History Literature / GrandCentralArena

* BewareTheSuperman: {{Lampshaded}} by [=DuQuesne=] at one point, calling himself "...somebody's idea of a superman, which was based on [[{{Creator/EEDocSmith}} somebody else]]'s idea of a supervillain." When the Arena shows a select group of individuals (including Ariane) the true scope of Project Hyperion, we see that, if anything, this is in fact a ''massive'' {{understatement}} on his part.

* BaitAndSwitch: Possibly unintentional. Readers who are unfamiliar with ''Journey to the West'' are likely to think that DuQuesne's fellow Hyperion Wu is based on Louis Wu from ''Literature/{{Ringworld}}'' before his introduction in ''Spheres of Influence''.

** Also a lot of other SF and Anime material. If you look closely at Orphan's description, you'll realize he (and, by extension, the Blessed to Serve) look like [[Anime/DragonBallZ Perfect Cell]].

** Also a lot of other SF and Anime material. If you look closely at Orphan's description, you'll realize he looks like [[Anime/DragonBallZ Perfect Cell]].

* LawyerFriendlyCameo: When additional details start coming out about the inhabitants of the Hyperion Project in ''Spheres of Influence'', some are identified only by vague descriptions ([[Film/JamesBond a man in evening dress with some unspecified interest in spectres]]) or by things they said ("[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan I don't believe in no-win scenarios]]", "''[[{{Anime/Slayers}} Sore wa himitsu desu]]''"). ''Challenges of the Deeps'' contains more along the same lines.

* TheCavalry: Near the climax of ''Spheres of Influence'', [[spoiler:Sun Wu Kung and his air whale fleet]].

* LawyerFriendlyCameo: When additional details start coming out about the inhabitants of the Hyperion Project in ''Spheres of Influence'', some are identified only by vague descriptions ([[Film/JamesBond a man in evening dress with some unspecified interest in spectres]]) or by things they said ("[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan I don't believe in no-win scenarios]]", "''[[{{Anime/Slayers}} Sore wa himitsu desu]]''").

* {{Defictionalization}}: The in-universe goal of the Hyperion Project, developing "real" versions of fictional or fictionally-dramatized characters as close to their fictional portrayals as reality permitted. In ''Challenges of the Deep'', it's revealed that [[spoiler:the Arena itself takes this to even more drastic levels; not only do the Hyperion survivors have the powers that they could be physically granted, they also are granted those powers that would be otherwise physically impossible, such as fictional technology, psychic powers, or the strength to break bonds made of a material as far beyond neutronium as neutronium is beyond mundane matter.]]

* TheCavalry: Near the climax of ''Spheres of Influence'', [[spoiler:Son Wu Kung and his air whale fleet]].

* {{Defictionalization}}: The in-universe goal of the Hyperion Project, developing "real" versions of fictional or fictionally-dramatized characters as close to their fictional portrayals as reality permitted. In Challenges of the Deep, it's revealed that [[spoiler:the Arena itself takes this to even more drastic levels; not only do the Hyperion survivors have the powers that they could be physically granted, they also are granted those powers that would be otherwise physically impossible, such as fictional technology, psychic powers, or the strength to break bonds made of a material as far beyond neutronium as neutronium is beyond mundane matter.]]

* HumansAreSpecial: Humans are [[spoiler:more willing to take risks]].
** And on top of that, WordOfGod says that humans have a special ability that they've never noticed because they've only been competing against each other.

* ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder: Dr. Wolfe, the ''Holy Grail''[='s=] Southern-accented medical officer, gets at least one in each book.

** In ''Challenges of the Deeps'', the human warship [[Literature/TheDeedOfPaksenarrion Paksenarrion]] makes an appearance.

* SpeaksFluentAnimal: In ''Spheres of Influence'', [[spoiler:Son Wu Kung]] shows the ability to speak with just about any animal in the Nexus [[spoiler:and environs]].

A GenreThrowback SpaceOpera series by Creator/RykESpoor. Currently consists of two novels, ''Grand Central Arena'' (2010) and ''Spheres of Influence'' (2013), with a third being written.

** Again, Arena physics. No AIs, no uploaded intellects, and apparently even body modification past some as-yet-unspecified point will fail.

** Notably, the allowed level of transhumanism (and not just for humans, other species do it as well) is still reasonably high (enhanced reflexes, strength, healing nanites, etc.), and very ubiquitous, so it's more 'no transhumans above this height can ride,' and most everyone tries to get their top people as close to their allowed line as possible, which varies a bit species to species.
*** [[spoiler:Hyperions, being designed in another environment/'reality' from the ground up, don't count as enhanced and can go past standard limits]]

* {{Precursors}}: The Voidbuilders built the Arena. There is no consensus on their motives, their continued existence, or their divinity.

* MeaningfulRename:
** The leader -- and only surviving member -- of the Liberated goes by the name "Orphan".
** Maria Susanna, a Hyperion Project survivor specifically designed to be a self-insert character, in other words the MarySue.

* TheHeart: Sun Wukong is specifically described as such by Mark, in comparison to the rest of The Five who engineered the downfall of the Hyperion Project.

* MarySue: In-universe, one of the characters in the Hyperion Project simulations was a woman named Maria-Susanna who was created to be (a) a non-canonical love interest for the main character of the simulation[[note]]implied to be James Kirk[[/note]] and (b) a stand-in for her creator. [[spoiler:''Spheres of Influence'' reveals that she is one of the surviving Hyperions and that she... didn't take it well when she learned the circumstances of her creation.]]
* MeaningfulRename: The leader -- and only surviving member -- of the Liberated goes by the name "Orphan".

* Good Old Fashioned SpaceOpera: What the author was shooting for.

* MarySue: [[spoiler: She is one of the surviving Hyperions created to ''literally'' be Mary Sue in their Star Trek environment. Her name is Maria-Susanna.]]

* HumansAreSpecial: Humans are [[spoiler:more willing to take risks.]]

** A list of fictional creations that have become bywords for rogue-AI fears: Literature/{{Frankenstein}}, [[{{Film/Terminator}} SkyNet]], Monolith.

* SymbioticPossession: In ''Spheres of Influence'', [[spoiler:Oasis Abrams]] is revealed to carry two minds. In her backstory, the body of one of the minds was dying, and the mind of [[spoiler:Oasis Abrams]] was transferred into the brain of [[spoiler:a Hyperion. By the time we meet her/them, their minds have sort of fused, creating a new amalgam personality.]]

A GenreThrowback SpaceOpera novel by Creator/RykESpoor.

The sequel, ''Spheres of Influence'' was published in November 2013. The third and probably final novel is currently being written.

The sequel, ''Spheres of Influence'' has now been published, in November 2013. Please hide {{Spoiler}}s relating to that book.

* AirWhale

* BioAugmentation: “Biomods”, anywhere from cosmetic changes to military enhancements.

* FloatingWater: Check!

* {{Nanobots}}: Commonly used, not considered especially scary. Used for in-flight ship repair (“Nanomaintenance”), medical support (medical nanos) and sensors and other purposes.

* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Again, Arena physics. No AIs, no uploaded intellects, and apparently even body modification past some as-yet-unspecified point will fail.

* PowerIncontinence: [[spoiler:Ariane]], after the climax.

** The Hyperion Project also provides in-universe shout-outs to the ''Literature/SkylarkSeries'', as well as ''Franchise/DocSavage'', ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'', and ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest''.

** Also a lot of other SF and Anime material. If you look closely at Orphan's description, you'll realize he looks like [[DragonBallZ Perfect Cell]].

* Main/SpeaksFluentAnimal: In ''Spheres of Influence'', [[spoiler:Son Wu Kung]] shows the ability to speak with just about any animal in the Nexus [[spoiler:and environs]].
* SubspaceOrHyperspace: They thought they'd invented your standard jump-into-hyperspace-to-shorten-distance drive. Then they found someone else got there — ''an entire universe of “there”'' — first.
* SymbioticPossession: In ''Spheres of Influnce'', [[spoiler:Oasis Abrams]] is revealed to carry two minds. In her backstory, the body of one of the minds was dying, and the mind of [[spoiler:Oasis Abrams]] was transferred into the brain of [[spoiler:a Hyperion. By the time we meet her/them, their minds have sort of fused, creating a new amalgam personality.]]
* TelescopingStaff: Ariane uses one as a weapon in one of the contests.
* TheCavalry: Near the climax of ''Spheres of Influence'', [[spoiler:Son Wu Kung and his air whale fleet]].
* TheFettered: [[spoiler:Marc [=DuQuesne=]]], who has kept his emotions, physical and mental abilities under tight rein while interacting with normal people. Against a bunch of xenophobic hostile aliens, however...

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: [[spoiler:Marc [=DuQuesne=]]]. "Your mistake, you pea-brained overbearing pompous crayfish, is that you think you have any idea of what you're dealing with."

** The Hyperion Project also provides in-universe shout-outs to the ''Literature/SkylarkSeries'', as well as ''DocSavage'', ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'', and ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest''.

* BigDumbObject: They don't get much bigger than the Arena. A scale model of the ''entire universe'' is just the start of it.

* BrainComputerInterface: Many people on Earth have direct interfaces with their AI-equipped personal organizers/communication devices, to the point where Ariane is considered a bit odd because she doesn't use the direct interface unless she has to. This does mean that she's the least affected of the crew when all their [=AIs=] suddenly stop working.

** Ariane compares the Faith's ceremonial music to {{Beethoven}}'s Ninth Symphony and Satterli's "Jovian Themes".