The Nick Kismet Novels
by
Sean Ellis
The dawn of the 20th century radically changed the way
humanity viewed the planet. Technological advances made it possible to travel to
even the most remote regions in a matter of days. Scientific discoveries caused
many to question beliefs treasured for millennia. The rise of weapons of mass
destruction changed the map of the world, breaking apart the vast empires that
had dominated so much of the globe.
The world as we knew it seemed to shrink.
Yet, there remained frontiers unconquered and mysteries
unsolved, and a breed of adventurers willing to face any challenge. This is the
world of Nick Kismet.
Who is Nick Kismet?
Nicholas Kismet was born sometime during the night of
December 31, 1899, aboard a sailing vessel in the South Pacific. Although the
details of his birth have been kept from him, his mother a mysterious woman who
identified herself as Sera Kismet, was rescued from the sea, and later gave
birth to a son. Kismet believes that Sera died during the birth, but he will
later have reason to doubt the veracity of this account.
Kismet's adopted father insured that his son received
the best education, not only in schools, but also in the real world. At the age
of seventeen, he father urged him to serve a tour of military service. In
characteristic fashion, Kismet joined the French Foreign Legion, and saw combat
in the Great War, where he fought alongside a troop of Ghurkas. As a memento, he
carries a Ghurka kukri knife and uses the weapon often.
After completing his military service, and at his
father's urging, he began exploring the world. He spent time at the Tutankhamen
dig with Howard Carter, and developed an interest in the world of antiquities.
He studied at London University, then went on to complete his schooling at
Harvard, studying international law.
Following his graduation, he took a job at the
Smithsonian, acquiring and restoring artifacts of lost civilizations. After
several years (and doubtless, several adventures) he was called upon by agents
of the US Army War Department to investigate rumors that a foreign power was
searching for an object of great significance in Norse mythology. Kismet took up
the search, following the clues across Europe, and into the frozen tundra north
of the Arctic Circle. There he discovered the object known as the Mjoldnir
(Thor's Hammer,) a piece of extraterrestrial magnetic iron, capable of
manifesting bursts of lightning-like electricity. Kismet used the power of the
Mjoldnir to escape from a rival expedition, bent on seizing the prize and
destroying the competition.
Upon returning to the United States, the relic was
confiscated by the War Department and secreted away in a laboratory in New
Mexico. Frustrated by this turn of events, Kismet left the Smithsonian and took
a job working as the US liaison for the International Treaty for the Protection
of Antiquities. It is in this role that we find him as he embarks on the Golden
Voyage...
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF NICK KISMET debuts the hero, and chronicles his recovery of the Golden Fleece from the floor of the Black Sea. ENJOY CHAPTER ONE.
THE UNREVEALED HEART is the second novel in the series, and details Kismet's search for and discovery of the Fountain of Youth. CHAPTER ONE. Visit the official Nick Kismet corner of the web.