The Sky People

by S. M. Stirling

Overview

Marc Vitrac, born in 1960s Louisiana, came into a world where the first interplanetary probes unveiled life on Mars and Venus, igniting a global Space Race.

Fast forward to 1988, Marc is stationed at Jamestown, a US-Commonwealth base on Venus, set against a backdrop of sabertooths and dinosaurs, near the bustling Venusian city of Kartahown. This base is not just a scientific outpost; it's a frontier of American and allied adventurers and scientists, navigating a world as perilous as it is mysterious.

Trouble brews in this alien wilderness. The scientists are baffled by Venus's Earth-like life forms, stirring scientific and political tensions. The EastBloc's nearby base, Cosmograd, adds to the chilly diplomatic climate. Marc's attempts to woo the tough Cynthia Whitlock, a geologist, bring a personal edge to the high-stakes environment.

In a parallel struggle, Teesa of the Cloud Mountain People is locked in a fierce battle with Neanderthal-like beastmen over sacred caves. An EastBloc shuttle crash escalates the conflict, arming the beastmen with modern weaponry.

Jamestown's mission to rescue the EastBloc cosmonauts spirals into a journey of discovery. They face tribal warfare and unearth secrets that could redefine their understanding of science and history. Amidst all this, a hidden enemy lurks on their own airship.

The Sky People offers a gripping mix of alternate history and action-packed adventure, blending interplanetary exploration with terrestrial conflicts, set in a universe where science fiction meets ancient mysteries. This novel is a must-read for fans of high-stakes adventure and intricate alternate realities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647101305
Publisher:	CAEZIK
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Series:	Lords of Creation , #1
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

S.M. Stirling is a masterful author, known for his detailed world-building and intricate storytelling. Stirling's writing is clear and engaging, making complex scenarios accessible to readers. His characters are well-developed, each with their own voice and depth, driving the narrative with their believable actions and choices. In essence, Stirling's books are a blend of meticulous research and creative flair, offering readers a captivating journey through unique and thought-provoking worlds.

Highlights

• Award Recognition: S.M. Stirling has been honored with several awards, including the Prometheus Award, acknowledging his contribution to the genre of libertarian science fiction.

• Expert World Builder: Stirling's ability to create rich, detailed worlds is unparalleled. His settings are not just backdrops but integral parts of the story, full of history and culture.

• Alternate History Specialist: He is renowned for his skill in crafting alternate history narratives, offering readers thought-provoking "what if" scenarios that are both imaginative and well-researched.

• Diverse Characters: Stirling's character development is a key strength. He creates a diverse range of believable, relatable characters, each with their own motivations and growth arcs.

• Engaging Narrative Style: His writing style is engaging and immersive, drawing readers into the story with a balance of descriptive prose and brisk pacing.

• Innovative Themes: Stirling often explores complex themes like societal evolution, technological impact, and cultural diversity, making his books not just entertaining but intellectually stimulating.

Editorial Reviews

For this rollicking first of an alternate history series, Stirling (Island in the Sea of Time) uses the terrific premise that Mars and Venus are exactly as depicted in pulp-era SF, eerily Earth-like and populated by prehistoric people and creatures. When 1960s space probes find that Venus is habitable, the Americans and Russians scramble to set up colonies and get in good with the natives. In 1988, a Russian rocket crashes in the wilderness and can only be reached by an airship from the U.S. Commonwealth base of Jamestown, crewed by a classic love triangle: Ranger Lt. Marc Vitrac, Harlem-born geologist Cynthia Whitlock and ultra-British anthropologist Christopher Blair. Stirling doesn't stint on old-fashioned elements, most notably the gorgeous native princess with magical powers, but the multiculturalism sidesteps most stereotypes while retaining a broad-brush pulp sensibility; the science is refreshingly realistic; and everyone cusses (sometimes in awkward translation). Readers will eagerly anticipate a trip to Mars in the sequel, In the Halls of the Crimson Kings. (Nov.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

The Cold War still rages in 1988, and the Eastern and Western Blocs compete for colonies on Mars and Venus, both homes to humanlike sentient though primitive races. American Marc Vitrac, assigned to the U.S. base of Jamestown, finds the lands outside the Venusian colony teeming with quasiprehistoric life as well as filled with mysteries that could threaten the human presence on Venus. Stirling's alternate histories have dealt with misplaced islands ("The Island in the Sea of Time" series), asteroid impacts (The Peshawar Lancers), and technological disaster ("Dies the Fire" series). Now he tackles the world of pulp sf popularized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, bringing to the genre his talent for verisimilitude and appealing characters. A good choice for most sf collections, particularly where the author has a following. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

A fanciful, politically tinged tale from Stirling (The Ship Avenged, 1997, etc.), set on the frontier of Venus circa 1988 as the Eastern Bloc rivals the US Sky People in the great space race. The Sky People have established a stronghold on the Gargarin continent of Venus, at the settlement called Jamestown, directed by Ranger Lieutenant Marc Vitrac, formerly of Louisiana Cajun country. He welcomes the arrival of fresh reserves on the spaceship Carson, including an attractive young geologist, Lieutenant Cynthia Whitlock, and RAF Wing Commander Christopher Blair. Together they comprise "explorers at the cutting edge of the human story." However, there are other settlements entrenched in the strange land habitable by both dinosaurs and mammals: the small community of Kartahown, made up of numerous Earthlings and local tribespeople, traders and pilgrims; rank, savage tribes of marauding Neanderthals of the Wergu tribe; and the blond-haired, ethereal Cloud Mountain People of the Far West, in fur loincloths and bearing blowguns. And all kinds of curious beasts flourish here, such as giant mountable reptiles called ceratopsians and strong, scary raptor-like Quetzas. While the Sky People explore the geography of Venus, Blinkis, captain of the low-hovering Eastern Bloc space shuttle Riga, crashes into Wergu territory and is captured and brainwashed by the hairy brutes, who nonetheless shelter and heal him. Among the superior Cloud Mountain People, young female warrior Teesa has visions of invaders, who turn out to be Marc Vitrac and his gang in pursuit of the Russians. In fact, Blinkis's own pilot wife, Jadviga, arrives with blimp and crew to find her husband, and all of them end up confrontingthe nasty, smelly Wergus. Stirling offers an easygoing, atmospheric tale airbrushed with fuzzy political overtones, along with a good bit of humor and lively characterization. The adventures of these nutty space dudes will surely set off a series of its own. Agent: Russell Galen/Scovil Chichak Galen Literary Agency

Kirkus Reviews