Fallen Skies (the official wiki) - Recently Updated Pages

A Pocketful Of Secrets

naomi_scott — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 08:44:34 CDT

Fallen Skies || Novels || A Pocketful Of Secrets

A Pocketful Of Secrets
Fallen Skies - Book One

Overview

Characters	Karl Zendik Richard Warner Rachael Lawrence Ephraim Balil
Locations	Hampshire GMD London GMD Sheffield

Details

Format: Trade Paperback, 126pp
ISBN: 978-1-84753-955-7
Lulu ID: 252820
Publication Date: 14-Nov-2006

How do you track somebody who doesn't leave a trail?

Great Britain, 2057.

When bounty hunter Karl Zendik is hired to track down Major Richard Warner, the only man to escape from Wight Max-Pen, he knows it's not going to be an easy job, but the deeper he burrows into his prey's life the more secrets he uncovers, adding to the growing list of unanswered questions. When another hunter joins the chase it soon becomes a race against time. But can Zendik unravel the clues to Warner's past before it's too late?

Introduction
A Pocketful Of Secrets is the first short novel in the ongoing cyberpunk series Fallen Skies and introduces the reader to Great Britain in the second half of the Twenty-First Century.

The Isle Of Wight, once a popularholiday resort, has now been turned into a maximum security penitentiary by Canadian security specialists Reznor Security Systems. When former special forces officer Richard Warner escapes the prison-island, Karl Zendik, is hired by the facility's Chief Administrator to track down the escapee and bring him back, dead or alive.

With the help of Rachael Lawrence, one of Reznor's admin staff, Zendik pieces together a series of clues in Warner's files that lead him to London where he quickly learns that he's not the only one looking for the prisoner. When two rivals show up and eliminate Zendik's only lead the trail appears to go cold.

Trivia

The cover image used for A Pocketful Of Secrets is adapted from a photograph of Whitby Abbey in England. So far the image has also been used on a CD inlay design and a band tour poster design.
The first Fallen Skies novel is dedicated to William Gibson, who is often considered the father of the cyberpunk genre. The first (pre-release) edition of the book was officially published on 17 March 2006, Gibson's birthday.
The character Karl Zendik began life as a recurring character in the author's games of Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. and has made cameo appearances in a number of other games over the years, as well as in a slightly different guise in a piece of short fiction (The Hunter Of Hunters, Tony Bennett) prior to the novel's release.

Publishing History

17 March 2006 - First (pre-release) edition published through Print On Demand website lulu.com
14 November 2006 - ISBN registered, First Edition launch date.

External Links
Where to buy:
Lulu
Amazon.com || Amazon.co.uk
Barnes & Noble
WH Smith
Waterstones
Blackwells

Individuals

naomi_scott — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:41:44 CDT

Welcome to the PAL's Biographical Database. Here you will find all publicly available information about various individuals from around the world, both historical and contemporary.

The individuals selected to appear in the PAL are taken from a wide variety of backgrounds and under the terms of the Oslo Declaration of AI Rights even includes a number of Artificial Personalities.

The database is divided alphabetically into eight groups. If you know the name of the individual you would like to know about either use the handy search function at the top of the left-hand navigation panel or simply select the appropriate group from the following:

A - C D - F G - I J - L M - O P - R S - U V - Z

Garland InfoCorp hopes you enjoy using this free edition of the PAL Biographical Database.

Recent Additions

Zendik, Karl - German-born bounty hunter [2019-?]

++ ADVICE ++
Due to unexpected circumstances portions of the Garland InfoCorp PAL (v2.009) are currently unavailable. Our SysOps are working to restore optimum functionality and we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this situation. We do hope you continue to enjoy the services offered by Garland InfoCorp and thank you for your time.

Fallen Skies

naomi_scott — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:00:03 CDT

Welcome to the official Fallen Skies wiki. This site has been designed to be the ultimate reference for all things Fallen Skies, the ongoing cyberpunk series of short novels by British Sci-Fi author Markham J Eggleton.

Within the pages of this wiki you will find information about the books, the author and the 'future history' that is the Fallen Skies background.

"...it started small, but then it grew..."

- Bak$tep

News

13 March 2007 - Sheffield, UK
Fallen Skies: A Pocketful Of Secrets, the first in the ongoing cyberpunk series of short novels by British Sci-Fi author Markham J Eggleton is now being stocked by the aptly named Sheffield Space Centre. Sources close to this reporter have suggested that the author was seen in talks with the shop staff regarding a possible book signing event. As yet the rumours are to be confirmed.

Contents

Author
Novels

A Pocketful Of Secrets

Public Access Library

New Pages

Handhelds - [PAL - Technology]
The Weave - [PAL - Technology]

Recent Updates

Handhelds - [PAL - Technology]
The Weave - [PAL - Technology]
Zendik, Karl - [PAL - Individuals - V-Z]
Novels
Author
United Kingdom (UK) - [PAL - Geoploitics - EU]

European Union (EU) - [PAL - Geoploitics]

Handhelds

naomi_scott — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:39:27 CDT

Fallen Skies || Public Access Library || Technology || Handhelds

Handhelds are advanced mobile communication devices developed from late Twentieth Century cellular phones and commonly incorporate a number of additional systems allowing the user to access the Weave (including personal e-mail and v-mail accounts) at near-instantaneous speeds, though their low processing power makes them generally ineffective tools for serious hackers. In addition, most handhelds have an integrated half-terabyte (0.5TB) memory module for file storage, usually protected with 256-bit encryption or better.

Other standard features common to the latest generation of handhelds include a small 64-bit colour liquid crystal touch screen display, voice activation controls for hands-free operation, a wireless enabled earpiece, a high resolution (gigapixel) camera capable of still or video photography, high definition audio recording and playback and basic personal organiser software (address book, calendar/diary, notebook, Weave-spider, etc).

More advanced models may also incorporate a number of upgrades, including extended RAM, micro m-card readers, e-card encryption chips (allowing the user to store secure digital ID data, thereby doing away with the need for a separate e-wallet), adaptive interactive holo-displays (AIHD), active GPS systems and route-planning software, additional wireless interface protocols (WIP) and integrated two-way I/O data ports for enhanced connectivity to other devices. The modular design of most handhelds means that many of these upgrades can be purchased separately and are easily fitted by a qualified technician in a matter of minutes.

Manufacturers include Clayburn Media Systems [CMS], Drebben Electronics Corp [DEC], Rhesus-IT [Rh-IT – the manufacturing arm of Garland InfoCorp], Andanji Microtech [AnMt], Sony-Siemens [SoSi], New General Electric [NGE], VariTech [Va-T – the consumer electronics arm of Variable Geometry] and Nokia-FN [N-FN – a subsidiary of FN-Herstal].

Origin

The Weave evolved from the remains of what used to be known as the World Wide Web (or simply 'the Web'), and was developed by a team of researchers led by Dr Ivan Vanderov of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).

In the first decade of the Twenty First Century it became increasingly apparent that the infrastructure used to maintain the World Wide Web was not growing fast enough to accomodate it's continuing expansion. As more people were connected to the Internet, the need for more storage space and faster lines of communication became obvious and teams from hundreds of Universities and corporate facilities worked on new techniques for compressing and transmitting the vast amounts of data involved. Unfortunately all of the solutions presented required lengthy and expensive upgrades to the telecommunications networks worldwide, a requirement that very few countries seemed willing to entertain. The breakthrough came in 2021 with the successful development of string networking.

String networking, often incorrectly referred to as quantum networking, uses a combination of (geographically) short cable networks (such as Twentieth Century telephone networks) and high capacity quantum channels to simultaneously link multiple isolated local area networks together.

Sources

Wikipedia Article: Quantum Entanglement
Wikipedia Article: Quantum Channel

Zendik, Karl

naomi_scott — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:49:59 CDT

Fallen Skies || Public Access Library || Individuals || V-Z || Zendik, Karl

Karl Tobias Zendik (born October 19, 2017 in Mannheim, Germany) is a highly respected private bounty hunter and formerly an officer of the German KSK (Kommando Spezialkräfte) 5th Platoon. He was cashiered out of the KSK at the end of the SiRu War in 2054 and was granted an EU Bounty Hunter's licence the same year. In 2057 he was hired by Reznor Security to track down and detain Major Richard Warner, an escapee from Wight Max-Pen, UK.

Early Life

Karl Tobias Zendik is the only son of Mikhail and Agnetha Zendik. His father was an ex-serviceman in the German Heer (Army) and his mother a succesful business woman in the Bavarian city of Mannheim. He also has a younger sister, Marianna (born June 4, 2021). His school record showed an aptitude for physical actiites and a keen sense of pattern recognition and problem solving. From school he was admitted to the ESMT (European School of Management and Technology) in Munich, where he seemed set to follow in his mother's footsteps.

While at the ESMT he met and fell in love with Kristiana Schmidt, who he later married at Speyer Cathedral on May 1, 2036. He graduated from the ESMT the following year, at the same time as his wife gave birth to a daughter, Natasha. Afterwards they moved to Frankfurt and he quickly secured a civilian administrative position with the Bundeswehr. Impressing his superiors he was expected to do well in his career when his life was almost ended.

On the evening of March 22, 2039, he was returning home to hiw wife and daughter just as violence erupted in the city. Armed para-military gangs over-ran police checkpoints and the streets turned into combat zones in moments. Caught in the middle of this Karl was hit in the head by a stray bullet. Over fifty hours of surgery and the insertion of a second generation neural bridge were needed to stabilise him, followed by several months of intense therapy to integrate his new implants.

Appears In:

A Pocketful Of Secrets

Sources

Wikipedia article: Bundeswehr
Wikipedia article: German (Education)
Wikipedia article: European School Of Management and Technology

++ ADVICE ++
Due to unexpected circumstances portions of the Garland InfoCorp PAL (v2.009) are currently unavailable. Our SysOps are working to restore optimum functionality and we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this situation. We do hope you continue to enjoy the services offered by Garland InfoCorp and thank you for your time.

Novels

naomi_scott — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:17:21 CDT

Fallen Skies is a series of short cyberpunk novels, set in the second half of the 21st century. The first in the series, A Pocketful Of Secrets, was launched in November 2006, and quickly sets the stage for the books to follow.

In the best traditions of cyberpunk fiction, the world of Fallen Skies is both familiar and new, mixing elements of contemporary life in with the fictional elements of the series' background. The series also includes many of the typically cyberpunk motifs, such as cybernetic implants, a global information super-highway, mega-corporations and the decay of the urban environment.

While Fallen Skies has been planned from the beginning as an epic series, each short novel is also intended to form a self-contained story, presenting the reader with one perspective of the world the stories take place in. This way the reader can enjoy any of the books in the series without having to know 'the whole story'. At the same time, each book progressively reveals elements of the bigger picture and advancing the series' overlying story-arc.

The series currently consists of one book, with the second due for release in the second half of 2007. However, as more information becomes available it will be added to the site.

To learn more about any of the books in the series, simply clink on the book's title below or in the navigation panel to the left.

01 - A Pocketful Of Secrets (11-14-2006 - ISBN: 978-1-84753-955-7)
02 - Charlie's Law (due late 2007/early 2008 - ISBN: tba)

Please check back later as more information is added.

Author

naomi_scott — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:09:02 CDT

From the latest book...
"He currently lives in Sheffield, England with five snakes. Life could be stranger..."

Markham J Eggleton was born in Sheffield, England, on 24 July 1972. He learned to read quite early in life and soon developed a taste for fantastical tales, particularly science fiction and fantasy. Introduced to authors like Robert A Heinlein, Arthur C Clarke and Orson Scott Card by the local library, it wasn't long before he was writing his own stories. The results of these early scribblings were well received, even if they were somewhat far-fetched, even by sci-fi standards, and this encouraged the young Eggleton to further pursue what he considered to be just a hobby.

Showing eclectic interests throughout his life he has held various jobs, including fast-food chef, barman, shop assistant, door-to-door canvasser, telesales, advertising consultant, marketing consultant, graphic designer and even Venture Scout event organiser. His interest in role-playing games and tabletop war gaming helped to broaden his fascination with fantasy and science fiction themes, while his insatiable appetite for knowledge led him through college courses in English Literature, Classical Studies, Theatre Studies, Psychology, Mathematics and Physics. During all this he continued to write, briefly dipping his toes in the horror genre, though it wasn't until the mid-nineties that he thought of it as anything but a hobby.

In 1994 he was motivated by having three short stories published locally and a fourth broadcast on four BBC local radio stations in the UK. Despite no further publishing success since those early forays he continued to work on a number of projects, one of which would eventually become the foundation for Fallen Skies.

On 17 March 2006, A Pocketful Of Secrets, the first of an ongoing cyberpunk series, was published using the Print On Demand (POD) website lulu.com, and was assigned it's ISBN (making it available through most retail outlets worldwide) on 14 November.

Markham currently lives in Sheffield with four snakes: a black ratsnake, a royal python, a common boa and a western hognose. Contrary to what many might think, they make charming pets and love attention. One day he hopes to wrangle a brown snake in the Australian Outback. He still has a day job, selling light bulbs.

No matter how unusual things may get, life still could be stranger.

Publishing History

1994
January - And The Wind Whispered "Why?" - print, Beyond The Brink, issue 1.
February - The Love Of Jarvey Quince - broadcast, BBC Radio Humberside, Leeds, Sheffield, York.
February/March - The Survivor's Testament - print, Beyond The Brink, issues 2, 3.
April - Who Mourns For A Stranger? - print, Beyond The Brink, issue 4.

2006
March - Fallen Skies: A Pocketful Of Secrets - First (pre-release) edition - print, trade paperback, 124pp
November - Fallen Skies: A Pocketful Of Secrets - First edition - print, trade paperback, 128pp

External Links

Technology

naomi_scott — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:37:19 CDT

This section of the wiki contains all information pertaining to the technology of the Fallen Skies series, including the Weave, cybernetics and nano-filament implants.

++ ADVICE ++
Due to unexpected circumstances portions of the Garland InfoCorp PAL (v2.009) are currently unavailable. Our SysOps are working to restore optimum functionality and we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this situation. We do hope you continue to enjoy the services offered by Garland InfoCorp and thank you for your time.

Organisations

naomi_scott — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:36:52 CDT

This section of the wiki contains all information pertaining to the corporations and organisations mentioned in the series.

++ ADVICE ++
Due to unexpected circumstances portions of the Garland InfoCorp PAL (v2.009) are currently unavailable. Our SysOps are working to restore optimum functionality and we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this situation. We do hope you continue to enjoy the services offered by Garland InfoCorp and thank you for your time.

V - Z

naomi_scott — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:36:08 CDT

- V -

- W -

- X -

- Y -

- Z -

Zendik, Karl - German-born bounty hunter [2019-?]

++ ADVICE ++
Due to unexpected circumstances portions of the Garland InfoCorp PAL (v2.009) are currently unavailable. Our SysOps are working to restore optimum functionality and we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this situation. We do hope you continue to enjoy the services offered by Garland InfoCorp and thank you for your time.

History

naomi_scott — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:33:59 CDT

This section of the wiki contains historical information pertaining to the 'present day' of Fallen Skies, and includes real-world history where applicable.

++ ADVICE ++
Due to unexpected circumstances portions of the Garland InfoCorp PAL (v2.009) are currently unavailable. Our SysOps are working to restore optimum functionality and we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this situation. We do hope you continue to enjoy the services offered by Garland InfoCorp and thank you for your time.

United Kingdom (UK)

naomi_scott — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:33:04 CDT

United Kingom (UK)

The Union Flag (UK)

Map of United Kingom

The United Kingdom (generally shortened to UK) is an island state situated to the north-west of Europe. It encompasses the whole of Britain and Northern Ireland, the former Republic of Ireland, Manx and the Channel Islands. The European Union formally recognised the re-admission of the United Kingdom in 2042.

Ostensibly surrounded by the waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean, the United Kingdom is physically linked to the rest of Europe by three man-made constructions: the Channel Tunnel (connecting Folkestone with Coquelles), the Zeebrugge Tunnel (Humber GMD to Zeebrugge) and the Peltier Bridge (Dover to Calais).

The United Kingdom is one of only four nations to still maintain a constitutional monarchy, comprising the former countries of Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Eire (the former Republic Of Ireland). The current ruling monarch, King Michael Windsor, is also monarch and Head Of State of a number of other Commonwealth States. The United Kingdom also maintains eleven overseas territories, including Bermuda, PItcairn Islands and the Falkland Islands.

At one time the most powerful empire in the world (as well as being historically the most expansive empire recorded) the United Kingdom's political and economical power waned following the World Wars of the 20th Century. Involvement in the Gulf Wars and the Desert War further amplified the decline, leading ultimately to the social upheaval of the British Revolution in 2041. However, since her reinstatement into the European Union, the United Kingdom has rebuilt much of her former influence and is once again in a position of political, economical and military respect within the Union.