Jack Williamson

The venerable Williamson's latest puts the quest for mysterious origins and grand destiny in the hands of four academics. Physics professor Derek brings a set of ground radar pictures to poker night. They show what appears to be, deep under the sands of the Sahara, the remains of a Stonehenge-like structure. They remind African professor of linguistics Ram of stories his mysterious great-grandmother told. Field anthropologist Lupe, however, is skeptical. It's up to English professor Will to narrate the story of their journey, first to the Sahara, where they find the ruins, and from there, on a path they find through an ancient, interstellar empire to a still-populated planet. There they become embroiled in a conflict between the peoples of Norlan and Hotlan. They lack a way home but, still driven by curiosity, try to discover all they can of the empire and its role in the origins of life on Earth. Williamson's combination of sf technological inventiveness and heroic quest is surprisingly successful, offering a neat origin story for humanity, to boot.