Prologues

Ixodia Escape: Prologue

The date is 435.027. Year 435, Day Twenty-Seven. The semester ends tomorrow, and a three-week break for all schools in the System begins.

The Calendar of the Originals, Earth’s old calendar, displayed January 27, 2884. The Lunites and Voyagers preferred the new calendar, which logged January 1, 2449, as Day One, or 000.001.

December 31, 2448, marked the end of the Weapons Age. It was the day the mass exodus from Earth took place. It was the day the population of the space stations, the moon, and Mars grew a hundredfold. It was the day ninety percent of Earth’s population perished.

The new era brought changes unthinkable in the Twenty- Fifth Century. Mars was populated by both Lunites and Voyagers. They live in relative peace and share resources based on formal agreements.

In the last century, children older than ten went to schools on Earth. Vast resources and optimal gravity made it ideal for school-aged children. For centuries, Lunites and Voyagers desired Earth-bound schools.

Classes were more diverse than ever. Two years ago, siblings Xander and Jelina met Arielle and Mondeus at the Plato Schools. Nestled in the Caribbean Islands, it was very prestigious. The siblings were Voyagers. Arielle was a Lunite, and Mondeus an Original.

The four often go on vacation together. The upcoming break made it difficult to focus on exams. Their planned trip to Ixodia took center stage. For the first time, they will be traveling outside the system without an adult.

Xander, at seventeen, had just earned his spaceship license. He was permitted five people aged fifteen or older if he piloted an approved spacecraft and logged periodic reports to Central Station. Jelina and Arielle were both sixteen, Mondeus fifteen. They planned to spend all three weeks in the Ixodia System.

Valeran Venture: Prologue

Valera 2874

“No, no!” Ruan replied adamantly. “NO!”

“Don’t be afraid son. The doctors did all they could. But the cancer in my brain won’t go away,” his father said softly.

“Just take the medicines and it will go away,” Ruan insisted.

He did not know how to explain that he had already stopped taking the medicines. For more than a week now. Just behind Ruan, he saw his wife holding the hand of their younger son, Rajan, tightly as they looked on in earnest. The scene in their living room unfolded in front of him as if he was half-asleep. It must be the pain pills, he thought. But he desperately wanted to have this last conversation with his son.

He knew his wife was scared. But to her credit she did not take Rajan away. Nor did she interrupt Ruan. He was five now and had known about his father’s illness for almost a year. Rajan was too young to understand and they had not gone into any details with him. But Rajan too knew that his father was sick. He closed his eyes momentarily and felt more than heard his wife rushing over to him. She squeezed his hands. It felt comforting. Ruan was still staring at him, waiting for a response. He summoned all his energies and opened his eyes one more time.

“The medicines don’t work anymore Ruan,” he said tenderly.

Ruan stared at him. Trying to digest what he just heard. But words wouldn’t come to him.

“I want you to take care of Rajan and your mother.”

Still no response from Ruan.

“You heard me Ruan?” His father’s voice was fading despite his efforts.

“Yes father. But who will help me if you are not here?”

“Uncle Danel will,” he reassured.

“Father?”

“Yes?”

“When I grow up, I will become a super-doctor and make medicines that will save you.”

“I do not have that much time Ruan.” He smiled thinly.

“Just wait a bit longer,” Ruan pleaded.

“I can’t Ruan,” he said haltingly. “But one day when you grow up … you will save the entire Valera.”

“I will. I promise,” Ruan said firmly, with a solemn-looking face.

He saw his father closing his eyes again. The smile was still on his face. He heard the sobbing over his right shoulder. He turned and looked at his mother and broke into uncontrollable tears himself. Rajan joined in. Even without realizing the full truth.

Reviews

 

Ixodia Escape

I just wanted to congratulate you on your awesome piece of work - Ixodia Escape. I finally got hold of a copy to read and I totally enjoyed it. Great job. I would love to see it portrayed in a movie, you never know, one day. I also heard you wrote a sequel. Well, keep on writing, your work is amazing! Loved the medical touch you added too... ingenious indeed.

Prea, Guyana

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Ixodia Escape and Kaluptan Quest

Hello from the Baltic!
Just want to tell you that I have a young man on board who has just started reading your second book....he really enjoyed the first one!

Thanks again!

D. Olsen

Librarian | M.S. ROTTERDAM - Baltic Sea

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Ixodia Escape and Kaluptan Quest

My daughter has read both of your books. She loved them. I will look on Amazon for your third. Best of luck.

VH, St. Kitts

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Ixodia Escape and Kaluptan Quest

You're an inspiration to young adults. Good job!

Suzanne, Boston

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Ixodia Escape - a good read.

Ixodia Escape starts off slowly. However, during that time, the Author develops the characters very nicely so by the time the main plot starts, the reader can identify and feel for Xander, Jelina, Arielle and Mondeus as they go through their trials and tribulations. Once the adventure with the Gadorans begin however, it is difficult to put this book down! The author keeps the reader in suspense as to what is going to happen next and he brings the book to a pleasant emotional end.
This a very good first book and I could see this developing into a series for teenagers.

Well done!

SJ - Trinidad

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The Undercurrent - Brilliant. Fast-paced from the start.

“Captivating story from the very first page. The author weaves HIV and cartel life into a dynamic story, where you can easily get pulled into 'The Undercurrent’” – HFH, Kentucky

“Read it in 2 days and ready to read it again” – BPA, Washington DC

“Loved the book. Yes and can’t wait for others” – JN, New York

“Finished the book on Monday. Really liked it. I don’t think I've read anything that fast in a while but it really keep my interested” – RB, Toronto

“Just finished my friend's book, "The Undercurrent". It was the first non-technical book I've read in a long time and I loved it. It makes me want to start reading for pleasure again”- SM, Maryland

“Captivating. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. I live in the D.C. area and the entire place became alive with the author's vivid description. The parts with HIV patients tugs at your heartstrings. Highly recommend!” – TGS

“Loving the book. You have me hooked! It is a beautiful culmination of you and your experiences. Very thoughtful and thought provoking!” – Tessie

“My mom read the book first and she really enjoyed it. Thank you again” – DB

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Valeran Venture - Action-packed

By TGS

The action-packed third novel of the 2884 series: Valeran Venture, does not disappoint as Xander and company becomes entangled in the politics and war of a world desperately fighting for its independence against technologically superior conquerors. T.A. Sankar unfolds a suspenseful, epic battle against all odds, with a group of child prodigies struggling to defend their home from a fleet of powerful battleships using just their mind power to control computerized missiles. Yet the fight remains deeply personal, propelled by a few strong personalities: the beautiful, fiercely independent girl-queen Calithea, the orphaned hero Ruan, and the maniacal, power-hungry Commander Voltar. Readers will be captivated by the story of an underdog world fighting to remain free, and engrossed by the power dynamics developed among these unforgettable characters. From military officials plotting to undermine one another to the heroic Captains Kris and Yudis grappling with the morality of war to Xander’s ill-fated romance with Calithea, Valeran Venture is a gripping, multilayered story that explores power and conflict from the scale of the galactic to the level of the individual.

Gabrielle, MD

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Kaluptan Quest - highly recommended.

By TGS

With the sequel to "2884-Ixodia Escape" T.A. Sankar shows that he has matured and grown as an author. "Kaluptan Quest" shows the same thoughtful, substantive writing as "Ixodia Escape" with more complex and fully-fleshed themes and characters. Readers will identify with the plight of the compassionate medic Amelia, the tough life of Marianna and her crew in captivity, and of course the emotions of Xander and Jelina as they try to come to terms with the loss of their mother when they were young children. T.A. Sankar's Sci-Fi imagination continues to impress with the images of massive space stations, interstellar travel, and the devastating proton storms and solar flares of the aging Kaluptan sun. He also develops the futuristic authoritarian society of Kalupta where citizens like Keeva struggle against military repression, like many societies in the world today. "Kaluptan Quest" is much more than a typical sci-fi story that relies on "flashes and bangs" and action. It is a very human story about loss, perseverance, and the longing to have a complete family. Good reading for young adults and sophisticated enough for adult readers.

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Kaluptan Quest - Search and rescue on a distant planet.

By Alayne

Xander and Jelina want answers to their mother's decade-long disappearance and set out on a journey to either find her or put to rest forever the possibility that she is alive, for their sake and their father's. This is the adventure T.A. Sankar takes us on in his sequel Kaluptan Quest 2884. What makes this story all the more interesting is that it's a search and rescue reaching to a distant planet in a far galaxy in the 29th century, with the teenagers just home from their own rescue, which was where Sankar left readers in his first book, Ixodia Escape. Meanwhile, Marianna, their mother, struggles to keep her and her crew's spirits and hope high for a rescue from a dreadful political prison severely lacking in medical care, located on a remote asteroid, where her captors are a part of a repressive, military-based government. There are courageous characters on both sides of the prison walls, a rebel group, and a high-ranking political friend who make for good drama in this teen and young adult futuristic tale.

Alayne, Texas

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Kaluptan Quest

Hey Dr. Sankar. I did read your book, and I really enjoyed it. I love the world you create, where humans not only inhabit the earth, but the moon, other planets, and in suspended animation. They operate vehicles which can travel millions of miles across the galaxy in less than a day. You also have teenagers working like full grown scientists, using every tool at their disposal to solve their problems, operating high tech machinery like it’s no problem—this world is so fascinating, and I kinda wish it existed. Your book was awesome. Hope more of them are on the way!  

Christopher, Maryland

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Quick and exciting... a good escape.

By W. Wong "WW design" (Silver Spring, MD USA) 

Great job by the author. I read this exciting, and imaginative book in one sitting (couldn't put in down). Does the word "Escape" in the title mean "vacation " or "running from danger" or both?
Here are my observations:

1. The author's knowledge in astronomy shines through in the descriptive voyage through the rings of Saturn in the beginning of the book.
2. Being a practicing infectious disease physician, the author was able to chronicle Arielle's painful ordeal in great detail.
3. The author's ability to relate to teenagers is insightful since the story is told from their point of view. (Must help to have children and borrow experiences from them)
4. The four main characters were very believable in the way their personalities, mannerism, and way of speaking came through.
5. The part when the massive door opened revealing the missing Pelican 25 reminded me of a scene from "The Time Machine" when the Morlocks had dragged the machine into their cave.
6. The author is an optimist since he thinks that mankind is still existing in the year 2884 and Galaxy peace is possible as illustrated in the story. Mankind and Aliens wanted the same things in life.
7. All in all, I enjoyed this book, especially on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Landing on the moon. This story could translate well into a sci-fi movie.

Could there be a sequel to follow up on Hadik's offer to the Gadoran's System?
Again, congratulations and best of luck to the author.

WW, Silver Spring, Maryland

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Ixodia Escape

By TGS

This unique and insightful novel presents thought-provoking issues and unusual depth that young adult readers can definitely benefit from in the form of a good adventure story. The psychology underlying each of the characters' stories and experiences is an excellent lesson for readers to think about, even while the characters are easy to relate to, especially the cheerful, outgoing Arielle and the sometimes grumpy, sometimes childish but gifted Mondeus; whom every reader will develop affection for by the end of the book.

The futuristic world is smattered with surprising but fascinating technological ideas (such as entire cities existing in space stations and colonization of the moon) that show much foresight about our world and seem to come so naturally to the story. They are further enriched by precise scientific and medical concepts and a wide, sophisticated vocabulary utilized by the author (another thing young readers can learn from!) But in addition to all of this, a solid and exciting storyline supports the book and the plight of the Alien race that the characters discover is simply a good science fiction story. Even non-young adult readers will likely enjoy this book; it's sophisticated enough for a reader of any age to like. Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for something interesting to read.

Gabrielle