The Works of Alan Dean Foster

[Tom]

Alan Dean Foster.


The Tar-Aiym Krang ©........................................................Ballantine 1972

Bloodhype © ..........................................................................Ballantine 1973

Icerigger ©...............................................................................Ballantine 1974

Luana ............................................................................Ballantine 1974

Dark Star ...................................................................Ballantine 1974

Maude(unpublished)..................................................Ballantine 1974

Star Trek Log One....................................................Ballantine 1974

Star Trek Log Two ..................................................Ballantine 1974

Star Trek Log Three................................................Ballantine 1975

Star Trek Log Four..................................................Ballantine 1975

Star Trek Log Five.....................................................Ballantine 1975

Midworld ©...................................................SFBC 1975, Ballantine 1976

Star Wars (as George Lucas).................Ballantine & SFBC 1976

Star Trek Log Six.....................................................Ballantine 1976

Star Trek Log Seven...............................................Ballantine 1976

Star Trek Log Eight.................................................Ballantine 1976

Star Trek Log Nine..................................................Ballantine 1977

Orphan Star ©.......................................................................Ballantine 1977

The End of the Matter ©......................................................Del Rey 1977

With Friends Like These...(collection).............................Del Rey 1977

Star Trek Log Ten....................................................... Del Rey 1978

Splinter of the Mind's Eye..................................Del Rey & SFBC 1978

Mission to Moulokin © ........................................Del Rey & SFBC 1979

Alien................................................................Warner & SFBC 1979

The Black Hole...........................................Del Rey & SFBC 1980

Cachalot ©...............................................................Del Rey & SFBC 1980

Clash of the Titans...................................Warner & SFBC 1981

Outland..........................................................................Warner 1981

The Thing.....................................................Berkley & SFBC 1982

Nor Crystal Tears ©............................................................Del Rey 1982

For Love of Mother-Not ©.................................................Del Rey 1983

Spellsinger at the Gate (s).............................................Phantasia 1983

[Spellsinger]............................................................................Warner 1983

[The Hour of the Gate]................................Warner l984, SFBC 1986

Krull.................................................................................Warner 1983

The Man Who Used the Universe.......Warner & SFBC 1983; Wildside press 2000

The I Inside................................................................................Warner 1984

Voyage to the City of the Dead ©....................................Del Rey 1984

Slipt................................................................................................Berkley 1984

The Last Starfighter...................................................Berkley 1984

The Day of the Dissonance (s)..........Phantasia 1984,Warner 1984, SFBC l986

Who Needs Enemies? (collection)..................................Del Rey 1984

The Moment of the Magician (s)........Phantasia 1984,Warner 1984, SFBC 1987

Starman.........................................................................Warner 1984

Shadowkeep................................................................Warner 1984

Pale Rider.....................................................................Warner 1985

Sentenced to Prism © .......................................................Del Rey 1985

The Paths of the Perambulator (s).....Phantasia 1985,Warner 1986, SFBC 1987

Aliens............................................................Warner & SFBC 1986

Into the Out Of..............Warner & SFBC 1986; Wildside Press 2000

The Time of the Transference (s)............. Phantasia 1986,Warner 1987, SFBC 1987

The Deluge Drivers ©...................................................... Del Rey 1987

Glory Lane..........................................................Ace 1987, SFBC 1988

Maori ............................................................................Ace/Berkley 1988

Flinx in Flux ©............................................................................Del Rey 1988

AlienNation...................................................................Warner 1988

To the Vanishing Point.......Warner & SFBC 1988; Wildside Press 2000

Quozl ....................................................................................Ace & SFBC 1989

Cyber Way..........................................................................Ace & SFBC 1990

The Metrognome & others (collection)...........................Del Rey 1990

A Call to Arms - (The Damned, volume 1).......................Del Rey 1991

Catalyst ...............................................................................Ace & SFBC 1991

Alien 3 ................................................................................Warner 1992

The False Mirror - (The Damned, volume 2)..................Del Rey 1992

Codgerspace .....................................................................Ace & SFBC 1992

The Spoils of War - (The Damned, volume 3)................Del Rey 1993

Son of Spellsinger(s)..................................................................Warner 1993

Greenthieves........................................................................ Ace & SFBC 1994

Chorus Skating (s)........................................................................Warner 1994

Life Form.....................................................................................................Ace 1995

Design for Great-Day (with Eric Frank Russell)......................Tor 1995

Mid-Flinx © .......................................................... Del Rey 1995,SFBC 1996

Montezuma Strip (related story collection).....................Warner 1995

Mad Amos (related story collection).....................................Del Rey 1996

Dinotopia Lost....................................Turner 1996, HarperCollins 1998

The Dig................................................................Warner & SFBC 1996

Jed the Dead............................................................................................Ace 1997

The Howling Stones ©..............................................Del Rey & SFBC 1997

Parallelities...................................................................Del Rey & SFBC 1998

Carnivores of Light and Darkness (Catechist vol. 1)Warner 1998 & SFBC 2000

The Hand of Dinotopia..............................HarperCollins & SFBC 1999

Into the Thinking Kingdoms (Catechist vol.2)............Warner 1999 & SFBC 2000

Phylogenesis © (Founding of the Commonwealth vol.1)Del Rey 1999

A Triumph of Souls (Catechist vol 3)............Warner & SFBC 2000

Dirge © (Founding of the Commonwealth vol.2).........Del Rey 2000

Kingdoms of Light...................................................Warner & SFBC 2001

Interlopers............................................................................................. Ace 2001

Reunion ©.......................................................................Del Rey & SFBC 2001

Primal Shadows................................................................................Forge 2001

Diuturnity's Dawn © (Founding of the Commonwealth vol.3)..Del Rey 2002

The Mocking Program (ms)..................................................Warner 2002

The Approaching Storm...........................................................Del Rey 2002

Impossible Places(collection).................................................Del Rey 2002

Drowning World ©.......................................................................Del Rey 2003

Flinx's Folly ©..................................................................................Del Rey 2003

The Chronicles of Riddick.........................................Del Rey 2004

Sliding Scales ©...........................................................................Del Rey 2004

Lost and Found...............................................................................Del Rey 2004

The Light-Years Beneath My Feet.....................................Del Rey 2005

Running from the Deity ©.......................................................Del Rey 2005

The Candle of Distant Earth..................................................Del Rey 2006

Sagramanda....................................................................................Pyr, 2006

Trouble Magnet ©........................................................................Del Rey 2006

The Deavys.......................................................................................

Patrimony ©.....................................................................................Del Rey 2007

Exceptions to Reality(collection)............................................Del Rey 2007

Quofum ©...........................................................................................Del Rey 2007

Ghosts of Yesterday (with David Cian)...................................................................Del Rey 2007

Transformers...................................................................Del Rey 2007

Flinx Transcendent ©...................................................................Del Rey 2008

Novels

 

[Tom]

ALIEN RACES


AAnn (AAnn Empire: capitol is Blasusarr)
Sallow-skinned, reptilian beings, about as tall as the average human. They are covered in scales, with large ventral plates on the belly. Clawed four-fingered hands, sharp teeth, short snouts, excellent eyesight. The tail is several feet long and narrows to a whip-like tip. The eyes are slitted, with double eyelids evolved to protect against blowing sand. The female has wider hips than the male. They prefer dry, desert-like worlds with low humidity

Astuet (?)
Semi-intelligent. No description currently available.

Branner (Branner Systems)
No description currently available.

Canali (?)
Primitive race. No description currently available.

Cetacea (Cachalot)
Whales, dolphins, orcas, and porposes native to Terra, transplanted to Cachalot and intelligence- enhanced.

CunsnaC (Cachalot)
Starship-sized and spherical, they glow with natural illumination, pale yellow in color. Cilia line much of the epidermis. The internal structure is very complex with organs moving about. Each organ is a different color; most are pastels.
Foranian (Foran III)
No description currently available.

Deyzara (Fluva, other worlds)
Short, big-eyed, and hard-worker, Deyzara can be found on many worlds doing the work other species can't be bothered with...and doing it well. Oval skulls sport two appendages: one on top for breathing, that allows them to "snorkel" in water, and a second protruding from the approximate chin region that is used for eating and speaking.

G'Dimian (G'Dim)
No description currently available.

Golden Saia (Tran-Ky-Ky)
A warm-weather variety of the Tran species. The fur is sparse and thin, bare in some places, and butter-yellow in color, with spots of gold and brown. They have no wings or skating-claws.

Human (Terra)
Upright biped. Hands have four fingers an opposible thumb. The epidermis comes invarious shades of brown, and body hair is light and sparce, except in certain areas.

Largessian (Largess)
Quasi-pinnipedian, but larger than Terran analogs, with a bigger head and prehensile hands.

Mai (Horseye)
Slim humanoids with six-fingered hands. They are smaller than Terrans. They have small ears and eyes.

Midworlder (Midworld)
Human, smaller than normal, with lightly-greenish skin and longer, nearly prehensile toes.

Mothian (Moth)
Fur-covered, possibly humanoid.

Ma'Atahl (?)
No description currently available.

Mutable (?)
Possibly a Xunca construct. Its natural state is a four-meter tall silvery column with two grey spots near the top. The skin feels like warm vinyl, constantly in motion. They are very heavy. A true shape-changer, they can change shape, size, and color to match anything. The internal arrangement is said to besimilar to stone.

Na (Horseye)
The males are four meters tall, with leathery skin and thick hair. The head has a low forehead and a blunt snout, and the mouth has four canine teeth, two upper and two lower, and a dark tongue. The children are said to be ugly.

Otoid (Alaspin)
Vaguely humanoid, about half as tall as a man. Full body fur except for the tail, which is bare. Each had has ten fingers, with three joints to each finger. The eyes reflect green.

Pitar (Pitar System)
Human to 96.3%. They are well-formed, handsome and muscular.

Primate (Carson's World)
Small and monkey-like, with two six-toed feet.

Quillp (Chikasakasoo)
A rounded, swaybacked body on two long, feathered legs. The knobby knees are at the height of a man's waist. A long, thin neck ends at an elongated skull with a short, curved, inflexible beak in front, ruffled plumage behind. Long, thin arms evolved from wings. No external ears.

Sakuntala (Fluva)
Two meters and taller. Fine gray fur mottled in many colors. Long, pointed ears set on sides of head provide superb hearing. Extremely lean musculature evolved for living in trees. Traditionally combative, especially among themselves.

Sumacrea (Longtunnel)
Bipedal, human-sized. Blind, aboriginal troglodyte tunnel dwellers.

Thranx (Hivehom)
Insectoid, about a meter-and-a-half in length when down on all six legs. Color is blue in males, aquamarine in females. Chitin color deepens to purple in old age. Vestigal double set of wings, ritually removed after mating. The head is valentine-shaped, with large, compound golden eyes sometimes banded with red. Four pairs of appendages; two truhands, four trulegs, and a set of intermediaries that can function as an additional pair of arms or legs. Most are terrified of substantial bodies of water, though some have learned to overcome this particular innate racial fear.

Tolian (Tolus Prime)
About one and a third meters tall. Resembles an oversized, portly raccoon. The hands have six fingers, and are at the ends of massive forearms. The rear feet are webbed. The face has no "mask", the ears are sharply pointed, and the brow is high and intelligent.

Tran (Tran-Ky-Ky)
Somewhat taller than a human, but much broader. Thick arms end with three fingers and a thumb. Folded, membranous wings are between the wrist and waist (called a "dan"). The feet are short, with three elongated toes. Each toe has an elongated nail that folds back, forming a skate. The fourth toe is at the back of the heel, and is used as a brake while skating. The body is covered with steel-grey fur that is short and soft. The face has slitted, yellow eyes with black pupils. The face has a broad flat nose, a high brow, and a wide mouth with both flat and pointed teeth. The ears are triangular. A few Tran have black fur over the muzzle and on the eartips. Some males grow beards. The females have humanoid breasts, and the breasts are also fur-covered.

Troglodyte (Long Tunnel)
No description currently available.

Tsla (Horseye)
As tall as Terrans. covered with short brown fur, except for the forearms and forelegs. The neck is curved forward. They have a tail and six stubby fingers per hand. The ears are round and set on top of the head. A 1/4 meter flexible snout has nostrils on the end. The mouth is underneath. Eyes are large and brown.

Ujurrian (Ulru-Ujurr)
Ursanoid mammal, many times larger than a man, and two or three times as broad. Dense brown fur with black and white splotches. The head has a flat muzzle and a tiny nose, large eyes, and small rounded ears on top. They have short, thick claws and seven-digit members. The Ujurrian is capable of walking on all fours or erect.

Unop-Patha (Unatha)
No description currently available.

Vssey (Jast)
Vssey are about a meter and a half in height. Roughly cylindrical in shape, the lower body, or stem, is roughly two-thirds of a meter in diameter. At the creature's base, this spreads out and separates into four short, stubby, opposing, toe-like flaps of flesh. The body itself is ridged with ligaments and muscles. At the upper end, it expands outward into a meter-wide flattened dome that resembles an ancient human umbrella. The overhanging, circular edge of this dome is fringed with manipulative, prehensile tentacles. The Vssey are a slow-moving but especially dexterous species. There is no neck. Near the crown of the dome a pair of eyes emerge on short, independently swiveling stalks allow the Vssey to see in any direction, as well as in any two directions at once. Located above the flexing tentacles but well below the eyes, in place of readily recognizable ears, is a narrow comb-like ribbon of erect, dull orange membrane that runs around the entire circumference of the dome, making up in extent what it lacks in height. Below the eyes is a slit of a mouth that, when open, reveals two sets of flat grinding plates for chewing food. The asexual Vssey reproduce by individual budding. In place of family, they tend to aggregate in mutual support groups of which three is the minimum number.

--- EXTINCT RACES ---
Alaspinian (Alaspin)
No description currently available.

Comagravian (Comagrave)
Tall, slim humanoids with horizontally slitted eyes.

Hur'rikku (? Shapely Center)
About half human-size, with three sexes. Taxonomy undetermined.

Tar-Aiym (? Somewhere in the Blight)
Looks somewhat like a cross between a Kodiak bear and a crab. Large and powerful. The trunk is broad and deep. Lines of muscle are visible in bare patches. Most of the body is covered with centimeters-long bristly white fur, that changes to light brown in spots. Plastrons of shell cover the chest, with in color. The fur there is less dense. It has four thick, jointed, armored, bare legs. Two arms are tentacles that branch immediately in two, and again 4/5 of the way down to become digits. The head has a curved, white beak, and four eyes. The eyes are set on either side of the beak; two large ones with slitted pupils in front, and small, round-pupiled ones on the sides. The eyelids are fur-covered. No external evidence of ears or nostrils.

Vom (Origin unkown)
Black, amoeba-like creature several thousands of square meters in size. It has no visible organs.

Xunca (Origin unkown)
No description currently available.

 

[Tom]

WEAPONRY


CATAGORIES:
Hand Weapons
Surface Weapons
Interspace Weapons
--- HAND WEAPONS ---
Charged-Particle Pistol
Thranx weapon that fires explosive pellets capable of destroying chiton.

Dart Pistol
Made of black metal. Fires compact explosive shells, or organic darts that dissolve in the bloodstream so both dart and toxin become indetectable.

Electrocution Gun
A supercooled dense battery pack supplies power. The gun fires a nail-paring sized needle with a wire attached. The wire acts as a guide and delivers the lethal charge. A good shot can fire accurately around several corners.

Hornet VI Needle Thrower
A slim, possibly magnetically-powered weapon.

Laser Pistol
A versatile weapon, and part of a standard survival belt. It is capable of killing a man at 500 meters, or cooking a steak at 1. Other uses include burning and welding, and at widest angle is a powerful flashlight. It has a power dial on one side, and needs periodic recharging. Also known as a Beamer.

Needler
Fires a tightly-focused beam of energy about the diameter of a pencil. The radiation used is outside the visible spectrum, though on some models a faint greenish glow can be observed in a darkened room.

Neuronic Pistol
An energy weapon with a wide angle of effect. A near-miss causes a painful tingling sensation. An almost-hit would cause a man to shake himself to death in uncontrollable muscle spasms. A direct hit in the heart or brain kills instantly.

Paralysis Beamer
Pistol fires a bolt of light that causes paralysis of the muscles. It is dangerous to use on a person with a heart condition, or on a small animal. The effect is dispersed over distance, and not very accurate. The beam does not affect inanimate objects.

Paxton 5
A heavy, thick-bodied weapon that launches self-propelled missiles with explosive warheads. Rather clumsy and awkward at short range.

Phonic Stilleto
Has a small, greyish handle easily concealed in the hand. It generates a short cone of high-intensity sound capable of cutting through anything. It is said to be impossible to detect or guard against.

Pulsepopper
A hand gun that fires fist-sized globes of red fire. Whatever is hit by the globe is consumed in a flash of fire.

Sikambi
A weapon like a blowgun, but powered by an elastic band. Used by the Otoids of Alaspin. Not very accurate.

Secun Vibraknife
Battery-powered, with a vibrating blade. It is capable of cutting many metals and most plastics. Ceramics are immune, however.

Slider
Hand gun attached to forearm-mounted, muscule-sensitized rail for rapid deployment.

Snuffler
Used by the colonists on Midworld. It is a tube of green wood, 1.5 meters long, I cm at the tip, 6 cms at the butt. The butt opens to let the operator insert a poisonous Jacari Thorn and a gas-filled Tank Seed. When the trigger is pressed, an ironwood needle punctures the seed, forcing the thorn out at a fair velocity. The weapon seems to be very accurate.

Spilk
Lightweight body armor. Wears and flexes like ordinary clothing. Derived from synthesized, genetically-modified spider silk.

Stinger
A Thranx weapon that throws a bolt of electricity.

Zhaloo
A heavy, spiked club used by the Mai on Horseye.

--- SURFACE WEAPONS ---
Beam Cannon
Mounted on a skimmer, with a color of dull antimony. It has a barrel 2.5 meters long attached to a device of ceramics, glassalloy, and spun metal. It fires a beam of azure color, and has a range at least 10 times that of a hand beamer.

Gelsite Torpedos
Used on Church submarines. Possibly a concussion weapon.

Kelite
A very high explosive. It is brown in color, and electrically activated. 100 grams is enough to kill everyone in a fairly large space. Used by the Commonwealth, but also known by the AAnn.

Mark XX Blaster
Tripod-mounted, with a separate battery pack. It fires green bolts of very high energy.

Molecular Debonder
Possibly a beam weapon, but lately new evidence indicates it may be psionic. It affects interatomic bonds, and cannot be detected by ordinary scanners. Very secret.

--- INTERSPACE WEAPONS ---
Anticollapsar Weapon
Invented by the Hur'rikku, it is about 100 meters in length, and 30 in diameter. It is rusty brown in color, and covered in script. There are bumps and holes in some spots, and things like antennae on each end. The key to activating the device is an intelligent living (?) machine-creature. It splits into four parts that match areas on the device, and fits itself into them. Openings in the surface are gateways to an antimatter universe. Any matter placed into such an opening triggers the device. It releases the pent-up energy that has been building since the device was created. The energy comes together in a "slingshot effect" that pierces a hole into the other universe. The energy in the other universe spills into ours, and annihilation of matter occurs on a very large scale.

Explosive Projectiles
Carried on Commonwealth Navy KK-drive ships.

Implosion Weapons
Carried on Commonwealth Navy KK-drive ships.

Interspace Laser
Carried on KK-drive ships; both Navy and private. It is mounted on a wide belt that circles the ship, so it can be aimed in any direction. The control console has a standard configuration, and is mounted in a self-contained blister. The beam is green, and is capable of effect over a distance of 3,000,000 kilometers.

Krang
Built by the Tar-Aiym. It is a rectangular pyramid, about I by 3 kilometers, and about 12 km high. It rests on a circular base. It is 150 meters thick, with rounded corners inside. The door is 20 meters thick, and 30 high. The building is probably composed of metal- reinforced polyceramic. The door opens automatically for even one person, provided that person carries at least one item of recognizably worked metal. The air inside is humanx-normal; the light is dimmer and blue-green; the temperature is warm and mild. Inside, a row of Aiym-normal seats are arranged in an ampitheatre surrounding a raised platform. A transparent dome covers a couch within; a smaller dome covers one end of the couch. Chromatically colored pipes run from the dome to the ceiling, and alcoves with controls are located along the back wall. Walkways extend downward to unguessed levels. An "A-Class" mind is necessary to operate the Krang at full power. It uses music to key operations. The Krang generates a high-intensity gravity fiel d that can be focused within 2 meters of a target anywhere within several light-years. It uses the planet's two windglitter layers to generate a sonic shield for planetary defense. The Krang is a semi-sentient being in its own right.

Paralysis Beam
A close-range weapon that immobilizes life forms.

SCCAM Missile
SCCAM is an acronym for Severely Concentrated and Catastrophic Accelerated Motion. It consists of a small thermonuclear device and a KK-drive. The missile's casing is made of Osmiridium. It is launched using a stingship's own drive field. At a safe distance the missile's own drive is activated. The missile is attracted to another ship's drive field; and the two interacting fields, coupled with a fusion explosion, destoy the ship. The system is incapable of a near-miss.

Surface-to-Space Laser
A ground-based system used for protection at Church Task Force bases.

 

[Tom]

SUBSTANCES


CATAGORIES:
Chemicals, Drugs, Medicines and Poisons
Mineralogy
Artificial Materials
--- Chemicals, Drugs, Medicines and Poisons ---

Aelo
An artificially-produced illegal drug that requires large production facilities and extensive chemical knowledge.

Aelo-Vyacine
Used in surgery to slow the Thranx heartbeat to near-zero without ill effect.

Bloodhype
White, crystalline narcotic, derived from the Hyperion Tree on Annubis. Also called Jaster, Brain-Up, Phinto, and Silly Salt. The drug is comprised of odorless, clear rhombohedral crystals with a glassy luster. Concoidal fracture, with the lines of fracture turning blue. The darker the blue, the more pure the sample. It affects any creature with a complex nervous system and a circulatory system. The drug affects the nerve endings all over the body, distorting the information received, and giving a pleasurable sensation. A moderate dose produces a "fire fit": an intense burning sensation. Once exposed, physical addiction is certain. Withdrawal symptoms begin about 72 hours after exposure. Symptoms are: a loss of coordination, severe emotional changes, and erratic heart and muscle action. After 144 hours the chance of a painful death rise to 98%. A cure is possible, using advanced medical machinery to stabilize the physical condition until the drug is flushed from the body, but it is not always a success. Direct injection of the highly illegal drug is the most common method of application, but inhaling also works.

Brain-Enhancement Serum
Discovered on Terra in 2270 A.D.. It allowed the Cetacea to utilize all of their brain.

Cerebroneural Depressant
A fancy term for "sleeping pill". Possibly part of a standard survival belt.

Chaga Perfume
A nice scent derived from the Chaga plant on Midworld.

Debiojection
Standard contraceptive, administered at regular intervals.

Emodrugs
Administered in a series of numbered capsules that remove the natural emotional safeguards from the mind. The capsules contain complex hormones taylored to a specific emotion. The intensity of the effect is determined by the interval between capsules. The effect lasts about 36 hours. While the emodrugs themselves are probably not addictive, their effect can be. The sale of emodrugs is legal, but stand on shaky moral ground.

Energy Pills
Part of a standard survival belt.

Exene
Reduced from formicary foam in the oceans of Cachalot. It is an enzyme that scours clean the circulatory system, and prevents strokes. Very useful in surgery.

Felturney
An illegal drug; possibly artificial.

Felturney-B An illegal drug, related to Feltumey. Probably artificial.

Heightened Instinctual Perception Drugs
The production and distribution of the HIPnosis drugs is very carefully watched. A black-market variety is availible, but is most likely to cause phyisical damage. The prime use is on SCCAM Stingships. The drug has differing effects on the human and thranx systems. Human-hpightens perceptions, and removes inhibitions (both natural and artificial) on the "killer instinct". One side effect is a feeling of euphoria while under the drug's influence. Thranx-heightens perceptions, and stimulates the natural split-second decision making and logical evaluation abilities. The Antidote leaves an aftertaste, and a feeling of lethargy, and a weakening of the limbs.

Heroin
Illegal drug first used on Terra.

Immortality Extract
Obtaned from burls found on certain trees on Midworld. The drug gives the taker a doubled lifespan. It is comprised of very complex proteins, and is impossible to synthesize.

Jreal
An addictive drug, used by the Mai on Horseye.

Mak
An artificially produced illegal drug.

Medical Gelatin
Translucent white in color, used to support a patient's weight.

Minidrag Venom
Corrosive and very toxic nerve poison, death occurs within 100 seconds. An Antidote does exist, but the odds of getting it to the victim are very poor.

Mithrah
An illegal drug.

Pollus
An illegal drug.

Projector Polish
A liquid used to polish the projecting fan of a starship. Said to be poisonous.

Sugarsalt Solution
Part of a standart survival belt.

Thryacin
Medicine used for gout in animals.

Tizone
A drug so illegal, few people know of its existence.

Tween
Illegal drug.

Vol Dung
Used to poison the tips of arrows on Tran-Ky-Ky.

--- MINERALOGY ---
Adamantine
Yellow-green stone used as building material on Alaspin.

Bronine Rainbow Craters
Mined on Evoria. May be a surrounding material for Diamond.

Calcedony
Mineral found on Terra and Willow-Wane.

Carnelian
Mineral found on Terra and Willow-Wane.

Cerulean
Mineral found on Terra and Willow-Wane.

Chromite
Black mineral used for chrome-plating. Found on Terra and Hivehom.

Citrine
Crystal found on Terra, and other worlds. Orange in color.

Cobalt
Mined on Terra and Hivehom. Radioactive metal.

Crysorillium
Rare, heavy metal that looks like irridescent Azurite, but greener and much harder. Found on Alaspin, but is rare on other worlds. The Thranx name is Fonheese, or Devoriar Metal.

Diamond
Pure, crystalized carbon. Mined in Kimberlite on Terra. Found also on Alaspin, and possibly on Evoria. An opalized variety is found on Alaspin. Used in jewelry and industry.

Dilyonite
Very durable material. Whether stone or metal is uncertain.

Emerald
A normally green gemstone, but a black variety is found on Alaspin.

Gniess
A mineral similar to Granite; found on Terra and Moth.

Granite
Common Igneous rock used for building material. The Alaspinian variety is gold-tinged, and contains a higher proportion of mica.

Hallowseye
Rare gemstone found in streambeds on Moth, and perhaps other planets. It is an electric orange in color, made of a basic alumina-silicate. Size of individual stones is from 212 carats up. With proper fasceting, a gem displays an amazing similacrum of a human eye. After being cut, the gem generates an emotional response within the observer due to the peculiar piezoelectric fields within the stone.

Hematite
Black mineral formed in filaments.

Iridium
Fairly expensive metal. Filigree plating used as decoration.

Janus Jewel
A very unique silicate as hard as corundum, with a hollow interior filled with a thick fluid. The fluid has proved impossible to synthesize. Possibly a unique mineralogical mutation, the only known mine is on Ulru-Ujurr. The 'gems were formed in pockets of volcanic gas, and lie in a different type of material from the mountain. The interior fluid has impurities, showing up as different-colored motes drifting within. Smaller crystals have one color, though up to five are known. Once broken, a stone cannot be repaired. A break in the intricate crystal-liquid structure detroys the stone's individual piezoeclectric potential. The jewel glows with a soft inner light. Using a headset and certain electronics, an operator can use mind power to create pictures within the stone using the impurities. The jewels can have a hypnotic "play" programmed into it.

Junite
Metal found on Tran-Ky-Ky. May be an untranslated word for a known material.

Kunzite
Expensive, luminous crystal, used as decoration.

Linedie
Usually found with Hallowseye. It is a different type of silicate, though an expert is needed to tell the raw stones apart. It does not generate an electric field. Also called False Hallowseye and Idiot's Delight.

Obsidian
A glass formed by volcanos. Usually a very dark green in color, with extremely sharp edges. Found on Terra, Willow-Wane, and Tran-Ky-Ky.

Ozmidene
Has a comparative hardness rating of 14. It is found in volcanic vents of green clay. Color ranges from bright green to violet. Mined on Drax IV, and Mantis, and is used by the natives of Tran-Ky-Ky as barter with the humanx outpost. One famous specimen is the Green Nova, from the Drax IV mine. It is about the size of a man's fist, and priceless.

Pegmatite
White mineral used in paving stones on Horseye.

Phyllite
Grey-white stone found in the High Desert on Moth.

Platiniridium
Possibly a combination of Platinum and Iridium. Found on Alaspin.

Rose Crystal
Used in carvings. Possibly found on Repler III.

Sapphire
Blue gemstone found on Terra and Alaspin.

Schist
The type found on Horseye is dark, and much older than the Tenran counterpart.

Spodumene
Luminous crystal used in decoration. Possibly expensive.

Star Ruby
Red gemstone similar to Sapphire, with a star shape reflected within it.

Sunit
A very heavy dull grey metal of the Platinum group, an isotope of Indium. Under proper conditions it is exothermic (self-heating), and this property is possibly variable.

Tanzanite
Gemstone found on Alaspin, and perhaps other worlds. Used in jewelry.

Topaz
Gemstone used in jewelry. Found on Terra and Moth.

Vanadinite
Red crystal usually found with Quartz Crystal.

Vanadium
Orange-red crystal used in jewelry.

Visiron
Metal found on Tran-Ky-Ky. Possibly an untranslated word for a known metal.

Vulcanite
Possibly a metal. Used in jewelry.

-- ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS --
Ceramisteel
A fusing of ceramics and steel. Used in knives.

Duralloy
A grey material that is extremely tough, and will hold an edge indefinitely. An electrodyne forge is necessary to mold duralloy. A sufficient impact will shatter it, and with the proper leverage it can be bent. Used to make hulls for starships, shuttles, boats, and blades for survival knives.

Glassteel
A fusing of glass and steel. Used in windshields.

Polyplexalloy
A transparent material that is extremely tough. Used in windshields. Also called Plexalloy.

Steelamic
A fusing of steel and ceramic. The difference between Steelamic and Ceramisteel may be in the proportions of steel and ceramic.

 

[Tom]

WELCOME TO ALAN DEAN FOSTER.COM

LATEST UPDATE: 1 DECEMBER 07
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Hello- my name is Alan Dean Foster. I've been trying to see as much of this planet as possible, and using my imagination to examine worlds beyond it. Worlds both possible (science-fiction) and impossible (fantasy). Some of you have been kind enough to travel along with me in the books and stories I've set down about those travels. Some have even expressed an interest in knowing a little more about them, and about me. Hence this little website, that I hope you will enjoy.

Every month, on the Update page, I will try to provide some background on my stories, their origin, on how certain characters and plots and places were arrived at - general background information on my writing that appears nowhere else. If you have a specific question, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll try to answer as many as I can. There will also be periodic updates to the bibliographic material, and information on forthcoming works.
Thank you for your interest.