looking for name of book or author

[caseyg1919]

If you are experienced in sci fi novels perhaps you recognize this? I read several novels in a series around ten years ago that impressed me greatly for the cohesiveness of the science - they had to do with space travel and the galaxy was on a "grid" system that allowed rapid propulsion and energy transfer. There was a central character who showed up in each novel in one form or another - from young man to ancient survivor of many trials - and he was called a specific descriptive name - something akin to 'Traveler' or 'Pilgrim' or 'Wayfarer' along with a proper name but I can't find the books by searching on these names so they are probably not quite right. I am sorry this description is not more informative. My best friend of all time has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I believe that he would really enjoy this reading. Any assistance is much appreciated.

 

[clovis-man]

Sounds a little like Stephen Baxter's Manifold series, wherein the protagonist, Reid Malenfant takes on several incarnations.

 

[caseyg1919]

Thank you for your input; I looked that up but it does not quite fit. That I read at least three books and can't recall more is pretty sad! In one scene there was a vacation land set up - complete with beach, ocean, breeze and sky, but it was all artificial and when the power grid was interfered with, it fell apart. The character I mentioned was not exactly the main character in the books, but more a unifying figure between them. At one point he was lost in deep space at the bottom of a huge trash pit, akin to being at the bottom of the ocean in wreckage, but managed to reappear at little worse for wear, and maybe in disguise? part way through the next book.

At the time, I thought these were some of the best SF I had ever read, because SF does not grab me unless the background science makes good sense. This was so good I once gave the books to my astrophysicist brother in law for Christmas knowing he would appreciate it too. But he can't remember the name now!

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I have a couple of thoughts that probably won't pan out, but I thought them worth mentioning. Your second post reminds me of John Varley for some reason. Not a particular book, as I've only read a couple and I don't think either of them was this, but just in a general sense.

I've also been doing a bit of searching and found the Culture books by Iain Banks, descriptions of which have some things in common with your search. I haven't read any of those, so perhaps someone who has can set that straight.

 

[williamjm]

I've also been doing a bit of searching and found the Culture books by Iain Banks, descriptions of which have some things in common with your search. I haven't read any of those, so perhaps someone who has can set that straight.

It doesn't really sound anything like the Culture books (which don't have any common characters between them).

 

[dask]

Several novels in a series? How about Star Trek or Star Wars?

 

[beenorthern]

I'm probably wrong, but could this be Jeffery A. Carver?