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Tractrix
When aerospace engineer and recent widower Frank Morton wins an $86 million lottery jackpot, he decides to retire and devote his time to a life-long interest in ancient mysteries. Coincidently, an old Viet Nam buddy shows up with a mysterious black sphere inscribed with what appear to be Maya hieroglyphics. Intrigued, Frank convinces his buddy and two other friends, an anthropologist and a newspaper researcher, to help him investigate the origin and purpose of the sphere. Their search takes Frank and his friends on a journey from Seattle to the secret military installations of Nevada and on to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Along the way, they become involved in a murder investigation and attract the unwanted attention of government agents, Mexican Federales and an ancient Maya priest. They also stumble across a three thousand year old secret that suggests a possible link between the shamans of Mesoamerica and a race of alien explorers.
332 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Archer
9 books11 followersFriends, there's a new easy link for La Paz author R.J. Archer: www.rjarcherbooks.com.
Mystery/adventure thrillers with a SciFi twist.
You're also invited to the series' Facebook pages at www.Facebook.com/ParallelOps and www.Facebook.com/SeedsOfCivilization.
Mystery/adventure series Seeds Of Civilization:
A twist of fate changes everything for widower Frank Morton, a Seattle aerospace engineer. An unexpected windfall lifts him from the depths of despair and a friend’s surprise call sets him on a path he hadn’t considered since his bachelor years. He revisits boxes that hold years of abandoned research about “unexplained” archeological mysteries and then sets off to follow the trail of a mysterious artifact handed him by his friend. His path of discovery leads Frank to believe that many civilizations—much earlier than Mesopotamia—once existed on Earth and that each met a cataclysmic fate. Did alien visitors arrive to “jumpstart” human civilization again and again? In this trilogy, Frank and a group of friends uncover clues in Mexico, Japan and the Bermuda Triangle and come up with answers that are truly ”out of this world.”
My March 2008 release: TRIANGLE, the third and last novel in the Seeds Of Civilization series (Mystery/adventure with a SciFi twist). Look for it in all major online stores and IndieBound affiliate sites.
As with the first two books in this series, the storyline of Triangle is drawn from a real, unexplained archaeological mystery. The ruins off the coast of Cuba were first reported in July, 2000, and underwater archaeological research in the Bahamas may soon change the history of human civilizations. By the time you finish this book, it may have to be classified as fact rather than fiction!
_________________________
Exotic places around the world, international terrorists, alien encounters –
When Frank Morton cashed a winning lottery ticket in Salem, Oregon back in 2001, no one could have imagined the chain of events that would follow!
Beginning with R.J. Archer’s TRACTRIX from his Seeds of Civilization series and concluding with his new Parallel Ops series climax, The TEACHERS—
Seven novels accelerate to a spectacular finish. Time is running out—are you ready?
__________________________
Author R.J. Archer is a computer consultant and freelance writer who has called the Pacific Northwest home for more than 30 years. His non-fiction works include TheMegaBlog.com, an online blog that focuses on underwater archaeology in the Caribbean, and numerous articles on PC-related topics in both print and e-magazines. He currently writes for several popular technical Web sites and participates in Microsoft’s beta testing program.
Mr. Archer holds a Bachelor of Science degree with dual majors in Physics and Mathematics and he is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. His interests include computing, alternative history and scuba diving. When not writing, he can usually be found traveling Mexico and the Caribbean with his wife, Marty.
Websites:
www.SeedsOfCivilization.com
www.ParallelOps.com
www.MySpace.com/SeedsOfCivilization
www.TheMegaBlog.com
Mystery/adventure thrillers with a SciFi twist.
You're also invited to the series' Facebook pages at www.Facebook.com/ParallelOps and www.Facebook.com/SeedsOfCivilization.
Mystery/adventure series Seeds Of Civilization:
A twist of fate changes everything for widower Frank Morton, a Seattle aerospace engineer. An unexpected windfall lifts him from the depths of despair and a friend’s surprise call sets him on a path he hadn’t considered since his bachelor years. He revisits boxes that hold years of abandoned research about “unexplained” archeological mysteries and then sets off to follow the trail of a mysterious artifact handed him by his friend. His path of discovery leads Frank to believe that many civilizations—much earlier than Mesopotamia—once existed on Earth and that each met a cataclysmic fate. Did alien visitors arrive to “jumpstart” human civilization again and again? In this trilogy, Frank and a group of friends uncover clues in Mexico, Japan and the Bermuda Triangle and come up with answers that are truly ”out of this world.”
My March 2008 release: TRIANGLE, the third and last novel in the Seeds Of Civilization series (Mystery/adventure with a SciFi twist). Look for it in all major online stores and IndieBound affiliate sites.
As with the first two books in this series, the storyline of Triangle is drawn from a real, unexplained archaeological mystery. The ruins off the coast of Cuba were first reported in July, 2000, and underwater archaeological research in the Bahamas may soon change the history of human civilizations. By the time you finish this book, it may have to be classified as fact rather than fiction!
_________________________
Exotic places around the world, international terrorists, alien encounters –
When Frank Morton cashed a winning lottery ticket in Salem, Oregon back in 2001, no one could have imagined the chain of events that would follow!
Beginning with R.J. Archer’s TRACTRIX from his Seeds of Civilization series and concluding with his new Parallel Ops series climax, The TEACHERS—
Seven novels accelerate to a spectacular finish. Time is running out—are you ready?
__________________________
Author R.J. Archer is a computer consultant and freelance writer who has called the Pacific Northwest home for more than 30 years. His non-fiction works include TheMegaBlog.com, an online blog that focuses on underwater archaeology in the Caribbean, and numerous articles on PC-related topics in both print and e-magazines. He currently writes for several popular technical Web sites and participates in Microsoft’s beta testing program.
Mr. Archer holds a Bachelor of Science degree with dual majors in Physics and Mathematics and he is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. His interests include computing, alternative history and scuba diving. When not writing, he can usually be found traveling Mexico and the Caribbean with his wife, Marty.
Websites:
www.SeedsOfCivilization.com
www.ParallelOps.com
www.MySpace.com/SeedsOfCivilization
www.TheMegaBlog.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 30, 2013
Aerospace engineer Frank Morton’s world is on a collision course with the universe and little does he know what turn of events are going to shape the rest of his life. A recent widower, Frank unexpectedly wins an 86 million dollar lottery jackpot. Almost simultaneously an old Viet Nam buddy shows up with a mysterious black sphere inscribed with hieroglyphics that seem very Mayan in origin. More than intrigued, Frank convinces his buddy and two other friends, an anthropologist and a newspaper researcher, to help him investigate this mysterious Mayan sphere. Purpose and exact origin are the two things Frank wants to pinpoint, because once the sphere comes into his possession his world is suddenly turned upside down and inside out.
Frank and his friends’ investigation takes them on a journey from Seattle to a secret military installation in Nevada with the trail leading to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. But their travels are not as secretive as they hope; government agents are watching and waiting. They also draw the attention of Mexican Federales and an ancient Maya priest. Black spheres and dead bodies start popping up. Frank and his team have stumbled across a three thousand year old secret that suggests links between shamans of Mesoamerica and a race of alien explorers.
R. J. Archer has crafted a fine novel with Tractrix. If you like Clive Cussler’s writing you will certainly love R. J. Archer’s mesh of historical facts and culture with theories and speculations that have intrigued man for several decades. This is only the first book in the installment to THE SEEDS OF CIVILIZATION series. This is a great first effort. Keep watch for the next book, it’s sure to be a page turner as well.
Frank and his friends’ investigation takes them on a journey from Seattle to a secret military installation in Nevada with the trail leading to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. But their travels are not as secretive as they hope; government agents are watching and waiting. They also draw the attention of Mexican Federales and an ancient Maya priest. Black spheres and dead bodies start popping up. Frank and his team have stumbled across a three thousand year old secret that suggests links between shamans of Mesoamerica and a race of alien explorers.
R. J. Archer has crafted a fine novel with Tractrix. If you like Clive Cussler’s writing you will certainly love R. J. Archer’s mesh of historical facts and culture with theories and speculations that have intrigued man for several decades. This is only the first book in the installment to THE SEEDS OF CIVILIZATION series. This is a great first effort. Keep watch for the next book, it’s sure to be a page turner as well.
January 29, 2008
This review originally appeared my website.
Meticulously detailed, scientifically imagined
In Tractrix, the first novel in the Seeds of Civilization series, R.J. Archer develops a story set in modern times, with the added premise that highly developed civilizations were on Earth many thousands of years ago (ala Graham Hancock et al). His story develops as a scientific mystery, with the just-forming NWIDI team (like yet unlike Clive Cussler’s NUMA team) racing and researching to solve the mystery of black spheres with Mayan (or older) writings on them, an adventure which takes them through Mayan/Olmec ruins and Area51 (or is it?). Modern Mayans are dying as they bring these spheres from their homeland to Nevada, and the NWIDI team tries to discover what motivates them to bring them, how they are getting them there and what is killing them, while keeping various government agencies close (but not too close).
The Clive Cussler parallels continue with Frank Morton, the main hero of the book, who is more educated that Dirk Pitt but also has a military background. Frank recruits ancient scholars, researchers and his former military buddy to help him chase down this mystery.
Mr. Archer’s writing is meticulously detailed, reminding me with his descriptions of engineers I know, how they work and the actions they take. His characterizations are well done.
I look forward to reading Tsubute, the 2nd novel in the series. Highly recommended for Clive Cussler fans, those interested in ancient civilizations or anyone looking for an entertaining read with likeable characters.
Meticulously detailed, scientifically imagined
In Tractrix, the first novel in the Seeds of Civilization series, R.J. Archer develops a story set in modern times, with the added premise that highly developed civilizations were on Earth many thousands of years ago (ala Graham Hancock et al). His story develops as a scientific mystery, with the just-forming NWIDI team (like yet unlike Clive Cussler’s NUMA team) racing and researching to solve the mystery of black spheres with Mayan (or older) writings on them, an adventure which takes them through Mayan/Olmec ruins and Area51 (or is it?). Modern Mayans are dying as they bring these spheres from their homeland to Nevada, and the NWIDI team tries to discover what motivates them to bring them, how they are getting them there and what is killing them, while keeping various government agencies close (but not too close).
The Clive Cussler parallels continue with Frank Morton, the main hero of the book, who is more educated that Dirk Pitt but also has a military background. Frank recruits ancient scholars, researchers and his former military buddy to help him chase down this mystery.
Mr. Archer’s writing is meticulously detailed, reminding me with his descriptions of engineers I know, how they work and the actions they take. His characterizations are well done.
I look forward to reading Tsubute, the 2nd novel in the series. Highly recommended for Clive Cussler fans, those interested in ancient civilizations or anyone looking for an entertaining read with likeable characters.
July 25, 2011
Tractrix is the first book in R.J. Archer’s Seeds of Civilization series, and it falls into the category of stories that I like the most -- ancient astronauts. Being my favorite category, it is also the category of which I am most critical. This book did not disappoint.
Tractrix has a bit of everything: mystery, action, and even a little romance. The story pulled me in right away with the introduction of Frank and his lottery winnings. Each chapter did a fantastic job at introducing new elements while providing the satisfaction of resolving some small outstanding mystery. I did not want to put the book down.
...
*** Read the entire review, originally published on Sift Book Reviews: http://siftbookreviews.blogspot.com/2... ***
Review by: Kevin of Sift Book Reviews
Sift Book Reviews received a free copy for review from the author. This has, in no way, affected the reviewer's opinion.
Tractrix has a bit of everything: mystery, action, and even a little romance. The story pulled me in right away with the introduction of Frank and his lottery winnings. Each chapter did a fantastic job at introducing new elements while providing the satisfaction of resolving some small outstanding mystery. I did not want to put the book down.
...
*** Read the entire review, originally published on Sift Book Reviews: http://siftbookreviews.blogspot.com/2... ***
Review by: Kevin of Sift Book Reviews
Sift Book Reviews received a free copy for review from the author. This has, in no way, affected the reviewer's opinion.
August 13, 2016
I love Sci Fi that related to UFO's and this book was right on the money. It reminded me a bit of the Area 51 books that were mentioned in the book. Good story line and writing. The story really has no final ending, like most UFO stories do, but is still good. We know what happened and that the US Gov't covered it up and that's that.
July 15, 2015
Brilliant!
October 10, 2009
"A Lot of Fun:
In the tradition Indiana Jones and the X-files, Archer takes us on a grand adventure exploring Mayan ruins and ‘Area 51.’. . . Overall this is a great first novel. This book is a fun, quick read and suitable for most ages."
William Black, Amazon reviewer
“What would you do if you won an $86 million lottery jackpot?
In Archer’s... novel, his lead character, a Seattle aerospace engineer, chooses to explore the unexplained.”
PSU Magazine, Off the Shelf, Fall 2004
“Indiana Jones meets Chariots of the Gods!”
scifidimensions.com Honorable Mention 2002 Hugo (Best Web Site)
“Fasten your seatbelts for an engaging joyride through a labyrinth of riddles involving the ancient Maya, a U.S. military installation in the Nevada desert, and alien explorers from centuries past. Tractrix is a fast-paced yarn, based on intriguing historical perspective, and it’s sure to keep you guessing...
right up until its surprising conclusion.”
Al Lohner, Portland writer and author of Avalon
“Many people don’t look to the small independent presses for authors to try. This is perhaps one of the biggest losses to the reader as there are some hidden gems awaiting discovery, using Tractrix as an example... R.J. Archer, I believe is one of the authors to watch and I eagerly await the further exploits of the NWIDI adventurers.”
Gareth Wilson, Book Reviewer, Falcata Times, The Sci-Fi Fantasy Site
"Tractrix is a superb sci-fi novel complete with mystery, suspense, and adventure...
A delightful cross between Indiana Jones and the X-Files, this book definitely gets my recommendation."
Libby, partner, AuthorExposure.com
In the tradition Indiana Jones and the X-files, Archer takes us on a grand adventure exploring Mayan ruins and ‘Area 51.’. . . Overall this is a great first novel. This book is a fun, quick read and suitable for most ages."
William Black, Amazon reviewer
“What would you do if you won an $86 million lottery jackpot?
In Archer’s... novel, his lead character, a Seattle aerospace engineer, chooses to explore the unexplained.”
PSU Magazine, Off the Shelf, Fall 2004
“Indiana Jones meets Chariots of the Gods!”
scifidimensions.com Honorable Mention 2002 Hugo (Best Web Site)
“Fasten your seatbelts for an engaging joyride through a labyrinth of riddles involving the ancient Maya, a U.S. military installation in the Nevada desert, and alien explorers from centuries past. Tractrix is a fast-paced yarn, based on intriguing historical perspective, and it’s sure to keep you guessing...
right up until its surprising conclusion.”
Al Lohner, Portland writer and author of Avalon
“Many people don’t look to the small independent presses for authors to try. This is perhaps one of the biggest losses to the reader as there are some hidden gems awaiting discovery, using Tractrix as an example... R.J. Archer, I believe is one of the authors to watch and I eagerly await the further exploits of the NWIDI adventurers.”
Gareth Wilson, Book Reviewer, Falcata Times, The Sci-Fi Fantasy Site
"Tractrix is a superb sci-fi novel complete with mystery, suspense, and adventure...
A delightful cross between Indiana Jones and the X-Files, this book definitely gets my recommendation."
Libby, partner, AuthorExposure.com
April 23, 2012
Book 1 of the Seeds of Civilization series. (back cover text posted by the author)
When aerospace engineer and recent widower Frank Morton wins an $86 million lottery jackpot, he decides to retire and devote his time to a life-long interest in ancient mysteries. Coincidentally, an old Viet Nam buddy shows up with a mysterious black sphere inscribed with what appear to be Maya hieroglyphics. Intrigued, Franks convinces his buddy and two other friends, an anthropologist and a newspaper researcher, to help him investigate the origin and purpose of the sphere.
Their search take Frank and his friends on a journey from Seattle to the secret military installations north of Las Vegas and on to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Along the way they become involved in a murder investigation and attract the unwanted attention of government agents, Mexican Federales and and ancient Mayan shaman. They also stumble across a three thousand year old secret that suggests a possible link between the shamans of Mesoamerica and a race of alien explorers.
When aerospace engineer and recent widower Frank Morton wins an $86 million lottery jackpot, he decides to retire and devote his time to a life-long interest in ancient mysteries. Coincidentally, an old Viet Nam buddy shows up with a mysterious black sphere inscribed with what appear to be Maya hieroglyphics. Intrigued, Franks convinces his buddy and two other friends, an anthropologist and a newspaper researcher, to help him investigate the origin and purpose of the sphere.
Their search take Frank and his friends on a journey from Seattle to the secret military installations north of Las Vegas and on to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Along the way they become involved in a murder investigation and attract the unwanted attention of government agents, Mexican Federales and and ancient Mayan shaman. They also stumble across a three thousand year old secret that suggests a possible link between the shamans of Mesoamerica and a race of alien explorers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews