Neptune (Outer Planets Trilogy, #2)

by Ben Bova

Hugo Award winner Ben Bova continues his grand tour of the human settled solar system with a fan-pleasing look at life in the Outer Planets, among the moons of Neptune.

In the future, humanity has spread throughout the solar system, on planets and moons once visited only by robots or explored at a distance by far-voyaging spacecraft. No matter how hostile or welcoming the environment, mankind has forged a path and found a home.

In the far reaches of the solar system, the outer planets―billions of miles from Earth, unknown for millennia―are being settled. Neptune, the ice giant, is swathed in clouds of hydrogen, helium, and methane and circled by rings of rock and dust. Three years ago, Ilona Magyr’s father, Miklos, disappeared while exploring the seas of Neptune. Everyone believes he is dead―crushed, frozen, or boiled alive in Neptune’s turbulent seas.

With legendary space explorer Derek Humbolt piloting her ship and planetary scientist Jan Meitner guiding the search, Ilona Magyr knows she will find her father―alive―on Neptune.

Her plans are irrevocably altered when she and her team discover the wreckage of an alien ship deep in Neptune’s ocean, a discovery which changes humanity’s understanding of its future…and its past.

• ISBN10: 1250296625
• ISBN13: 9781250296627
• Publish Date: 17 August 2021
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Neptune is the twenty-fifth (yes, you read that right!) novel in Ben Bova's The Grand Tour series. For the sake of honesty, I have to confess that I have not read the rest of this series. However, I was too curious to pass up the opportunity to give it a try regardless!

Set in a far future where humanity has dispersed among the stars – literally. The outer planets, such as Neptune, are in the process of being settled, though naturally, they come with their own set of challenges. The planet's atmosphere alone would create enough issues.

Enter Derek Humbolt – famous space explorer. Her ship is heading to Neptune, in part to check on the early settles. Only instead of the settlers, they find something else. Something that is going to throw their plans way off course.

Neptune is a novel with an infinite amount of potential. It makes me want to see what the rest of the series is like, truth be told. I can't imagine what the other twenty-four books much be like! Other than to assume that they cover the other planets in the solar system.

Overall, this was a quick and interesting read. I enjoyed the creativity in Bova's writing, though I'll admit that I wish there was more character development. There's a lot going on, but not a whole lot of emotional attachment to any of it, which was an odd sensation.

Still, I found the novel to be worth reading and will probably check out the rest of the series should I ever find enough time to do so.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks