Critical Mass

Description

In New York Times bestselling author Daniel Suarez’s latest space-tech thriller, a group of pioneering astropreneurs must overcome never-before-attempted engineering challenges to rescue colleagues stranded at a distant asteroid—kicking off a new space race in which Earth’s climate crisis could well hang in the balance.
 
When unforeseen circumstances during an innovative—and unsanctioned—commercial asteroid-mining mission leave two crew members stranded, those who make it back must engineer a rescue, all while navigating a shifting web of global political alliances and renewed Cold War tensions. With Earth governments consumed by the ravages of climate change and unable to take the risks necessary to make rapid progress in space, the crew must build their own nextgen spacecraft capable of mounting a rescue in time for the asteroid’s next swing by Earth.
 
In the process they’ll need to establish the first spin-gravity station in deep space, the first orbiting solar power satellite and refinery, and historic infrastructure on the moon’s surface—all of which could alleviate a deepening ecological, political, and economic crisis back on Earth, and prove that space-based industry is not only profitable, but possibly humanity’s best hope for a livable, peaceful future.“Daniel Suarez’s deft narrative skills, genuine concern for humanity’s fate, and prodigious research have produced a stem-winding thriller about a potentially feasible future… Critical Mass explains as thoroughly as it entertains, leaving you hoping we can live up to its promise.”—Alan Weisman, New York Times bestselling author of The World Without Us and Countdown

“Thoroughly researched and brilliantly written, Daniel Suarez integrates the technology, intrigue, chaos and the human drama of the next ‘giant leap’ with rare scientific and operational literacy. Haunting, bold and inspirational, this deep space tale resonates on every level.”—James Logan, MD, former NASA Chief of Flight Medicine on Delta-v

“Daniel Suarez’s hugely impressive Delta-v fuses the real world with sci-fi, giving the space genre a new boost and new hope.”—Tom Shippey, The Wall Street Journal on Delta-v

“High finance and asteroid mining on the High Frontier—terrific!”—Greg Bear, New York Times bestselling author on Delta-v

“Biopunk has been waiting for its William Gibson, to bring a whole new vision of the future as Mr. Gibson did for cyberpunk, and Daniel Suarez has done it. . . . Exhilarating, alarming—Daniel Suarez plays the two great thrills of sci-fi against each other, and not just for fun. He thinks this is coming, and he means it. Read it and wonder.”—The Wall Street Journal on Change Agent

“The depth and sophistication of Suarez’s dystopian world—not to mention his facility at making complex science intelligible to the nonexpert—rivals anything Michael Crichton ever did.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Change Agent

“Terrifyingly plausible.”—Time on Change Agent

“Enthralling, convincing.”—Time on Influx

“So frightening, even the government has taken note.” —Entertainment Weekly on Influx

“Perfectly blending nail-biting suspense with accessible science, bestseller Suarez establishes himself as a legitimate heir to Michael Crichton with this gripping present-day thriller.”—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review) on Kill Decision 
Daniel Suarez is a New York Times bestselling author, TEDGlobal speaker, and former systems analyst. His unique brand of high-tech fiction explores the causes and impacts of rapid technological change. The author of seven novels, his latest, Critical Mass (second in the Delta-v series), is a realistic space-tech adventure depicting humanity’s transition from a climate-imperiled, Earthbound civilization to one that utilizes resources and energy from space to secure a promising, sustainable future.US