On Matissia Wings by Marie J. S. Phillips
On the cold distant world Aroriel — where primate species never developed — evolution spawned a furry saurian race that now reaches for the stars. Commander Geupetus of Clan Darius, offered command of the first near-lightspeed starship, hesitates to take the job, as Furlitian Law forbids his pre-adolescent twins Murkuria and Thorius from accompanying their…
On the cold distant world Aroriel — where primate species never
developed — evolution spawned a furry saurian race that now reaches for
the stars. Commander Geupetus of Clan Darius, offered command of the first near-lightspeed starship, hesitates to take the job, as Furlitian
Law forbids his pre-adolescent twins Murkuria and Thorius from
accompanying their Clan on this historic mission into interstellar
space.
Clan Darius, after careful deliberation as a family, driven by
their sense of responsibility, discipline, and duty, decide they must
squelch their emotions and accept the commission – leaving the twins on
Aroriel.
But the paradox caused by the Clan’s traveling near the
speed of light means that IF the twins ever see their family again, they
will be older than their parents! Distraught, Thorius conceives an
outrageous plan to stow aboard the great starship, and Murkuria agrees
after a rare nightmare tells her they must do this. He and Murkuria
borrow a family shuttle, and whiz off, determined to reach the Space
Center before dawn launch. With the help of Iggie, Murkuria’s pet
Matissia, they sneak aboard the starship, inadvertently causing the Sunpyne
to crash land on an alien world, where dinosaurian life like their own
is long extinct, and strange primate beings that call themselves Human
populate the planet.
Following a violent first confrontation with two
natives, they race to repair the ship. A second meeting, with a family
camping out in the wilderness around the ship, results in friendship,
and information exchange. However, after their Human friends leave to
return to a distant home, the Human military locates the downed
starship, just after the crew completes full repairs. Geupetus powers up
the ship, but suddenly realizes his twins and one Cadet are not aboard.
With enemy warcraft peppering the area with arms fire, and unable to
lower shields to recover his children and crewmate, Geupetus refuses to
leave without them. Will the furlites ever see their beloved home
again?
“Furry dinosaurs in space”
Five Star Review on Amazon By Helen
This is a much better story than the book description might suggest. The alien world and its society are thoroughly realised. The characters are believable and sympathetic. The story is well told and the reader is genuinely interested in the characters’ eventual fate. This isn’t a perfect read, however. Sometimes the action slows almost to a standstill as the author describes the detail of her characters’ culture, perhaps in more detail than the reader really needs to know. When Furlite meets human, the discussions of Furlite vs. human society and culture become a little tedious, and this reader found the Furlites’ extreme right-wing politics unrealistic and impracticable. Certain events are rather contrived: given the known proximity of the humans and the fact that their ship was now ready to fly, would the young Furlites really have gone for that last swim? And as every reader must guess what has become of the humans’ cat, how come the Furlites fail to realise? Overall, however, this is an enjoyable journey into a refreshingly original world.
About the Author
Marie J. Spinella-Phillips
Born in 1957, in Huntington, on Long Island, I’ve been driven by an insatiable love of writing, art, and the sciences since very early childhood. My love of animal tales fueled my desire to write, always manifesting in stories from the non-human point of view. I invented my very first character at six years old, creating picture books with a tree as the main protagonist. I included, on the inside covers, my very own publishing logo, complete with rainbow and shining sun!
Back in my senior year of High School, one of my teachers, Mr. O’Connor, lent me a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring, which changed my reading and writing life forever, driving me into the unique and futuristic world of Fantasy/Science Fiction.
In college, I majored in Art and Earth Sciences, where inspiration fired my vivid and eccentric imagination, planting the seeds for my Furlites of Aroriel novels, Over the years, I honed the complex world of this alien family saga. My husband’s love and support over the decades proved invaluable, since his scientific knowledge and expertise quickly surpassed my own, once we graduated high school, went off to college, and entered the working world. With his help, and that of my mentor, David Ayscue, who passed away in 2010, I completed the first two of these books, On Matissia Wings, and, Earth-bred Matissia-born,which are now available. Other tales are in the works, including the third book in this series called EYES IN THE DARK, CURSE OF KORIS, and FURLITIAN TALES, a book of shorter tales featuring other characters in the prior books.
I dabbled with another tale many years ago, using my Khan as a character, when my big Maine Coon became seriously ill. While battling Khan’s insidious disease, I completed the story, which took on deeper impact far beyond my intended feline fantasy yarn. KHAN: A Maine Coon is the result, a biography of his life, with fictional elements, written from his point of view. My special furbaby’s bit of immortality has collected mostly 5 star reviews in this short time.
THE WHITE DRAGONS OF SUVWILUR and OTHER STORIES, is a collection of fantasy /science fiction tales from the point of view of many characters, from an Appaloosa Pegasus, a white furry Dragon, and others, including a Collie /Human hybrid created by genetic manipulation by aggressive aliens.
In OLD GENT, I return to those very roots of my writing career, penning the true tale of our beloved ancient Norway Spruce tree and his sapling son, done from the trees’ point of view, reminiscent in style to my KHAN: A MAINE COON, and, an older tale I read as a child called BIG TREE. OLD GENT is now available!.
One of my favorite hobbies has been collecting, showing and customizing model horses. This hobby spawned a set of stories I call THE SECRET LIFE OF MODEL HORSES and soon, Volume One will be read to publish!
CURSE OF KORIS, a Furlites of Aroriel novel, is also available!
I have begun work on MAINE COON KAI, the story of my gigantic beautiful red tabby Maine Coon’s life, in much the same style as KHAN: A Maine Coon. Both books immortalize two wonderful Maine Coon cats that graced my life, who left behind treasured memories, and love that never fades.
Owned by two cats, one of which is a Maine Coon cat, I live with my husband in the rolling hills of northwestern Connecticut.