Atmosphere

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid is an epic novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

This is a great book! Go get a copy today from your local bookstore or library.

Reid, Taylor Jenkins. (2025). Atmosphere. New York: Ballantine,

Into the Light (Out of the Dark #2)

Into the Light by David Weber and Chris Kennedy is the sequel to Out of the Dark - a military science fiction about Earth being invaded and the rebuilding after the war. 

After the war with the Shongairi, Earth must rebuild. Many need the basics - food and shelter - after the loss of so many cities around the globe. A new government must be set up partly to allocate resources and to protect people from those taking advantage of the chaos. The technology that the Shongairi brought will make rebuilding faster than it would have been after a human war. 

The characters who lead the fighting in the first book must pivot to what their skills can be used for now. Dave Dvorak, Governor Howell, Abu Bakr and others will do what they have to do to make sure the Earth is never again in such a vulnerable position. 

Weber created a military science fiction plot that highlights the strength of humans to never give up. The aliens who have a very different sort of logic had no idea what they were in for! This is a great read for scifi fans.

Weber, David & Chris Kennedy. (2020). Into the Light. New York: Tor.

Embers of War (Embers of War #1)

Embers of War by Gareth L Powell is a great science fiction novel with an AI ship as one of the main characters. 

The Trouble Dog, designed as one of five fighting ships, retired her commission a the end of the last war and is now working with the House of Reclamation. The House has a ragtag fleet of ships and people who go where they need to help rescue of those who need it.

Captain Sal Konstanz is from a planet that was entirely destroyed during the last war. She has always been on the side of helping, flying a first aid resupply ship during the war. She actually comes from a long line of people who, unlike all other humans in the galaxy, do not seek riches or fame, but just to do their part for all living creatures. 

When a cruise ship sends a distress signal from the Artefact system, Trouble Dog, Sal and the crew are the closest ship that can help. 

Ona Sudek, a poet who has gained some acclaim from her war poetry is on the cruise ship when it is hit. They crash into one of the planets called artefacts because someone carved them into shapes. This one looks like a giant brain. 

This first book in the Embers of War series is a great read of any science fiction fans, but particularly of the Patricia Hutchins series by Jack McDevitt. 

Powell, Gareth L. (2018). Embers of War. London: Titan Books.

The Spacetime War

The Spacetime War by Les Johnson is a space opera stand-alone. 

On leave from the British Commonwealth Space Navy, Captain Winslow Price he decided to take a cruise on a space cruiser. When the ship a crew attempts a hijacking, he is in the right place to help. Also on board and having the same idea as him - to secure the engine to disable the ship so authorities can find them - India Space Force Captain Anika Ahuja has already taken out a couple of the hostiles. 

When an unknown ship attacks a colony world, both captains will find themselves at war with an unknown enemy who is apparently bent on taking out all human life in the universe. 

Johnson has written a great space opera with the feel of an Honor Harrington / Manitcore novel from David Weber. Fans of science fiction, buy this book today!

Johnson, Les. (2021). The Spacetime War. New York: Baen. 

A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe (Salvagers #1)

A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White is the first book in his science fiction / fantasy series Salvagers. A tale in outer space but fueled by magic!

Nilah is a racecar driver, but not like the cars you can watch on Earth. Her car runs not on gas but on her own magic. She is a mechanist, and as such she can talk to any machine. She is also up for racer of the year - or she was until she found herself frozen in a spell and then transported away.

She wakes up in the city next to the racetrack. The news reports are looking for her, wanted for murder of the driver who was frozen with her at the track. The only clue she has is the conversation between what looked like the grim reaper and her track mate - find Boots.

Boots is an ex-celebrity treasure hunter. Now she sells somewhat dubious maps to suckers willing to pay. Which seems to be connected to what just happened to Nilah. At the same time, Boots is running from her old ship captain who has come looking for her.

The Capricious is going hunting - for the same treasure that caused all of these problems. The rumor of an extremely large ship called the Harrow. 

White has created a fascinating universe combining science fiction and magic. His characters are wonderful and I will be following them onto their future adventures. 

White, Alex. (2018). A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe. New York: Orbit.

The Galaxy and the Ground Within (Wayfarers #4)

The Galaxy and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers is the final book of her Wayfarers science fiction series - one of my favorite book series of any genre!

The planet of Gora has not water or life. However, it is perfectly situated at the crossroads of five wormholes that see huge numbers of ships each standard. Since people often have a wait to transmit to the next gate, inns and entertainment venues have been built on the stark planet.

Once such place is the Five-Hop One-Stop. An eclectic inn that tries to cater to all forms of life that may visit. 

With a satellite system malfunction, the three strangers who have landed will be staying for longer that they thought. The two hosts, one exiled artist, one cargo runner and a mysterious person whose species is rarely seen will all have time to get to know each other better. 

Chambers is a wonderful story teller. Her characters and species of sentient beings are well thought out and fully formed. This is one of two complete series I own. I plan on rereading it about once per year! The entire series won a Hugo Award. Get started reading it today!

Chambers, Becky. (2021). The Galaxy and the Ground Within. New York: Harper Voyager. 

A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan #2)

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine is the second book in the Teixcalaan empire science fiction series. 

Mahit Dzmare is the ambassador to Teixcalaan from the small Lsel Station, a nation floating in space untied to any planet. She is home after an emotional start to her job in the capital city planet of Teixcalaan. She is hoping to take a small break from the intensity of politics - only to find herself in danger from one of her counselors. 

Back in Teixcalaan, Three Seagrass has been promoted. When she gets a request from their starships at the front of a new war - a request for someone to try and understand the alien language - she assigns herself to the job. She plans to pick up Mahit Dzmare on her way, as the fighting is just outside Lsel space's jumpgate.

This second book is every bit as good as the first. Martine's series has quickly become one of my top three science fiction series of all time! Can't wait for more...

Martine, Arkady. (2021). A Desolation Called Peace. New York: Tor. 

The Stars Now Unclaimed (Universe After #1)

The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams is the first book in the Universe After series, a fast-paced race through the galaxies. 

About 100 years ago, a pulse traveled across known space, knocking out technology as it went. No all planets were hit at the same level. Some sent back to pre-combustion engine and some left virtually untouched. The one positive side-effect is that the intergalactic wars came to a halt.

Another side effect, seems to be some children being both with a skill, or power, to do what the ordinary human cannot.

Jane Kamali is a pilot, soldier and agent for the Justified. Her role is to rescue children with special gifts - children who are often look upon with suspicion on the backwards planets. 

Jane has just arrived on a planet that has about old West technology. She is looking for a child, she doesn't yet know who. Her first stop is the local church - always a good place to pick up town gossip. 

Williams has created a fun series filled with different types of sentient being, in the feel of Becky Chambers, but set in a time of unease. The wars would not have stopped if the pulse had not stranded most spaceships where they were. This is a great, fast read with some wonderful characters. 

Williams, Drew. (2018). The Stars Now Unclaimed. New York: Tor. 

The Last Astronaut

The Last Astronaut by David Wellington is a thriller set in space.

After the 2034 disaster, manned space flight was stopped by NASA. Mission Commander Sally Jansen made it back to Earth, but lost a crewmember. She was flayed in the press. Now she lives in Florida, a state mostly underwater, working on a salvage crew. Diving is the closest she can get to the feeling of a spacewalk.

Years later: Sunny Stevens, an employee of a private space firm, comes to NASA with evidence of a projectile flying toward Earth. It is not a meteor, because it has slowed down, putting it on a trajectory for Earth's orbit.

Now NASA is in need of astronauts to meet the possible ship that is hurtling toward Earth. And Sally Jansen is the only hope for a commander.

Joined by Sunny and two others - a scientist and a military officer - Sally must face her fears and fly toward the alien ship. But the company Sunny worked for also has a ship on its way to intercept.

Wellington has written a scifi monster story containing all of the elements necessary for a fun read.

Wellington, David. (2019). The Last Astronaut. New York: Orbit.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers is the first book in her Wayfarers science fiction series. This is a great book for someone who has not read scifi and would like to check out the genre.

Rosemary is hurtling through space in a one-person pod, heading toward the ship where she just accepted a job. The ship, the Wayfarer, is a tunneling ship. In a universe where FTL has been outlawed due to the danger, tunneling ships that create wormholes are very important. It is also a very dangerous job.

The ship (and series) is peopled with a variety of species of sapients from different worlds. Chambers has created a wonderful science fiction series that is well thought out and a joy to read. I will read everything she writes!

Chambers, Becky. (2014). The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. New York: Harper Voyager.

An Unkindness of Ghosts

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon is a look at racism in a science fiction setting.

Aster is part of the forth generation of people on the spaceship Matilda. Stories say it left a dying planet many years ago and will someday reach a (possibly) livable new world.

The ship is massive and carries the remainder of humanity. The floors are set up in a hierarchy that evokes the antebellum South.

Aster has been trained to be assistant to General, the ships main doctor. She has a pass to leave her own deck to see patients. And she has an forgotten part of the ship to do experiments with plants and healing.

With the help of her friend, Aster is trying to decode her mother's journals. Rumor says her mother killed herself, but no one ever found her. Aster is sure she was working on something that got her killed.

Solomon has created an unforgettable story of race and misogyny in outer space. People trapped in their roles, assigned by their skin color and gender. Reader will think of this story long after they have finished the book.

Solomon, Rivers. (2017). An Unkindness of Ghosts. New York: Akashic Books.

In Fury Born

In Fury Born by David Weber is a thrilling ride through space, special ops and Greek mythology. A space opera for the ages.

Alicia DeVries is a marine like her grandfather. She is sent to far off planets who are part of the Earth empire. Tapped for an elite squad of drop commandos called the Cadre, she is a killing machine.

Follow Alicia through this store that was originally two novellas and a novel. Readers will encounter pirates, revenge, voices in their heads, artificial intelligence and more.

Weber is a master of science fiction story telling. This stand alone novel is a great introduction to him and his kick ass female characters set in world where men and women are treated as equals.

Weber, David. (2006). In Fury Born. New York: Baen

The Long Sunset (Priscilla Hutchins #8)

The Long Sunset by Jack McDevitt is the eighth book in series featuring space pilot Priscilla Hutchins (now renamed the Academy series).  Priscilla Hutchins works for the Academy, the group that sends scientists into space to explore signs of other life.

While looking through the most powerful telescope yet invented, a signal is intercepted. It is a video of a waterfall with what sounds like classical music. This message sparks debate: do we send a ship to explore the area and maybe find intelligent life or should we worry about finding life that could follow a ship back and attack the Earth?

A team is chosen to go explore, if the okay is given by the Academy. Priscilla Hutchins, the captain of many a trip into the unknown, is chosen to fly what may be the last ship sent outside our solar system. They are not to make contact, but to find the source of the message.

What follows is the discovery of more than one planet containing sentient beings. One of which is in danger from a black hole slowly approaching.

McDevitt writes a great science fiction story. And Priscilla Hutchins is the captain you would want with you on any space exploration. Any fans of science fiction, good stories, or interested in how our society may progress should read this series.

McDevitt, Jack. (2018). The Long Sunset. New York: Saga Press.

Sound (Salvage #2)

Sound by Alexandra Duncan is the sequel to her book Salvage, set in the far distant future.

Miyole has wanted to be a deep space engineer since she was quite young. Rescued from a freak storm that killed most of the people in the Gyre, Miyole moved to India and excelled at school.

Now sixteen, but with papers that say she is eighteen, Miyole is on a Deep Sound Research Institute ship headed for the farthest reaches of known space. She is a research assistant working on adapting butterflies and bees to live in terraformed atmospheres.

When the ship is approached by another, smaller ship, all aboard are asked to go to their stations. Trained as a medic, Miyole is on her way to the dock when part of a fighter breaks through the wall. The bio-mechanical substance that forms her ship begins to heal right away, but Miyole's life has been changed forever.

A family is rescued from the crash, but pirates had one of the sons. His sister, Cessia, is determined to somehow follow and save him. Miyole, instantly smitten, will agree to help Cessia steal a shuttle, retrofit it, and search for him.

Duncan has created a fascinating science fiction world - multiple worlds, really - in this series. Miyole lived on a floating island, will visit a planet where everyone lives under the sea, and space ships are grown instead of fabricated.

Duncan, Alexandra. (2015). Sound. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Salvage (Salvage #1)

Salvage by Alexandra Duncan is a science fiction book about a young woman in a male dominated society.

Ava was born on the ship Parastrata. Most people from the ship never leave the ship - unless they are a high rank or part of a boarding party - and few ever visit Earth. The Parastrata culture is one of men. The women are there to work and have babies.

Ava has always been interested in figures and how things work, but women do not work as fixies. They are not even taught to read. And as the captain's eldest daughter, she is to be married to someone from another ship.

When they travel to the Aether ship for her marriage - Ava is sure she is to be wed to Luck, a boy she met when he and his sister visited her ship years ago. But the night before the official announcement, Ava breaks a rule. A rule so rigid that she will likely be sent to the Void.

With the help of an ally, Ava escapes to Earth. She knows she has an aunt in Mumbai - but she doesn't know where that is, or even how to read. She will have many obstacles to overcome to make a life for herself planetside.

Duncan has written a book of one young woman overcoming great odds. Ava is a formidable character placed in a world that is against her in this interesting science fiction story.

Duncan, Alexandra. (2014). Salvage. New York: Greenwillow Books.

On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington #1)

On Basilisk Station by David Weber is the first book in the Honor Harrington series -  a military science fiction series featuring a tough ship's captain in the Manticore navy.

Honor has been given a new ship with her promotion. While she is getting used to her crew - and they to her - they will participate in war games to check the readiness of the fleet. Honor's ship, the HMS Fearless, has been retrofitted with the latest weapon (at the cost of many other useful weapons).

After the first round of games, when she and her crew surprised the enemy and won, the Fearless has been blasted every time. In response, the higher up who had the weapon installed, has assigned Honor and her new crew to the least desirable post in Manticoran space - Basilisk Station.

Basilisk Station is one of the newer parts of Manitcoran space. Manticore is against colonization - even though Basilisk is a valuable portal that saves months of travel time there is political opposition to being there. The post has many detailed rules about what is to be supervised, but historically not much has been done.

When Honor arrives, she finds out that the commander in charge of the station is her least favorite person in all of space. And he has a grudge against her. In order to set her up for failure, he puts her in charge while he takes his ship home for repairs. But anyone who knows Honor knows she will find a way to complete her assignment.

Weber has created a great science fiction series peopled with humans who have evolved with the colonization of different planets. This is a brilliant start to a political, military science fiction series. (Since it is not new you may have trouble finding it in your library. You can buy used copies at www.abebooks.com)

Weber, David. (1993). On Basilisk Station. New York: Baen Books.

The Martian

The Martian by Andy Weir has been called a Robinson Crusoe on Mars.

Ares 3 from NASA is the first manned mission to Mars. After a few unmanned explorations and fourteen flights to deliver equipment, Ares 3 is on Mars with six astronauts. They are to be there for less than a month and then use the Mars Ascent Vehicle, or MAV, to get back to their ship.

On day six a massive wind storm his the base. Due to needing everything to be as light as possible to get enough lift to get back into orbit, the MAV is fragile. If it tips more than 13 degrees off of the base, there will be no escape. As the winds get stronger, the mission commander orders an evacuation. Visibility is down to almost nothing.

Leaving teams of two, astronaut engineer and botanist Mark Watney is struck by part of an antenna, thrown backward into the dust and his crewmates think him dead. Commander Lewis spends as much time as she can looking for him, but has to get in the MAV to save the rest of her crew.

Watney is not dead. Because he landed face down, blood sealed the hole in his suit and prevented too much oxygen from escaping. Now he must figure out how to make enough food for six people to last one month last him four years until the next mission is due to land on Mars. As far as he knows, everyone on Earth thinks he is dead.

Weir has created a science fiction book that is sure to become a classic. Watney is a creative and humorous character who is a cross between Robinson Crusoe and MacGuyver. The science is as accurate as possible, both with his fixes and with NASA's reaction. Even readers who didn't know they liked science fiction will find this a great read. The Martian is sure to become a classic.

Weir, Andy. (2014). The Martian. New York: Broadway Books.

Starhawk (Priscilla Hutchins #7)

Starhawk by Jack McDevitt is the seventh book in his Priscilla Hutchins science fiction series.Starting in the middle of her qualifying flight, Starhawk, follows the early days of Priscilla's career as one of the best pilots in the skies.

During her qualifying flight, Hutch and her instructor fly to different parts of the know universes so he can evaluate her knowledge and response to simulated problems. When a real situation develops, Hutch is called to save a group of teens whose ship is stranded and is drifting toward a planet.

Gaining stardom on her first official flight, Priscilla returns to look for a job as a newly minted pilot amid the turbulent politics of star flight and the terraforming of a planet. Protestors are threatening to do more than the previous stranding of a ship - a ship that was scheduled to run supplies to the company killing off life on a planet to make it habitable for humans but was re-tasked for students.

McDevitt has a firm grasp on the future he has created in the Hutchins series. Both the science of space travel and the politics on the Earth are believable and readers will become fans before they complete the first book. Hutch is a great character who readers will follow as far as the known edges of technology and space.

McDevitt, Jack. (2014). Starhawk. New York: Berkley Publishing Group.

Cauldron (Priscilla Hutchins #6)

Cauldron by Jack McDevitt is the sixth book in his science fiction series featuring Priscilla Hutchins.

In 2255 the age of space travel is winding down. Though there are faster than light ships, it still takes a while to arrive anywhere far away and the programs have slowly been cut. The Prometheus Foundation is one of the few privately funded agencies who still has a couple of active ships.

Priscilla Hutchins, former star pilot, is a fundraiser for Prometheus. After an event she is approached by a man who says he has a new engine that will make the current Hazeltine seem slow. He claims that space travel can be so much faster than humans could reach the center of the Universe.

If the tests work, a new age of space exploration will be underway. But if it fails, the Prometheus Foundation will only have one remaining ship and little hope of staying in business.

McDevitt has created a great science fiction series featuring an awesome character in Hutch.

McDevitt, Jack. (2007). Cauldron. New York: Ace Books.

Odyssey (Priscilla Hutchins #5)

Odyssey by Jack McDevitt is the fifth book in his science fiction series featuring Priscilla Hutchins.

Humans have been exploring outer space for decades. Life has been found on a handful of planets - but no other technologically advanced race has been seen. UFO sightings of the 1960s have been replaced by the idea of moonriders - aliens or ships that are out there but the government is not admitting it.

More moonriders have been spotted over the last few months than any other time - to the point where the Academy has scheduled a flight to leave monitors where they were seen. A team of four will be sent on a one month flight to place monitors in a few locations to hopefully capture proof of technology from another race.

The Academy is in the midst of political termoil after an asteroid narrowly misses Earth. While it is not the prevue of the Academy to watch for them (Congress cut funding to the program that was tasked with watching) they are bearing the brunt of the political upheaval. The combination of the asteroid and a flight to search for moonriders may leave the Academy open for attack by its enemies - unless the moonriders prove to be real.

McDevitt's wonderful series continues with this novel. His characters are great, his world building impeccable, and his weaving of many stories and personalities makes for great reading.

McDevitt, Jack. (2006). Odyssey. New York: Ace Books.