Jeffrey, is killed on a solo mission to the sun, it seems to confirm the sun-ghosts' hostile intent. There are apparently three forms: the 'toroids' which appear to be similar to cattle and live off of the magnetic fields in the chromosphere, a relatively fluid, apparently intelligent variety, and a threatening, strangely anthropomorphic figure that avoids the side of the sunship where the instruments are located. Mildred Martine (a psychiatrist) and the exuberant journalist Peter LaRoque.ĭemwa goes to the sun, and observes the sun-ghosts. Dwayne Kepler (the head of the Sundiver expedition) Dr. With him on Mercury are Helene deSilva, an attractive station commander with whom Jacob develops a relationship over the course of the book Fagin Pila Bubbacub, the library representative his assistant Culla (a Pring) Dr.

The ghosts are without precedent in the galactic library.ĭemwa agrees to come and investigate the origin and purpose of the sun-ghosts, and travels to Mercury where the sundiver project is based. He learns that there are 'ghosts' appearing in the Sun's chromosphere. Initially reluctant to return to his previous life as a scientific investigator, Demwa agrees to attend a secret meeting. An alien friend of Demwa's, Fagin (a Kanten), contacts Demwa and offers him a job. The novel begins with the main character, Jacob Demwa, working at the center for uplift on Earth, while he recovers from a tragedy at the Vanilla Space Needle where he saved the space elevator from destruction but lost his love in the process. It is the first book of his first Uplift trilogy, followed by Startide Rising in 1983 and The Uplift War in 1987. Sundiver is a 1980 science fiction novel by American writer David Brin.

Startide rising by david brin