NASA recently released travel posters for a few of the many planets discovered in the last few years, as Mr. Valentine noted while discussing his vacation plans yesterday. You can see examples of NASA’s posters in the previous blog entry.
PlanetQuest has identified 1804 confirmed planets outside our solar system, and another 3199 deep space objects that are candidates for planethood, for a grand total of 5003 exo-planets! While I thank PlanetQuest for broadening my vacation options, I must admit that such a plethora of planets makes vacation planning particularly perplexing.
To make it even harder, I’ve created posters for some of my own science fictional vacation destinations.
Zee Shode, setting for The Trilogy of Tompa Lee
The Trilogy of Tompa Lee is set on Zee Shode. The planet’s inhabitants have a long history, but never achieved space flight, and thus are viewed as easy prey for the Galactic Trading Council. Tompa sides with the natives. Her final showdown (with the Council AND with her own dark past) occurs in the ancient, flooded city of Rapree, pictured here.
Book one: The Trial of Tompa Lee
Tompa Lee is a homeless ‘street meat’ who has clawed her way up to the bottom-most rung of the Space Navy . . . but her dream job plummets into a nightmare when she’s framed for mass murder on an alien planet. Dante Roussel is the Navy policemen who surrenders Tompa to the Shons . . . but he is horrified to learn that their justice requires trial-by-combat, so Tompa must conquer three hundred accusers. (Learn more)
Book two: The Tribulations of Tompa Lee
Tompa Lee now serves as ambassador to the Shons’ planet and is hailed as their goddess … but she has a dead man living in her head, distrusts fellow humans, and fears an imminent attack by Klicks, mankind’s greatest enemy. Ming Mengliev is posing as a mere musician when Klicks destroy the Terran embassy … but although he strives to win Tompa’s trust—and her heart—whose side is this secret agent really on? (Learn more)
Book three: The Triumph of Tompa Lee
On planet Zee Shode, Tompa Lee has found the galaxy’s greatest treasures: friendship and love. But she commits the unforgivable crime of forgery—forging an alliance between humans, Shons, and Klicks. The Galactic Trading Council hires Lily Kilsing, earth’s most feared bounty hunter. Kilsing lures Tompa to a deserted alien city by kidnapping her fiancé and her best friend. Can Tompa kill the huntress and make peace with her own dark past, or will she be forced to sacrifice her own life to save her loved ones? (Learn more)
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Check back in the next day or two for the travel poster for a space station.
On which planet would you like to vacation? Drop me a line or a comment and I’ll see if I can arrange passage. For a price, of course. 🙂
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See more science fiction travel posters:
Ed Hoornaert (Mr. Valentine) 