Lady Astronaut
4 primary works
Book 1
One of these new entrants in the space race is Elma York, whose experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too - aside from some pesky barriers like thousands of years of history and a host of expectations about the proper place of the fairer sex. And yet, Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions may not stand a chance.
Book 2
Continuing the grand sweep of alternate history laid out in The Calculating Stars, The Fated Sky looks forward to 1961, when mankind is well-established on the moon and looking forward to its next step: journeying to, and eventually colonising, Mars.
Of course the noted Lady Astronaut Elma York would like to go, but could the International Aerospace Coalition ever stand the thought of putting a woman on such a potentially dangerous mission? Could Elma knowingly take the place of other astronauts who have been overlooked because of their race? And could she really leave behind her husband and the chance to start a family? This gripping look at the real conflicts behind a fantastical space race will put a new spin on our visions of what might have been.
Book 3
The Earth is coming to the boiling point as the climate disaster of the Meteor strike becomes more and more clear, but the political situation is already overheated. Riots and sabotage plague the space program. The IAC's goal of getting as many people as possible off Earth before it becomes uninhabitable is being threatened.
Elma York is on her way to Mars, but the Moon colony is still being established. Her friend and fellow Lady Astronaut Nicole Wargin is thrilled to be one of those pioneer settlers, using her considerable flight and political skills to keep the program on track. But she is less happy that her husband, the Governor of Kansas, is considering a run for President.
Praise for The Fated Sky:
"An immersive world that will stay with the reader well past the final page." Publishers Weekly, starred review
"An engrossing alternate history with a unique point of view... Plausible, convincing, and ultimately moving." Nancy Kress, author of the Hugo Award-winning Yesterday's Kin
"The Lady Astronaut series might be set in an alternate past, but they're cutting-edge SF novels that speak volumes about the present." The Verge
"An alternative look at the midcentury space race led by an intelligent, well-meaning, but flawed heroine." Booklist
Praise For The Calculating Stars:
"The Calculating Stars is a wonderful, scientifically accurate view of what might have been. Kowal masters both science and historical accuracy in this alternate history adventure." - Andy Weir, Sunday Times Bestselling Author of The Martian
"Hugely satisfying, as the women of the early space programme, in crucial roles but out of sight, at last take the spotlight they deserve... even if, in Kowal's thoughtful alternate history, it takes the end of the world to bring it about." - Stephen Baxter
"This is what NASA never had, a heroine with attitude." The Wall Street Journal
Book 4
