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In the Courts of the Sun

In the Courts of the Sun Hardcover - 2009 - 1st Edition

by Brian D'Amato

  • Used
  • Hardcover

A mind-bending, time-bending, zeitgeist-defining novel about the days leadingup to December 21, 2012 the day the Maya predicted the world would end

December 21, 2012. The day time stops.Jed DeLanda, a descendant of the Maya living in the year 2012, is a math prodigywho spends his time playing Go against his computer and raking in profitsfrom online trading. (His secret weapon? A Mayan divination game once usedfor predicting corn-harvest cycles, now proving very useful in predicting cornfutures that his mother taught him.) But Jed's life is thrown into chaos whenhis former mentor, the game theorist Taro, and a mysterious woman namedMarena Park, invite him to give his opinion on a newly discovered Mayan codex.

Marena and Taro are looking for a volunteer to travel back to 664 AD to learnmore about a 'sacrifice game' described in the codex. Jed leaps at the chance,and soon scientists are replicating his brain waves and sending them througha wormhole, straight into the mind of a Mayan king

Only something goes wrong. Instead of becoming a king, Jed arrives inside aballplayer named Chacal who is seconds away from throwing himself downthe temple steps as a human sacrifice. If Jed can live through the next fewminutes, he might just save the world.

Bringing to mind Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon and Gary Jennings's Aztec,yet entirely unique, In the Courts of the Sun takes you from the distantpast to the near future in a brilliant kaleidoscope of ideas.

Description

Penguin Publishing Group, 2009. Hardcover. Like New. Pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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Details

  • Title In the Courts of the Sun
  • Author Brian D'Amato
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition number 1st
  • Edition 1
  • Condition New
  • Pages 684
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Publishing Group, New York
  • Date 2009
  • Illustrated Yes
  • Bookseller's Inventory # G0525950516I2N00
  • ISBN 9780525950516 / 0525950516
  • Weight 2.18 lbs (0.99 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.52 x 6.2 x 2.08 in (24.18 x 15.75 x 5.28 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Library of Congress subjects Science fiction, Time travel
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2008020986
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

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Summary

A mind-bending, time-bending, zeitgeist-defining novel about the days leading up to December 21, 2012the day the Maya predicted the world would endDecember 21, 2012. The day time stops. Jed DeLanda, a descendant of the Maya living in the year 2012, is a math prodigy who spends his time playing Go against his computer and raking in profits from online trading. (His secret weapon? A Mayan divination gameonce used for predicting corn-harvest cycles, now proving very useful in predicting corn futuresthat his mother taught him.) But Jeds life is thrown into chaos when his former mentor, the game theorist Taro, and a mysterious woman named Marena Park, invite him to give his opinion on a newly discovered Mayan codex.Marena and Taro are looking for a volunteer to travel back to 664 AD to learn more about a sacrifice game described in the codex. Jed leaps at the chance, and soon scientists are replicating his brain waves and sending them through a wormhole, straight into the mind of a Mayan kingOnly something goes wrong. Instead of becoming a king, Jed arrives inside a ballplayer named Chacal who is seconds away from throwing himself down the temple steps as a human sacrifice. If Jed can live through the next few minutes, he might just save the world.Bringing to mind Neal Stephensons Cryptonomicon and Gary Jenningss Aztec, yet entirely unique, In the Courts of the Sun takes you from the distant past to the near future in a brilliant kaleidoscope of ideas.

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Media reviews

'In the Courts of the Sun by Brian D'Amato is an enthralling and original read, a stunningly inventive novel that will keep you turning the pages until the wee hours. With the sure hand of a master storyteller, D'Amato weaves together Mayan history, modern science, game theory and the coming Mayan apocalypse to deliver a gripping read. Beware December 21, 2012!'
Douglas Preston, author of The Codex and The Monster of Florence

"A remarkable, unique, stand-out book. Prodigious in its scope, its originality, its ambition, its intelligence, and the mastery of its research. In a word: awesome. Or brilliant. Make that two words: awesome and brilliant."
Raymond Khoury, author of The Last Templar and The Sanctuary'Fans of the late Michael Crichton will welcome this engrossing thriller. . . . The period details are as convincing as those in Simon Levack's superb Aztec mysteries.'
Publishers Weekly (starred)

'Ambitious. . . . a richly detailed, intellectually stimulating adventure through time.'
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