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- Go to E.T. eventually found his way home . . . could you?
Re:
Well, Straight, that wouldn't have exactly been very neighborly of them, but if that would have been the only way to get back to Earth, than who would I ( or anyone else ) be to argue? But just how would a "lifeline" had worked out in the middle of cold, dark space? 
posted by
JimmyA
on December 12, 2012 at 8:24 AM
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Re:
Wow! Are you sure Utah, that you didn't read this trilogy as well? Believe it or not, there was a character in this story that was just that . . . a talking dog named George! And he was as intelligent as any human you might have known! But alas, even he couldn't guide the aliens back to Earth! In fact, because of the way he was being treated, he didn't want to return anyway! 
posted by
JimmyA
on December 12, 2012 at 8:22 AM
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That's a possibility, C C T. Mars is a lot closer to Earth, and he may have had a legitimate shot at finding his way home from there! I would love to see what that sky map would have looked like when he was through!
posted by
JimmyA
on December 12, 2012 at 8:19 AM
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Re: Re: Re: Jimmy
All good and valid points, Naut, but sometimes that's the fun of science fiction. Yeah, there's a lot of "real crazy stuff" going on right here on Earth, but with sci-fi, the authors can take full advantage of their imaginations, and create things that actually don't exist, or are made up of things we're not entirely sure of. I've no doubt that it is probably impossible to travel from one side of the universe to the other, in any mode, but if you simply accept that it could be a possibility, it makes the story itself that much more enjoyable, at least for me. I just love the creative aspects of science fiction writing, and applaud anyone who comes up with unique and interesting concepts to pique my own imagination!
posted by
JimmyA
on December 12, 2012 at 8:17 AM
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.
Proceed fast beyond many stars.
Slow down to a snail's pace when you see the Milky Way.
Look for the sheep. 
Throw you out on a lifeline.
Cut the imblical cord to the ship.
posted by
Against4WindsOn2Flam
on December 12, 2012 at 6:56 AM
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I assume as I am just a pet, and my captures are light years ahead of me mentally that they could simply read it in my DNA. I doubt very much that we would think to ask a dog, or a cat, or a canary, where they come from and expect an intelligent answer.
posted by
UtahJay
on December 12, 2012 at 12:34 AM
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A pity the hero had to travel so far, now if it had been Mars or thereabouts perhaps he could have written a sky map.
posted by
C_C_T
on December 12, 2012 at 12:27 AM
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Re: Re: Jimmy
You know, when I read stuff like that, I can't help but remember that so far we know the Universe is at least 13.6 billion light-years across, i.e. a distance which takes light to travel for 13.6 billion years at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. That's for light, and for reasons that I can't get into here, nothing that has mass, as Marcus and the rest of these folks presumably have, can travel as fast as that...That means, among other things, that the light that reaches us now from 'out there' began its trip before our galaxy even exited, let alone our own little planetary system, which is no more than about 4.5 billion years old...All that also means that there's no point in trying to remember anything, since in the meantime everything changes...And what's more, the whole shebang is expanding at an ever increasing rate...The basic problem with this stuff is it has a lot of fi, but very little sci, LOL, and I always think there's enough real crazy stuff going on here on Earth...
posted by
Nautikos
on December 11, 2012 at 6:59 PM
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Re: I would like FSI memorise major landmarks along the way such as particular
Well, believe it not, Straight, the only female character that interacted with Marcus throughout the entire trilogy was an alien that closely resembled an octopus! And no matter how horny one might get, an octopus might prove to be a difficult "conquest." A mermaid? Sure, you might have a shot. But an octopus? I don't know . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 1:48 PM
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I would like FSI memorise major landmarks along the way such as particular
stars, moon, other planets, so that having plotted the way, I can return back easily on the same route.
But I am also tempted to suggest like Nautikos did that Marcus should have a great time with a woman out there.
posted by
Straightforward
on December 11, 2012 at 9:35 AM
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I can't argue with that, lustor. I know many people who get lost just going out of their driveways! Perhaps we should just forget all about this inter-galactic stuff and concentrate on the homefront, huh?
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:41 AM
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Re: I'd draw as much of a map of the skies from home as I could remember
Perhaps, Ciel. I guess you might say that we are in the "slums" of the Galaxy. I'm not sure if that would have helped the alien police though!
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:39 AM
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Re:
Guess what, Annicita? You just guessed the ending to the story! Marcus did eventually find his way home, but the adventure he was forced to participate in, and the amazing worlds he had seen, convinced him that there really is something better out there! It really was a great read . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:38 AM
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Re: JimmyA
There ya go, Wiley! And there'd be no traveling expenses either! Hey, if it's that easy to go from Canada to America and back again, who knows?
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:36 AM
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Re: To go to the other side of the Universe one would have to travel at the
That would be nice, Kabu, but I think that would be even more practical to just keep that technology limited to inter-planetary travel. This way, my wife and I could visit you and Wiley in a flash for dinner, and be home in time for Jon Stewart!
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:35 AM
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Re:
It was a good one, adnohr. In fact, he should probably write a story of his own based on these comments. Who knows? It might sell . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:33 AM
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Re: Jimmy
Believe it or not, Naut, you're not all that far off from the actual story line. Actually, he did incorporate the help of other aliens to eventually find his way home, but "settling down" with any of them was not really an option! Is your dislike for sci-fi novels and stories based on their complicated plot lines, or the fact that there's a lot you must accept to continue with the story at all? For me, science fiction is the most fun any writer can have because there's so much leeway with characters and stories. I guess you prefer your stories a little more realistic, huh?
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:32 AM
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Re:
Not a bad plan, FSI. The only problem is, Marcus was deep inside the alien's ship while he was en route to the other side of the universe. There were no windows, and they made no "pit stops," so trying to memorize major areas would have been moot. Good thought though . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on December 11, 2012 at 8:27 AM
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I am lucky if I can find my way back from the local store alone the other side of the earth
posted by
Lanetay
on December 11, 2012 at 7:47 AM
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I'd draw as much of a map of the skies from home as I could remember
and tell them, take me where the sky looks like this. I'd draw the Solar System, and describe the planets.
Also, we do know we are located on an outer arm of the Milky Way, really galactic boondocks. That might be of some help.
posted by
Ciel
on December 10, 2012 at 11:45 PM
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well maybe he will like there better than earth like john carter did!
posted by
Annicita
on December 10, 2012 at 8:31 PM
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JimmyA
No problem, I'd handle him like every other alien, I'd deport the dink
posted by
WileyJohn
on December 10, 2012 at 5:37 PM
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To go to the other side of the Universe one would have to travel at the
speed of whatever this new idea from Switzerland goes at SOOo one just thinks hard where they want to go to and POOF they are there and back home on dear old Earth!!!
posted by
Kabu
on December 10, 2012 at 5:08 PM
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Hahaha - I like Naut's comment...
posted by
adnohr
on December 10, 2012 at 12:57 PM
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Jimmy
You just reminded me why I don't read sci-fi novels, LOL...As to the question: since we don't actually know where we are relative to the Universe (though we have a pretty good idea of that relative to our galaxy, the Milky Way), and since we don't even know if there's 'another side' to it, (the Universe, that is) I guess Marcus is screwed!
He might as well find himself a nice woman with eight legs and three heads, go on romantic walks with her under the light of three moons, on a beach where the methane laps gently on the rocks and, having wooed and won her, settle down and join the galactic police force! They've got a great pension scheme, I hear...
posted by
Nautikos
on December 10, 2012 at 9:43 AM
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Hopefully I would have enough bearings to point them in the right direction to go and while in captivity, I would have hopefully memorized major areas (stars, planets, etc.) along the trip that would let us know that we were heading to earth.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on December 10, 2012 at 9:36 AM
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