Rusty A. Biesele's Blog: Children of Sophista, page 15

Book #1 Chapter 21 Spot Art

This is Peter2, pondering while looking at the Earth. It boggles his mind that a genius, kidnapped from the violent Earth of around 400AD, founded the utopian, peaceful Sophistan-human culture. It is impossible for a Peter to commit any sort of violence, yet his origin is a planet filled with violence.

Peter2 on Sophista pondering his origin.

Book #1 Chapter 20 Spot Art

This is Paul25 on Sophista in the Paul's garden practicing his telekinesis. Practicing his talents and perfecting them is one of his few sources of intense happiness. 

Paul25 practices his telekinesis
 

Book #1 Chapter 18 Spot Art

Here is the latest illustration from my artist, Matt Curtis. In this picture, Stefan is about to turn into a superbeing if he doesn't die in the process. Paul25 is trying to calm his mind.

Paul25 is being hurt by the power coming from Stefan's head.

Book #1's Chapter 17 Spot Art

Here is Matt Curtis's illustration for chapter 17. This is Tova2 punishing Paul7 by shooting him with a lightning bolt strong enough to cause extreme pain but not damage him.
Tova2 blasts Paul7 with a lightning bolt.

Book #1's Chapter 16 Spot Art

This is chapter 16's spot art created by my artist, Matt Curtis. Tyco is very upset, traumatized from finding out that the Lizards killed many Mayans in the process of manipulating their genes to lead to his creation. Ty is floating up in the air and connected to Tyco's mind with his hands to calm his hysterical crying and comfort him.

Ty connects to Tyco's mind via his hands to calm Tyco's hysteria.

Kirkus Review of Book #1

Paul25 practices his telekinetic abilities on Sophista


Kirkus Review of the Saeshell Book of Time: Part1: The Death of Innocents
A race of formless consciousnesses imprisoned in crystal intends to reform the universe in this first of a planned sci-fi series where past, present, and future occur simultaneously.
Biesele’s work explores the human psyche through an elevated species that claims to understand the internal workings of the universe. The book, a “living” character, challenges the “meat-based barbaric automatons” to see if they can understand hyperspace—a plane of tunnels intersecting in space. Ty and Tyco’s futures hang in the balance as they explore the history of their own painful evolution by linking with the Guardian, a highly evolved computer system. The two youngsters rely on their teacher, who guides them telekinetically through the history of Stefan and Tova2, the destined leaders of the new universe. The boys, like others before them, evolved from a mix of human genetics and other creatures, a mix that gives them powers to attract the attention of the Sophistans, a race of consciousnesses with no true physical form. The evolved youth had been raised by selfish sociopaths using their children for personal gain until the Sophistans rescue them from the savagery of a human fate. Ty and Tyco train to become Children of Sophista. Despite the promise of an enlightened existence, the “randomness” of human genetics is in direct conflict with the orderly, utopian ideals of the Sophistans, leading to the potential euthanasia of the two boys if they cannot adapt. The book primarily builds the foundation for what is to come in the series. The characters travel through familiar places like London and learn the value of exploring hyperspace despite the dangers of disintegration. The novel struggles under the weight of several heady concepts—an enlightened incorporeal intelligence; a blend of past, present and future; and various wormholes through space. The narrative seems to lose its momentum somewhere deep in the labyrinth of hyperspace.
A space journey sidelined by convoluted, high-concept subplots.
Guilty on all counts. Terribly sorry, but you will be required to think quite hard on this one. Characters do stop to think about the meaning of their lives. Things do get a bit convoluted. Immortal characters from a highly advanced planet watch a 15th century battle and actually feel bad about slaughtered peasants:


 And while I'm confessing, I can't seem to write anything linearly. Lots of things happen at the same time. I'm sure I have committed more transgressions, but I leave those as a surprise.   Click here to learn about the novels of the serial
 

Book #1 Chapter 15 Spot Art

Paul25 from Sophista, whose age is frozen at 9 years old, is walking across a 15th century battle field and has just watched a peasant boy a die. He is upset because the boy should have never been in the battle and he was not allowed to heal the boy because Sophista didn't want to interfere with human evolution. The scene in the book is short because it is a flash back, but it is important because it is designed to make the fact that Paul25 has been alive for over 1000 years really tangible rather than a comic book fact. The idea is to make vivid in a reader's mind  the huge number of horrible things in Earth's past that Paul25 has seen.

Paul25 is upset having watched a peasant boy die in a battle

Book #1 Chapter 14 Spot Art

Here is the latest from my artist, Matt Curtis. This is chapter 14's spot art. 6th grader, Stefan, has a bit of anxiety after having been called to the office to meet Professor Kettil. Stefan has been bullied growing up and now because of his underachieving, the teachers have snagged a Professor who specializes in children who are advanced thinkers. Stefan wishes people would just leave him alone.

Stefan sees Professor Kettil for the first time.