The Medusa Chronicles
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4.2 • 33 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A sequel to Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s Nebula Award–winning novella “A Meeting with Medusa,” this novel continues the thrilling adventure of astronaut Howard Falcon, humanity’s first explorer of Jupiter from two modern science fiction masters.
Howard Falcon almost lost his life in an accident as the first human astronaut to explore the atmosphere of Jupiter—and a combination of human ingenuity and technical expertise brought him back. But he is no longer himself. Instead, he has been changed into an augmented human: part man, part machine, and exceptionally capable.
With permission from the Clarke Estate, Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds continue this beloved writer’s enduring vision and have created a fresh story for new readers. The Medusa Chronicles charts Falcon’s journey through the centuries granted by his new body, but always back to mysteries of Jupiter and the changing interaction between humanity and the universe. A compelling read full of incredible action right from the beginning, this is a modern classic in the spirit of 2001 and The Martian.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Two of the most acclaimed contemporary hard SF writers successfully team up in this ambitious epic space opera, spanning almost 800 years, that expands the themes raised by Arthur C. Clarke's classic 1971 novella, A Meeting with Medusa. Clarke's hero, Howard Falcon, suffered horrific injuries in an accident in 2080, surviving only by cybernetic surgery; his new abilities led him to a successful search for extraterrestrial life and positioned him to be an "ambassador... between the creatures of carbon and the creatures of metal." That unsought status tests Falcon as, over the centuries, robots begin to become self-aware and seek autonomy. Humankind's expansion of its reach beyond Earth provides more opportunity for conflict, and the authors do a superior job of predicting plausible political developments. The novel's reach does come at the expense of some psychological depth, but fans of the authors' other work won't be disappointed.
Customer Reviews
Tedious and boring
I really struggled with this book. The rise of the machines drags on and on until the inevitable and well telegraphed conclusion.