The Delphinus Chronicles [Hardcover]

Richard G. Roane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 2002

A student project spirals into a torrent of unintended consequences when their supercomputer mistakenly learns to communicate with the dolphins at an aquatic theme park.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fast-paced sci-fi thriller. "Delphinus Chronicles" has it all: Atlantis, extraterrestrials, conspiracies, computers, and, of course, dolphins..." -- Loy Lawhon

"Fast-paced and smooth flowing...an intriguing tale that is easy to read and follow, and may one day become non-fiction." -- Blair Scott

"Kept my interest from beginning to end with exciting twists and turns of worldwide intrigue and suspense." -- Ralph Rognlie

"Simply WOW! I was so intrigued that I read it in one sitting. I highly recommend this one!" -- Kathy Boswell -- Managing Editor, The Best Book Reviews, January 5, 2003

"The Delphinus Chronicles is a sterling example of imagination and techno-knowledge wedded to create a great story, wonderfully executed." -- Bobbi Duffy--Yet Another Book Review, December 2002

"The suspense and action scenes are brisk and engaging. Questions are deftly resolved in the book's brief but satisfying Epilogue. -- Howard Patterson

"You want to rush to the endto see what happens, yet find yourself slowing down to savor the artful storytelling." -- Sarah Label--The San Diego Daily Transcript

From the Inside Flap

The year is 1641, and the Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion disintegrates on the treacherous Abrojos Reef, carrying the largest treasure ever lost by the Spanish Crown to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. For years to come, Spanish maritime folklore will recount the story of a school of dolphins that came to the aid of the five-hundred souls that went down with the Concepcion, saving some one-hundred and ninety from their watery deaths.

***

Years later, water droplets bead on a damp cinder block wall in the basement of an obscure little college in Southern California. Periodically, the silence of the room is rippled by a string of bleeps, clicks and whistles that seem to come from somewhere behind the wall. The ripples dissipate, and the silence returns. The next sound is the gentle electronic flutter of a massive supercomputer that awakens to train its ultra-sensitive microphone circuitry--waiting for the next ripple.

The Delphinus Chronicles

Will you be merely startled...or will you be Changed

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Cherry Hill Publishing; 1 edition (September 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972329803
• ISBN-13: 978-0972329804
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,412,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspense at the Speed of Light, December 4, 2002

By 

Kathy Sivba (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Delphinus Chronicles (Hardcover)

From the secret labs of a small San Diego college campus, to the dangerous sea depths off the Greek islands, to a dramatic car chase down California's rugged Route One, The Delphinus Chronicles moves with heart-stopping speed. Ross Erricson and his small group of researchers, while experimenting in communication with the dolphins, have made two incredible discoveries. Not only do these intelligent mammals understand human communication, the dolphins also hold the secret to the beginnings of human civilization on Earth.

R. G. Roane sweeps the reader along on this suspenseful journey with vividly drawn characters, stylish narration, and non-stop action that moves through several plot twists at breakneck speed. A fast, intelligent thriller that leaves the reader safisfied, yet hoping for another ride on Roane's roller coaster.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book., May 12, 2003

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Delphinus Chronicles (Hardcover)

Cabrillo University in San Diego was granted Simon, the world's most powerful super-computer, for their experiment. Professor Ross Erricson and his graduate students did their research in a small subterranean computer lab that USED to be an auxiliary storage area. One wall was constantly damp due to the Ocean Park dolphin tank being on the other side of the wall. But the heat Simon generated would take care of that and no one worried.

No one could have foreseen the unintended consequences that would follow! After all, humans are not the only intelligent species on this planet.

***** This is an astounding novel that I found hard to put down. Every time I believed nothing else could happen to surprise me I was proven wrong. Highly recommended reading!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars fine SF focuses on how we communicate and interpret event, January 8, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Delphinus Chronicles (Hardcover)

All the great American universities put in a bid to "house" and conduct experiments using the most advanced supercomputer Simon. Though MIT or one of the West Coast IT giants are the favorites, GCS shockingly assigns Simon to little Cabillo University in San Diego. The victory stuns everyone especially Professor Ross Erricson, the author of the winning concept in which Simon would be programmed to teach itself languages.

Simon moves into a basement room with a wall shared with dolphins residing at the nearby Ocean Park aquarium. Simon soon learns and translates "dolphinese" into English. However, though Ross, his students, and his mentor realize what they have learned, no one else believes them when they explain a dolphin's look at humanity and warn them of a secret race of people.

THE DELPHINUS CHRONICLES is a superb science fiction thriller that never slows down from the moment Simon checkmates the world's greatest grandmaster to the climax. The story line is loaded with intrigue, action, but especially insightful powerful relationships between people, humans and Simon, dolphins and Simon, and the world wide web of sonically connected dolphins so that the key cast including the supercomputer seem real. Though some extra intrigue involving nasties adds drama and tension, it temporarily slows down an incredible triumphant look at how mankind communicates and interprets events. This reviewer's interpretation communicated through this review is that RG Roane deserves strong accolades and a vast appreciative audience for this winning novel.

Harriet Klausner