In the summer of 2025, Lydia's grandfather sent her a strange diamond pendant admonishing her to handle it with utmost care. From the moment that she receives the small package, her life changes. She becomes engulfed in a series of life-threatening events that lead her to realize the incredible properties of the pendant. Slowly she learns that the diamond contains an alien intelligence able to communicate directly with the human brain. Rumors of its powers spread, the Mafia designs a Machiavellian plot to seize the extraterrestrial gem, whose value is estimated at $ 100 billion. An unprecedented confrontation occurs between mercenaries hired by the Mafia and American security services. As rumors continue to grow, the American authorities are forced to release stunning revelations about the life and mission of the alien genius to the peoples and nations of the world. The news throws the scientific world into turmoil. Economic and political ideologies are brought into question and religious beliefs are shaken. But the Mafia wants to have the last say: confrontation is inevitable. This science fiction novel addresses questions relevant to a growing number of readers. Recent discoveries in astrophysics suggest that there is a large number of exoplanets likely to contain liquid water and a breathable atmosphere able to contribute to the emergence of life. If aliens exist, are they scientifically and technologically ahead of Earth by thousands, millions or even billions of years? If so, have they already colonized or visited Earth? How could they overcome intergalactic distances given the limitations inherent in the barrier provided by the speed of light? Is it possible that aliens have been present on earth for billions of years? If so, what form would they take? Can they communicate with us? If the answers to these questions are positive, how would humans react when informed of these facts via a large television news chain? What would your own answers be after reading "The Amazing Crystal"?
About the Author: Born in Montreal, Gérald Lizée built a career in physics and in information technologies. Having obtained a degree in theoretical physics from the Université Laval, he taught in several universities and Community colleges in Quebec before moving to information technologies. Today, he is president of his own firm, Cyberconcept, which provides consulting services in information technologies and notably commercializes his writings in science fiction. This book, the first volume of a trilogy of intergalactic adventures, describes the psychosocial impacts of an extraterrestrial presence on Earth. ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR Robert Dykes, an American by birth, with a bachelor's degree in Psychophysiology from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University, acquired French as a second language while following a career as a neuroscientist, entrepreneur and educator in Montreal. Presently he operates a consultancy that plans and executes innovative projects that improve an individual's capacity to contribute to the post-industrial society.