Summertide

As the celestial bodies of the Candar system align for the most extreme "Summertide" in 350,000 years, the twin planets Opal and Quake face unprecedented tidal forces. Access to the volatile Quake is strictly forbidden, yet an eclectic group of individuals is drawn to its dangerous shores. Professor Darya Lang, a revered scholar of the enigmatic, long-vanished Builders, believes this cataclysmic event might finally reveal the aliens themselves, a hunch that defies conventional wisdom. Meanwhile, the cunning Louis Nenda and the enigmatic Cecropian Atvar H'sial pursue their own hidden agendas on Quake, driven by motives as complex as the Builders' relics. Councilor Julius Graves, a relentless investigator, seeks justice for murderers he suspects are hiding amidst the planet's chaos. Caught in the escalating maelstrom are Planetary Administrators Hans Rebka and Max Perry, forced to brave Quake's perils to protect the disparate travelers. Their perilous journey will not only test their limits but may unravel the profound secrets of Summertide and the Builders' legacy, echoing classic hard science fiction with a compelling sense of cosmic wonder and intricate puzzles.