From science fiction visionary Annalee Newitz comes The Terraformers, a sweeping, uplifting, and illuminating exploration of the future.
Destry’s life is dedicated to terraforming Sask-E. As part of the Environmental Rescue Team, she cares for the planet and its burgeoning eco-systems as her parents and their parents did before her.
But the bright, clean future they’re building comes under threat when Destry discovers a city full of people that shouldn’t exist, hidden inside a massive volcano.
As she uncovers more about their past, Destry begins to question the mission she’s devoted her life to, and must make a choice that will reverberate through Sask-E’s future for generations to come.
A science fiction epic for our times and a love letter to our future, The Terraformers will take you on a journey spanning thousands of years and exploring the triumphs, strife, and hope that find us wherever we make our home.
My Take
This book manages to be both silly and profound, to cover lots of -isms on a broad scale while keeping it about local impact and individual characters. And diverse characters? A sentient train, really? Yeah, I was skeptical, but it works. I would like to ride a sentient train.
By the way, the publisher’s description only covers the first part of the book. There are two other (related) parts that take place hundreds of years after the first.