Encounter with Tiber
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
An Apollo 11 astronaut and the Nebula Award–nominated author of Directive 51 present a novel that “conveys the wonder and promise of space” (Publishers Weekly).
Born the year of the Moon landing, Chris Terence spends his life fighting to return humanity to that pinnacle. An engineering student with dreams of spaceflight, he finds upon graduation that the United States no longer has need for astronauts. Years of bureaucratic meddling have reduced the space program to a shell of itself, and it will take the greatest scientific find in history to send humanity skyward once more. After years battling budget hawks, Chris finally gets his chance to walk on the Moon. While there, he finds evidence of an ancient alien civilization, the Tiberians, who visited Earth’s satellite eight thousand years before. Understanding what happened to those long-forgotten travelers will define the lives of Chris and his son, as they fight against all odds to unlock the secrets of the universe.
“The collaboration of the first man to pilot a moon lander (Aldrin) with a major voice in contemporary science fiction (Barnes) has produced a fascinating chronicle of man’s first encounter with alien intelligence” (Booklist).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Astronaut Aldrin (Men from Earth, 1989), who was the second man to walk on the moon, and the Hugo- and Nebula-nominated Barnes (Mother of Storms, etc.) join forces in this enjoyable saga which combines two classic SF themes: the future of spaceflight and contact with intelligent alien life. The story oscillates between the careers of two human astronauts, Chris Terence and his son, Jason, on the moon and Mars, and the efforts of the Tiberians (from a planet of Alpha Centauri) to colonize Earth during prehistoric times. Chris meets his destiny while trying to retrieve a Tiberian relic from the moon. Meanwhile, the Tiberians' desperate efforts to colonize a habitable planet before their own is destroyed runs up against a host of well-depicted obstacles. Folly, prejudice, petty rivalries and bureaucratic befuddlement are shown to be common to both races, which are depicted with wit and empathy. Multiple subplots, a huge cast that deserves a glossary but doesn't get one and too many expository lumps impede narrative flow. Even so, the authors' lively storytelling will engage readers as it conveys the wonder and promise of space. Author tour.
