eat green grass,” and regretted it as soon as he said it. It was clearly the wrong thing to say. All five of the young men turned and stared with malice in their eyes. As the young men glared, Ryder noticed their irises were mostly orange with yellow speckles that created a disconcerting combination. Trying to look away, he looked down, and noticed they were wearing boots with pointed toes. He started sweating as he suddenly flashed back to Barry Hales. “Ryder, hurry up. We need you inside,” he heard Miss Li call. Mr. Small walked toward them, intercepted the five young men, and had a whispered conference. The group turned as one and walked off in the opposite direction. But Ryder saw the leader of the group turn his head with a look of clear contempt on his face. He figured this wouldn’t be the last he’d see of the hacky sack players. Great, he thought, a hundred light years from Earth, and I still can’t get away from bullies. As Mr. Small rejoined them Ryder asked, “Are those the Sagittarians?” Mr. Small grinned. “No, those are just some hotshot Cryellians up to mischief. The Sagittarians are much more intimidating.” He hesitated, then continued. “They really aren’t that different than we are. Six thousand years of evolution isn’t much. Our DNA still matches up tightly with the Sagittarians, and the Per-Sian’s for that matter. It’s more their manner. Their posture is ramrod straight. They emit a sense of command by their very presence.” “So, they’re giants?” Debbie suggested. “Not really. Let’s see, the most pronounced feature is a hawklike nose. Their hair is uniformly dark. Most have high pronounced cheekbones. I’d say that is the most common look of the officer corps, but they are as varied as people on Earth. But their demeanor sets them apart. Not always to the better.” Inside the facility, Ryder was in awe at the size of the complex that was built right into a bluff, with an atrium that showed eight floors of glass, angling out, revealing a panoramic view of the water and islands below. Apparently, the back of the top floor was all that showed from the tarmac. This was the reception area, with several small lounges. Miss Li was talking to someone at a desk. The desk looked like it was made of a huge luminous diamond, but Ryder guessed it was some sort of solid quartz stone. As Ryder and his friends loitered around the common area, he could see from various angles that six of the floors were lined with long corridors framing rows of doors, all facing toward the water. The hallways looked to be about twelve feet wide, giving the appearance of very long decks that ran a hundred yards in either direction. The walls were of a black onyx stone, while the floors were made of the same self-illuminating rock that they had seen in the tunnels entering Demeter. Apparently polishing the rock increased the intensity of the luminosity. Staring at the floor was like staring at a flashlight…”

Well, it has been a great weekend. We’re halfway through an e-book giveaway of Demeter, the first book in the Orion’s Spur series celebrating the issue of the 5-book series on Audible.com. Demeter made it as high as #6 in Crime & Mystery Science Fiction, #18 in Galactic Empire Science Fiction, and topped out at #47 I believe in Science Fiction Adventure. Thanks to the folks that have downloaded the book. I’d love your reviews. I have extended the giveaway through Tuesday. The link at Amazon is https://www.amazon.com/Demeter-Alan-Hansen-ebook/dp/B0CBD91N8V/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Alternate Futures Podcast I just heard from Edwin Rydberg, the host of the Alternate Futures podcast. He interviewed me about Demeter in September and has just posted the interview. If you are interested it is available “for free” at the following sites: Spotify YouTube Substack https://alternatefutures.substack.com/p/54-alan-doc-hansen-orions-spur

Orion’s Spur – Demeter Free this weekend In July we were able to get all five of the Orion’s Spur books published on audible.com. So now, the series is available in e-book, paperback, and audio book formats. This weekend we are providing an opportunity for readers to experience the first book in the series in e-book format for free. Friday through Sunday you can get a free copy at It is also available for sale in paperback and audiobook from that site. I’ve been told that it’s a great story, although as the first book, a bit slow as it does world building. Let me assure you that the plot thickens and gets much more exciting as it goes on through books 2-5. In Demeter (book 1) William Joshua Ryder (Ryder), his wild younger sister Debbie, and their friends are kidnapped on a trip to Europe and taken light years from Earth to a planetoid, Demeter where two warring factions have been at war for over 10 millennia. The action and mystery moves forward as we begin to under the cultures and challenges of the peoples of the Orion Spur caught between two much larger arms of the galaxy. But why is someone trying to kill Ryder? And why were they picked to go to Demeter for a year? What do readers say? “I very much enjoyed this. I have been reading a fair number of coming of age novels lately and this is a good one with several good twists and even a few surprises. I enjoyed the sibling repartee. This is very much worth reading. But darn! I want the sequel NOW.” “Demeter is the beginning of an amazing story following the adventures of young William Ryder, known to his friends, and others, simply as Ryder. I loved reading this story that is both fast-paced and entertaining. It is a young adult science fiction romp that begins on Earth, but then becomes a space opera that includes some incredible vistas created by the author. He shares his visions with colorful and detailed descriptions that set a clear picture in the mind’s eye. In addition, there are a number of humanoid aliens included that add broader dimensions to this story. The most prominent characters include Ryder’s little sister, a girl he crushes on, and a pair of teachers the reader cannot be completely sure what they are about.” Books 2 and three are set in Demeter: Return to Demeter and Defending Demeter. We watch not only Ryder, but his sister and their friends and enemies evolved and develop. “This series continues to get better and better. In this second book of the series more and more of the puzzle pieces are coming together. The plot becomes more intricate and, fair warning, it becomes much harder to put the book down once you begin.” “Return to Demeter delivers an intense follow-up to the first story. Ryder’s journey is packed with twists as he and his friends return to Demeter to save Debbie. The stakes are higher, and the mysterious illness keeps you turning the pages. The suspense is well-paced, and the danger feels real. The characters grow, especially Ryder, and the new challenges add depth to their relationships. Fans of the first book will love this heart-racing adventure.” “This was another delightful installment. The intensity and intricacies of the plot continue to build as this series continues. Many of the characters are really coming more and more into their own as they face situations where they have to make decisions that they know will impact not only their own lives, but the lives of many others… and sometimes there simply is not a good choice. Courage. Foolhardiness. Deceit. Sacrifice. Second Chances. Honor. Fair Warning: Each book gets harder and harder to put down.” Books 4 and 5 develop characters and build new worlds as the plot takes Ryder in one direction and his sister in another. Ryder looks for allies in the Orion Spur in book 4. In book 5 he attempts to end the war between Sagittarius and Perseus arms of the galaxy before his time runs out. “This volume amps up the stakes for Ryder, both personally and professionally. His relationship with Cynthia feels authentic, especially when he has to meet her father. The mission through the asteroid field with Debbie was a highlight for me – full of tension and great visuals. I also appreciated how unpredictable the pirate negotiations were. If you’ve been following this series, this is another strong installment that builds up the tension for what’s to come.” “Haumeah, Volume 4 (Demeter) is packed with thrilling space action and complex relationships. I was hooked from the first chapter, with Ryder facing everything from meeting Cynthia’s father to negotiating with pirates in a dangerous asteroid field. Debbie’s flight scenes had me at the edge of my seat! The writing is fast-paced, and the story keeps you guessing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys space drama with great character moments.” “[Paragon’s Virtue} is an action-packed finale with a lot of heart. The choices Ryder must make are heavy, and the story raises important questions about sacrifice, leadership, and what it takes to end a war. It’s a smart, emotional, and exciting conclusion to the series that left me satisfied yet wanting more from this universe.” “[Paragon’s Virtue] brings the series to a stunning conclusion. The intergalactic conflict is massive, and Ryder’s role in trying to bring peace is compelling and full of tension. The book combines epic battles with introspective moments about the costs of war, making it a truly memorable read. Sci-fi fans should not miss this!” So what is the quid pro quo? Get the e-book for free. If you like it leave a review on Amazon. If you don’t like it… well I’m okay if you don’t leave a review 😊 The nice thing is that all five books are complete and available in whatever format you like to

Science continues to expand with respect to our galaxy. At one time the Milky Way was considered to have four major arms including Norma and Cygnus, Sagittarius, Scutum-Crux and Perseus. It also has several minor arms or spurs including Orion’s Spur which is the sector of the galaxy where Earth is located. More recent studies suggest that there are only two major arms: Scutum-Crux and Perseus with Norma and Cygnus and Sagittarius relegated to minor arms when considering the number of stars in those two arms. In the Orion’s Spur series, the major warring parties are from the Sagittarius arm on one side, and the Perseus arm on the second. From a sheer volume of populated stars recent studies would suggest that Sagittarius wouldn’t work as a superpower system. However, Number of stars was not a requirement for this conflict to develop. In the series it is pointed out that as a territorial dispute it is silly as both powers have far more stars in their system to explore than they do in Orion’s Spur, and the 10,000 years war has curtailed exploration and development in both arms and the Spur. How many stars are in each of the Sagittarius and Perseus, and Orion’s Spur for that matter? Billions. But it is currently impossible to refine that number further. For example, the estimate for total stars in our galaxy ranges from 100 billion to 400 billion stars. That spread clearly points out that the answer is… we don’t know. Orion’s Spur is about 10,000 light years long and 4,000 light years across. Guesses range from 500 million to more than a billion stars. As large as that sounds, the Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 across its axis. Another intriguing question is whether part of the outer arm of the Milky Way is being drawn away by yet another galaxy. To me, a more relevant issue is the limited number of planets with interstellar travel in Orion’s Spur the series. The three main hubs that support interstellar repair facilities are not even traditional planets. One facility is hosted by Demeter, which is a small planet or large asteroid with a center that has been terra formed. Haumeah was once a planet that destroyed itself. The culture there now is developed in an asteroid belt caused by the explosion. Samar isn’t even an asteroid as it is entirely artificial. It is revealed that there are other planets that have developed early stage interstellar travel, but only in passing. Why didn’t the three hubs use more traditional planets as their centers. That one has an explanation. The hubs are repair facilities for small and huge interstellar craft that would not be able to practically land in a strong gravity field. In the last two books of the Orion’s Spur series I do address inviting other developing worlds into an independent coalition of planets not controlled by the two major superpowers. This poses a good question for the countries on planet Earth. The number of stories reflecting such attempts on our own planet would create an encyclopedia of opportunities for story lines.

Best Syfy movies of the 1940s? Last week I discussed what I consider to be the best science fiction films of the 1930s. This week I’m looking into the best in science fiction movies for the 1940s. Its pretty slim pickings. I suspect World War II had a lot to do with a weak decade, after starting pretty strong in the 1930s. The big challenge was the dearth of original stories. Consider these remakes or spin offs of the 1930s: From Frankenstein (1931): Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1945), Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein (1948) From The Invisible Man (1933): The Invisible Man Returns (1940), The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944), The Invisible Woman (1940), Invisible Agent (1942). Aside from science runs amok, the only space opera I could find was also a sequel. Flash Gordon returned yet again with Buster Crabbe taking on the title role. Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe is a 12 episode serial. Speaking of serials we also get Batman, a 15 episode serial released in 1943. For those who love the various incarnations of Batman (Christopher Nolan is the best in my opinion) this might be a worthwhile version to compare from 70 years earlier. The most interesting of the films identified in the top 30 fan favorites is a British comedy made in 1944 called Time Flies. The plot involves a music hall performer who travels back to Elizabethan time using a time machine. It might be the most original film on the list from the 1940s. I watch the preview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=souANL5xpUY It didn’t sell me, but the premise entices to find a copy (available on streaming services) to see how the print holds up both for the premise and film quality (looks like a problem). Otherwise, the rest of the films identified are fundamentally monster movies playing on King Kong or variations on Frankenstein. I have no idea how it fits into science fiction, but there was also a series of three films: Captive Wild Woman, Jungle Woman, and The Jungle Captive that were ranked in the category. The first of the three stars John Carradine. Milburn Stone is in all three which increases my curiosity as he played the doctor on Gunsmoke for years afterward. A great piece of movie trivia is also featured in 1940, “One Million B.C.” starring Victor Mature. Again, not sure why its categorized as science fiction, and is #1 on some lists. It was also lifted directly for a remake in 1966 called “One Million B.C.” featuring Rachel Welch. Final thoughts on the 1940s science fiction genre… watch the 1930s originals instead. What about you? Any great selections I missed from the 1940s?

UFO AND CUBESATS Many years ago I was at a drive in movie theater with some friends waiting for the second feature to start when we saw a lighted object in the sky. At first I thought it was a reflection of some other light source, but I could never figure out what it really was. Reflecting on this periodically I consider the many sightings of UFOs and the various explanations from the idea of secret US air force experiments to alien life visiting our planet. Today I was reading an article about CubeSats “miniature, agile and cheap satellites” https://www.yahoo.com/news/cubesats-tiniest-satellites-changing-way-123230465.html that have been developed for low cost exploration of our Solar System and galaxy. This started me thinking about how we have been exploring Mars, with more expensive but similar unmanned units that allow us to explore parts of the Solar System that would still be unattainable today. Next month we will be launching the Europa Clipper if all goes well to study a moon of Jupiter that may hold life sustaining water. Now putting these two thoughts together, if there is alien life thriving on a planet or planets around other stars, and if they are as curious as we are, how would they explore the galaxy? It seems logical to follow a similar path for exploration. This or these alien civilizations, if smart enough to have stellar and interstellar space flight would certainly be bright enough to realize that they can explore more space for less money with unmanned satellites, than with actual manned missions. This line of thinking leads me to the conclusion that unmanned exploration from beyond our solar system would be much more likely to be conducted in a manner similar to how we are now exploring our own solar system. It may not be as adventurous or exciting as science fiction stories I have written and am writing, but it is a much more likely answer. With that in mind do we have secret government projects and knowledge based on UFOs that have crashed on Earth. I have no idea, but it does make the case more likely.