Zantheon's Secret

A journey beginning on the rigorous training grounds of Star Legion's elite leads to a mysterious anomaly on a jungle world where the megasaurs still roam. The anomaly threatens to escalate a simmering cold war into full-blown galactic conflict.

Zantheon's Secret is a tale of diplomacy, romance, interstellar warships, and personal combat. A vivid cast of characters with intertwined stories must sort friend from foe, good from evil, love from past love.

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Abridged Adaptation Notes

"This tale has been translated from an ancient manuscript believed to be many millennia old. The manuscript was discovered in a recently unearthed chamber beneath the Temple of the Moon at Teotihuacan, Mexico, a site known for its profound historical and cultural significance and architectural complexity. It is safe to say that the manuscript itself is more than four thousand years old.

"The language of the original text has no modern equivalent and required extensive linguistic expertise to decipher. Unraveling the manuscript involved carefully hydrating the fibers to prevent them from crumbling and using advanced imaging techniques to enhance faded inscriptions. The translation process was meticulous, with a focus on retaining the essence and spirit of the original tale while making it accessible to a contemporary audience.

"In translating the names and specific terms used in the story, a creative approach was necessary because names like Xeetlahuac are nearly unpronounceable and unspellable in English with Roman characters. So, Xeetlahuac Gochenikhli became Joe Kaboom. The names such as Joe, Sam, and Cybil, while familiar to an English-speaking audience, are stand-ins for names in the original text that carried similar cultural connotations and emotional weights in their own society. Should this tale be translated into other languages, Joe might change to Sato, Sanjay, or Jose, adapting to cultural contexts while preserving the story's universal appeal.

"The astronomical terms used, such as the Hyadean Cluster and Sirius, are translated from descriptions in the original text to corresponding features known in modern astronomy, further illustrating the story's expansive reach across cultures and epochs. There are no references to race in the original manuscript, adhering to the story's focus on universal themes of conflict, leadership, and morality that transcend specific ethnic or racial identities. This absence emphasizes the tale's applicability to any group or civilization, highlighting the shared human experiences that unite diverse peoples across time and geography.

"I am often asked if this is a true story. The story is deeply rooted in celestial detail, accurately reflecting known stars and systems which corroborate parts of the narrative with our astronomical knowledge. However, the descriptions of technology contradicting current scientific understanding.

"Therefore, readers should approach the tale with a critical mind. Ultimately, it is up to individual readers to draw their own conclusions-whether it serves as a window into a forgotten past, a vision of a potential future, or a purely imaginative creation meant to entertain and inspire across the ages.

"My journey through the pages of this ancient manuscript has taken years and been as much about uncovering the past as it has been about exploring the boundaries of our understanding. The narrative, regardless of its origins, challenges us to imagine and inspires us to look beyond the horizons of our current understanding.

"In this spirit, I invite you, the reader, to join in the exploration-may you find in this tale not only the echoes of ancient voices but also the inspiration to dream of what might lie beyond."

-- Dr. Mirando Soto