As Earth's ability to support human life diminishes, the Global Space Agency is formed with a single mandate: protect humanity from extinction by colonizing the solar system. Venus, being almost the same mass as Earth, is chosen over Mars as humanity's first permanent steppingstone into the universe. After a puzzling accident, Arik Ockley -- part of the first generation to be born and raised off-Earth -- wakes up to find that his wife is three months pregnant. Since the colony's environmental systems cannot safely support any increases in population, Arik immediately resumes his work on AP, or artificial photosynthesis, in order to save the life of his unborn child. His new and frantic research uncovers startling truths about the planet, and about the distorted reality the founders of the colony have constructed for Arik's entire generation.
I surprisingly liked this book. I really don't read sci-fi books (like with spaceships and life on other planets) and this one really dragged me into it. From the beginning, when we first meet Arik in the medical unit to the back story (which was cleverly interwoven into the story) to the big twist....which was revealed in the middle of the book, instead of the end.
The characters were likable...even the ones that you didn't want to like (like Subha, Dr Nyguen, Priyanka).
The twist in the middle of the story was something that even I didn't see coming. It was very surprising. The ending was a little sad but you got set up for it in the last couple of chapters of the book.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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13 May, 2011:
Finished reading
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13 May, 2011:
Reviewed