The Vengeance of the Tau

Acknowledgments

With each book the desire to sustain continued improvement makes my reliance on the help of others greater. With this one I start as always at the top with a wondrous agent, Toni Mendez, who has been there since the first beginning and all the ones that have followed. Ann Maurer continues to amaze me with her detailed eye that misses nothing. And Daniel Zitin deserves special commendation for never tolerating anything but my best work possible.

Because of Emery Pineo, of course, I can make anything happen, and because of Walt Mattison (the real Blaine McCracken) it happens with the proper equipment. Mort Korn and Tony Sheppard lent their customary expertise with the early drafts, a feat for which they deserve medals. Nancy Aroche, meanwhile, provided priceless input toward making credible all things archaeological. A special appreciation to the Saltuks for translation of the Turkish passages, and to Dr. Dennis Karambelas for unlocking the mysteries of the eye.

For geographical assistance along the way, I am indebted to Tom Holleb for his help with Chicago, especially his father’s house; Michael Sherman for New Orleans; Skip Trahan for Crystal City and Washington; John Balletto and Kent Thaler for San Francisco. And an extra special acknowledgment to the brilliant translator of my German editions, Uwe Anton, for his help with Germany.

A final thanks go to Art and Martha Joukowsky for suggesting a while back that someday I do “something” with archaeology. That was where the idea for this book was born.