The Amtrak Wars
Encyclopedia
The Amtrak Wars is a series of novels written by British
author Patrick Tilley
. The series is a post-apocalyptic science fiction
with some fantasy
elements such as the existence of magic
. Six novels and an illustrated companion guidebook were published between 1983 and 1990, with additional books planned but never completed. The books have been optioned by an Australian production company with the intent of turning them into a series of feature films.
and Russia
were involved in this nuclear war but who fired the first shot is not known. The resulting war lasted only a few hours, but between the nuclear exchange and the years of nuclear winter
that followed, the overwhelming majority of the human race was annihilated.
The most organised band of survivors were the Amtrak Federation. Four hundred American citizens survived the nuclear war in a vast underground bunker beneath Houston, Texas
. They established additional underground bunker-cities (known as divisional bases) linked by a high-speed subterranean rail network. Ruled by a self-perpetuating dynasty known as the First Family, the Federation expanded slowly in numbers and territory. By AD 2989, when the novels begin, the Federation sprawls across much of the south of the United States, from Colorado
and Arizona
to Mississippi. It is technologically advanced, employing microlight aircraft
and 'wagon-trains
', massive, 600-foot-long vehicles that act as land-based aircraft carriers and mobile HQs for heavily-armed infantry
personnel. The Federation's personnel are heavily susceptible to above-ground radiation
and rarely live past their fortieth birthdays as a result.
Ordinary citizens of the United States who managed to survive the nuclear war and adapt to the radiation mutated into a clan-based warrior society known as the Mutes. Adopting a warrior ethos and tribal society similar to Native Americans
, the Mutes are primitive, employing spears and knives in combat. They are affected by a variety of radiation-induced infirmities, such as somewhat short-term memories and deformities varying in severity by individual. There are exceptions, Mutes with excellent recall who keep the tribe's traditions alive through an oral tradition of story-telling. These Mutes are known as wordsmiths. The Mutes would not present a significant threat to the Federation's vastly superior technology and weapons except for the existence of Mutes known as 'seers', who can foresee their moves, and 'summoners', who can use magical forces that the Federation has no defence against. The Federation does not believe in the existence of Mute magic and outlaws all discussion of its existence, to the anger of front-line combat veterans who have seen it in action.
The third major surviving faction is known as the Iron Masters, though they refer to themselves as the Sons of Ne-Issan. According to their legends, the Iron Masters fled the destruction of their homeland of Nippon
in vast floating cities that drifted into Antarctic waters and then up into the Atlantic, eventually landing on the Eastern Seaboard
of the former United States. They founded a country known as the Shogunate of Ne-Issan, stretching from Nova Scotia
to South Carolina
and inland as far as the Great Lakes
and Appalachian Mountains
. The Iron Masters have developed gunpowder
and great steam-powered ships, but custom, religion and political decree forbids them from developing technology based on the 'Dark Light' (electricity
). Due to the growing threat of the Amtrak Federation, some Iron Masters believe that without embracing the Dark Light their nation stands little chance against the Federation's superior technology and will be destroyed, but official policy is to maintain the edict.
Steve eventually escapes from the Mutes and returns to the Federation, but his account of his imprisonment and escape is deemed fantastical. Labelled a deserter, he is stripped of all rank and is publicly disgraced. Privately, Steve is recruited by the Federation's top-secret intelligence organisation, AMEXICO, and is sent on a new assignment to capture Cadillac, Clearwater and Mr. Snow, who are deemed of interest to the Federation. Upon learning that Cadillac has used information from Steve to build a primitive glider and fly it to Ne-Issan as part of a weapons and intelligence exchange between the Mutes and Iron Masters, Steve decides to pursue the capture mission into Ne-Issan. During this mission Steve's loyalties become further conflicted between his affinity with the Mutes and his birth allegiance to the Federation, and he begins a risky attempt to play both sides against the middle whilst he looks for a way to escape his enemies on both sides.
, 1988).
reissued the Amtrak Wars series with new covers and in a revised form that saw the Amtrak Federation renamed as the 'Lone Star Confederation'. The final volume was also mildly re-edited to remove the definitive afterword/conclusion of the original series, leaving the book on more of a cliffhanger.
In a letter dated 26 August 1991 Patrick Tilley confirmed that both the fans and publishers wanted additional novels to be published in the series and he was pursuing the matter, but only if he could "make it good enough." http://www.johnbreslin.com/blog/1998/10/08/review-the-amtrak-wars/. Rumours circulated for several years that additional novels in the sequence were being written, reaching a height in 1999 when a seventh volume was listed for publication by several websites. Unsubstantiated rumours surfaced in 2001 that Book 7 would be called Ghost Riderhttp://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430&highlight=Tilley, and that one of the characters killed at the end of book 6 wasn't actually dead.
In 2007 Patrick Tilley once again hinted that the series would continue, although possibly only as a trilogy rather than six more books.
. The proposed movie series is entitled The Talisman Prophecy rather than The Amtrak Wars and continues the practice from the revised edition of naming the Amtrak Federation as 'The Lone Star Confederation'. Other changes include proposed variations to the design of Federation vehicles and technology from the books, and the removal of Ne-Issan to the Pacific North-West rather than the Eastern Seaboard.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author Patrick Tilley
Patrick Tilley
Patrick Tilley is a British science fiction author best known for The Amtrak Wars series of books - a futureworld epic set on the eve of the third millennium in a world emerging from the ravages of a dimly understood global holocaust. The name "Amtrak" - appropriated by a specific group of...
. The series is a post-apocalyptic science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
with some fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
elements such as the existence of magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
. Six novels and an illustrated companion guidebook were published between 1983 and 1990, with additional books planned but never completed. The books have been optioned by an Australian production company with the intent of turning them into a series of feature films.
Backstory
In AD 2015 the old world was destroyed in a nuclear war, known in the books variously as 'The Holocaust' and 'The War of a Thousand Suns'. The United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
were involved in this nuclear war but who fired the first shot is not known. The resulting war lasted only a few hours, but between the nuclear exchange and the years of nuclear winter
Nuclear winter
Nuclear winter is a predicted climatic effect of nuclear war. It has been theorized that severely cold weather and reduced sunlight for a period of months or even years could be caused by detonating large numbers of nuclear weapons, especially over flammable targets such as cities, where large...
that followed, the overwhelming majority of the human race was annihilated.
The most organised band of survivors were the Amtrak Federation. Four hundred American citizens survived the nuclear war in a vast underground bunker beneath Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. They established additional underground bunker-cities (known as divisional bases) linked by a high-speed subterranean rail network. Ruled by a self-perpetuating dynasty known as the First Family, the Federation expanded slowly in numbers and territory. By AD 2989, when the novels begin, the Federation sprawls across much of the south of the United States, from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to Mississippi. It is technologically advanced, employing microlight aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and 'wagon-trains
Overland train
In the 1950s the LeTourneau company developed several overland trains, essentially oversized semi-trailer trucks that could travel over almost any terrain. Their intention was to be able to handle logistics needs without being dependent on local road or rail systems, allowing them to operate in...
', massive, 600-foot-long vehicles that act as land-based aircraft carriers and mobile HQs for heavily-armed infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
personnel. The Federation's personnel are heavily susceptible to above-ground radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
and rarely live past their fortieth birthdays as a result.
Ordinary citizens of the United States who managed to survive the nuclear war and adapt to the radiation mutated into a clan-based warrior society known as the Mutes. Adopting a warrior ethos and tribal society similar to Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, the Mutes are primitive, employing spears and knives in combat. They are affected by a variety of radiation-induced infirmities, such as somewhat short-term memories and deformities varying in severity by individual. There are exceptions, Mutes with excellent recall who keep the tribe's traditions alive through an oral tradition of story-telling. These Mutes are known as wordsmiths. The Mutes would not present a significant threat to the Federation's vastly superior technology and weapons except for the existence of Mutes known as 'seers', who can foresee their moves, and 'summoners', who can use magical forces that the Federation has no defence against. The Federation does not believe in the existence of Mute magic and outlaws all discussion of its existence, to the anger of front-line combat veterans who have seen it in action.
The third major surviving faction is known as the Iron Masters, though they refer to themselves as the Sons of Ne-Issan. According to their legends, the Iron Masters fled the destruction of their homeland of Nippon
Nippon
Nippon is a native name for Japan, more formal than Nihon.Nippon can also refer to:-Company names:All of the following companies are based in Japan.*Nikon *Nippon Telegraph and Telephone...
in vast floating cities that drifted into Antarctic waters and then up into the Atlantic, eventually landing on the Eastern Seaboard
Eastern seaboard
An Eastern seaboard can mean any easternmost part of a continent, or its countries, states and/or cities.Eastern seaboard may also refer to:* East Coast of Australia* East Coast of the United States* Eastern Seaboard of Thailand-See also:...
of the former United States. They founded a country known as the Shogunate of Ne-Issan, stretching from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and inland as far as the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. The Iron Masters have developed gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
and great steam-powered ships, but custom, religion and political decree forbids them from developing technology based on the 'Dark Light' (electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
). Due to the growing threat of the Amtrak Federation, some Iron Masters believe that without embracing the Dark Light their nation stands little chance against the Federation's superior technology and will be destroyed, but official policy is to maintain the edict.
Plot summary
In AD 2989 a 17-year-old, newly-qualified Amtrak pilot named Steve Brickman joins the Lady from Louisiana wagon-train in its first major assault on the Plainfolk Mutes. Thanks to the Mutes' deployment of sorcery, the wagon-train is defeated and forced to retreat. Brickman is taken prisoner by the Mutes but not killed, due to a prophetic vision of the clan's seer, Mr. Snow, which suggests Steve will be instrumental in the fulfilment of the Talisman Prophecy, which suggests a 'chosen one' called Talisman will arise to destroy the Federation and lead the Mutes to victorious domination of the world. Steve comes to admire and respect the Mutes and falls in love with a 'straight' (mutation-free) Mute named Clearwater and forges a bond of mutual respect with Mr. Snow's apprentice, Cadillac.Steve eventually escapes from the Mutes and returns to the Federation, but his account of his imprisonment and escape is deemed fantastical. Labelled a deserter, he is stripped of all rank and is publicly disgraced. Privately, Steve is recruited by the Federation's top-secret intelligence organisation, AMEXICO, and is sent on a new assignment to capture Cadillac, Clearwater and Mr. Snow, who are deemed of interest to the Federation. Upon learning that Cadillac has used information from Steve to build a primitive glider and fly it to Ne-Issan as part of a weapons and intelligence exchange between the Mutes and Iron Masters, Steve decides to pursue the capture mission into Ne-Issan. During this mission Steve's loyalties become further conflicted between his affinity with the Mutes and his birth allegiance to the Federation, and he begins a risky attempt to play both sides against the middle whilst he looks for a way to escape his enemies on both sides.
Main characters
- Steven Roosevelt Brickman - A wingman of The Amtrak Federation who is captured by the M'Call clan of Mutes. He gradually begins to regard them as equals, even though this goes against everything he has been taught. He falls in love with a mute, Clearwater, and befriends Mr Snow and Cadillac. However Steve and Cadillac are constantly at odds with each other over because of Clearwater, whom Steve stole from Cadillac, and their inherent distrust of each other. Steve possesses latent telepathic abilities that allow him to connect with his kin-sister, Roz, on occasion. At first this is completely unconscious, but over time he is able to contact her deliberately. It is theorised in the books that if he opened himself up he would have access to abilities similar to those displayed by Roz, though he does sometimes instinctively know what people are thinking. He also has a sixth sense for what is immediately about to happen, and is capable of matching the speed and running stamina of Mutes. He is also incredibly lucky, something which may be due to his latent telepathic abilities, his intuitive sixth sense or the fact that he was 'born in the shadow of Talisman' as the Mutes believe.
- Roz - Steve's kin-sister. She is several years younger, but the two share a deep telepathic bond. Whenever Steve is injured or under a great amount of stress her body becomes similarly affected. If Steve is shot, Roz will receive a similar wound. However this 'psychosomatic wounding' vanishes within hours, leaving no trace that it was ever there. Roz is telepathic and also possesses the ability to create extremely realistic illusions in the minds of others, indistinguishable from reality. She was studying to be a doctor, but is eventually recruited to help Steve in his mission to capture Mr Snow, Clearwater and Cadillac.
- Mr Snow - The wordsmith of the Clan M'Call. He is a wise old man and a summoner of the seventh ring of power (there are nine rings of power in total). He is very wise, but also has a sharp sense of humour. He has a great affection for Steve Brickman.
- Clearwater - A superstraight with bright blue eyes. She is an excellent hand to hand fighter and also a summoner of the third ring. Upon seeing her Steve falls deeply in love with her, and she with him. Despite their vast cultural differences they form a relationship.
- Cadillac Deville - Also a super straight. He is Mr Snow's apprentice and a wordsmith and seer. Though brave, his lust for power and 'standing' often lead him to do stupid or selfish things. While in Ne-Issan, land of the Iron Masters, he develops a love for sake, which only increases his less attractive personality traits and robs him of his ability to see the future in the stones until quite some time after he has stopped consuming alcohol.
Earth Magic
There are three types of gifted mutes, two of which possesses magical abilities. They are:- Word-smiths - Intelligent mutes with eidetic memories. They remember the oral histories of their entire clan and are also the custodians of the Talisman prophecy. Word-smiths are highly valued, and play a leading role in their clans affairs. Even more so than the clan leader.
- Seers - Able to see into the future and the past by reading 'special' stones. The events they are able to view are usually connected to the place the stone has been taken from. To a seer, these stones appear to glow when they come across them. When viewing the past or future they enter a trance like state.
- Summoners - Summoners possess many magical abilities. They are able to control the weather and the earth, producing intense storms, calling down lightning and even generating earthquakes. They are also able to move objects telekinetically and influence the minds of others, either controlling them directly, or implanting hypnotic urges that the subject is compelled to follow. The summoner Clearwater also demonstrated the ability to shield herself from projectile attacks with a wall of light, identify the site and degree of any injuries a person was suffering and communicate with animals.
Books
- Cloud Warrior (1983)
This book opens with an examination of the character of a Mute named Cadillac, and his world-view. We learn of the Talisman Prophecy, Cadillac's status as a wordsmith and a freak, and his love of Clearwater. The story, however, is about Steven Roosevelt Brickman, an 18-year-old wingman (pilot) in the war against the Plainfolk Mutes. He is shot down, but is spared by the Mutes. He meets Cadillac, Cadillac's mentor Mr. Snow, and Motor-Head, the tribe's paramount warrior. He sees the gaps in his Tracker worldview, but still tries to escape. He meets Clearwater, falls in love with her, and woos her away from Cadillac. He then escapes, killing the jealous Motor-Head in the process. The book ends with Mr. Snow telling Cadillac and Clearwater that they will have a role to play in the Talisman Prophecy. - First Family (1985)
This book opens with an examination of the character of a Tracker named Deke Haywood, and his world-view. He is a 'techie' in the Tracker base on the ruins of Pueblo, ColoradoPueblo, ColoradoPueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
. He then notes that someone is trying to approach the base on his monitors. It is Steven Roosevelt Brickman. He is captured, and treated as a suspected traitor, but is not questioned. Through a series of undercover agents, the First Family manoeuvers Steve into a position of weakness and desperation, then sends him back into the field as a member of AMEXICO, the AMtrak EXecutive Intelligence COmmandoes (agents are known as 'Mexicans') with orders to kill Cadillac and Clearwater. He is promptly attacked by a group of deserters, who steal all his stuff and throw him out. He then finds his way back to Mr. Snow, whose tribe takes him in. After hearing that Cadillac and Clearwater have gone north to the land of the mysterious 'Iron Masters' (and that Cadillac used magic to copy his technical abilities), Steve stows away on an Iron Master vessel. - Iron Master (1987)
This book opens with an examination of the character of an Iron Master named Toshiro Hase-Gawa and his world-view. He is a Herald of the Inner Court, a secret agent of his Shogun. With the arrival of Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater, the internal political groups are thrown into some turmoil, and Steve receives some offers. Steve also discovers that Cadillac is making recon gliders for the Iron Masters, masquerading as Steve (since Mutes are supposed to be illiterate). Steve agrees to help Cadillac, in exchange for Toshiro's help in getting them all out of the country at the end. Toshiro then gets Steve to kill one of the seventeen daiyamo (domain-lords). They then escape to a secret First Family recon station with two other runaways, where they steal transportation and fly back to Wyoming. But this is according to the Family's plan, and one of the runaways is a spy. - Blood River (1988)
Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater meet with triumph and disaster as they try to evade the clutches of both the Iron Masters and the disguised hunter/killer squads sent out by the Federation to purge the overground of renegade Trackers and deserters. Clearwater is seriously injured and only Federation medicine can save her; Steve uses his identity as a Federation agent to get her treatment. - Death-Bringer (1989)
With Clearwater now safely in their hands the First Family hatches a plan to use her as bait to capture Cadillac and Mr Snow and annihilate the Clan M'Call; a plan in which Steve is forced to continue his double-role as loyal agent of the Confederation and blood-brother to the Plainfolk. In the aftermath of events, Steve returns to the Federation to take care of Clearwater while Roz escapes and joins with Cadillac. - Earth-Thunder (1990)
As the "Great Mountain in the West speaks to the Sky with a Tongue of Flame", the Talisman Prophecy is on the verge of fulfillment. At that moment Clearwater goes in to labour with Steve's child in a Federation hospital, and Roz conceives a child with Cadillac on the overground. The First Family celebrates their believed capture of the Talisman, but which child is the real one, or are both part of the prophecy?
Other Material
There is also a rare guide to the Amtrak Wars world titled Dark Visions: an illustrated guide to the Amtrak Wars, ISBN 0-7474-0270-1 (Sphere BooksSphere Books
-History:Founded in 1961, Sphere Books began work on its first publication, the 1962 paperback edition of Gottfried Benn's The Trainee Man. Originally part of The Thomson Corporation, Sphere was sold to Pearson PLC in 1985 and became part of Penguin...
, 1988).
Revised edition
In 1998 Orbit BooksOrbit Books
Orbit Books is an international publisher that specialises in science fiction and fantasy books. It was founded in 1974 as part of the Macdonald Futura publishing company...
reissued the Amtrak Wars series with new covers and in a revised form that saw the Amtrak Federation renamed as the 'Lone Star Confederation'. The final volume was also mildly re-edited to remove the definitive afterword/conclusion of the original series, leaving the book on more of a cliffhanger.
Continuation
The Amtrak Wars is notable for having a cliffhanger ending to the final volume, in which two of the main characters are killed, one of the three main civilisations is plunged into civil war and two children are born with pre-ordained destinies. However, since 1990 there have been no further additions to the series.In a letter dated 26 August 1991 Patrick Tilley confirmed that both the fans and publishers wanted additional novels to be published in the series and he was pursuing the matter, but only if he could "make it good enough." http://www.johnbreslin.com/blog/1998/10/08/review-the-amtrak-wars/. Rumours circulated for several years that additional novels in the sequence were being written, reaching a height in 1999 when a seventh volume was listed for publication by several websites. Unsubstantiated rumours surfaced in 2001 that Book 7 would be called Ghost Riderhttp://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430&highlight=Tilley, and that one of the characters killed at the end of book 6 wasn't actually dead.
In 2007 Patrick Tilley once again hinted that the series would continue, although possibly only as a trilogy rather than six more books.
Film adaptation
In 2007 the books were optioned by an Australian production company with the intention of turning them into a series of feature films. In 2008-09 Patrick Tilley wrote a draft of the first script, entitled like the book, Cloud Warrior, and the production company continued pursuing the project in 2010, showing the script and tentative production artwork to several companies at the Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. The proposed movie series is entitled The Talisman Prophecy rather than The Amtrak Wars and continues the practice from the revised edition of naming the Amtrak Federation as 'The Lone Star Confederation'. Other changes include proposed variations to the design of Federation vehicles and technology from the books, and the removal of Ne-Issan to the Pacific North-West rather than the Eastern Seaboard.
External links
- Amtrak Wars Wikia - A comprehensive guide to the books on Wikia.
- Patrick Tilley community - An online fan community.
- The Talisman Prophecy - Official website of the film production company working on the adaptation, including pre-production artwork.