Line #17 Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomRynosseros


1	[[quoteright:193:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rynemonn_193x300.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:193:But those that cross Tom Rynosseros...]]
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4	''The Adventures of Tom Rynosseros'' is a lengthy story cycle written by the Australian writer Terry Dowling. The first story "The Only Bird in Her Name" was published in 1985, the latest "The Library" was published in 2009.
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6	The series takes place a thousand years in the future. A [[AfterTheEnd mysterious cataclysm]] has changed the balance of power in the world; in particular, Australia is now ruled by a congregation of its native Aboriginal tribes (referred to as Ab'O in the stories). Enter Tom Tyson, a National (white) freed from cryosleep with much of his memories removed. Tom gains ownership of ''Rynosseros'', a charvolant or sandship propelled by solar-powered kites, and, due to the mysterious plans of a rogue A.I., is given a Colour, granting him living legend status in the Ab'O society, and free passage for ''Rynosseros'' to travel the continent.
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8	Most of the stories are stand-alones of various adventures or characters encountered by Tom as he seeks for his past, or just highlighting the world itself. A MythArc involving Tom and [[spoiler:the belltrees]] begins in "Colouring the Captains" and culminates in "Sewing Whole Cloth."
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10	In 1999, the Hollywood Theater of the Ear did a radio dramatization of "The Only Bird in Her Name."
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12	!!This series contains examples of:
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14	* ArabianNightsDays: The major influence on Blue Tyson's world.
15	* ArtificialHuman: [[spoiler:Beth Lessoa-Tojian]]/the Forgetty, in "The Only Bird in Her Name."
16	* AwesomeAussie: The whole cast.
17	* TheChooserOfTheOne: Rynemonn, the Belltree A.I. that Coloured the Captains.
18	* TheChosenOne: Tom is the last of the Coloured Captains, and has special significance as the Blue Captain.
19	* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Sticking his nose where it's not wanted, at no particular benefit to him, simply because it's the [[ForGreatJustice right thing to do]], is practically Tom's MO.
20	* DiscOneFinalBoss: Bolo May, [[spoiler: described as the [[ChurchMilitant Witchfinder General]] of the Ab'o nations and is established as an adversary to the Captains in in the first chronological story "Colouring the Captains", - and is dispatched by a KillSat in the same story.]]
21	* FantasticRacism: Belltrees and other A.I. are anathema to the [[TheFundamentalist most traditionalist]] Ab'O tribes. It's heavily implied that [[spoiler: Tom and the other captains were Coloured so the belltrees would have someone to fight for them.]]
22	* GodhoodSeeker: Chiras Namarkon in "The Library" [[spoiler: which he (almost) achieves through BrainUploading.]]
23	* GrandFinale: The novella "Rynemonn" (later divided into four separate stories - "Coyote Struck by Lighting," "Coming Down", "Sewing Whole Cloth" and the wraparound piece "Doing the Line") serves as this to the Blue Captain's story. A Tom Rynosseros novel called ''Malgre'', taking place before "Rynemonn'' has yet to be fully completed/published.
24	* IHaveManyNames: Tom Tyson, Tom Rynosseros, Blue Tyson, Tom O'Bedlam..
25	* KatanasAreJustBetter: ''Everyone'' in future Australia, regardless of ethnic background, carries one.
26	* InterspeciesRomance: [[spoiler: Tom and Beth Lessoa-Tojian, the Forgetty. Unfortunately, to keep them both safe, she has to keep biting him so he forgets her.]]
27	* HiveMind: [[spoiler: Dewi Dammo]] in "Marmordesse"
28	* TheLancer: Ben Scarbo, Tom's kite-master.
29	* LiteraryAllusionTitle: The name (and its idiosyncratic spelling) comes from the seventeenth century poem "Tom o'Bedlam":
30	-->But those that cross Tom Rynosseros\
31	Do what the panther dare not.
32	* MagicFromTechnology: Ab'O Clevermen gain Dreamtime powers through advanced energy vectors called haldanes.
33	* NarratorAllAlong: Most the stories are told by Tom himself. The story "Ship's Eye" reveals that [[spoiler: Rynosseros itself has an AI core, and is narrating the tales Tom doesn't tell.]]
34	* NebulousEvilOrganisation: [[spoiler: The Haldanian Order, an [[TheFundmentalist fundamentalist coalition]] of Ab'O tribes with genocidal intention towards all AIs.]]
35	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: "Forgettys" are ArtificialHumans with a single hidden tooth that transfers a memory-wiping chemical. Despite being no harm to humanity, they have been hunted to the point of extinction by the time of "The Only Bird in Her Name."
36	* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Tobys are gray, featureless animals incapable of doing so much as feeding themselves. However if seen through the right angle by someone with PsychicPowers they take take the form of dragons or a number of mythological creatures -[[OhCrap including]] [[BrownNote basilisks]]...
37	* ReallyGetsAround: If there's a woman in the story, National or Ab'O, Tom will have bedded her before the last page.
38	* SapientShip: "Ship's Eye" reveals [[spoiler: ''Rynosseros'' has an AI core.]]
39	* {{Theotech}}: Unique case in that the theology is drawn entirely from Indigenous Australian mythology and religion.
40	* TomTheDarkLord: The villainous characters, like Bolo May and Dewi Dammo, tend to have fairly innocuous names.
41	* {{Tulpa}}: Strong psychics can conjure them as a form of dueling.
42	* WeirdTradeUnion: "The Only Bird in Her Name" revolves around a club where membership is only open to people whose name includes the name of a bird. Changing your name to qualify isn't allowed, but one of the members is a geneticist who invented a new kind of bird and named it after himself solely so he could join.

Context Literature / TheAdventuresOfTomRynosseros