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Twelve years have passed since the events of A Handful of Stars. Star continues to silently mourn Caleb's death, World Builders, Inc. is completing its first asteroid-based Bernal sphere, and the Svensdotter twins are of a restless age. When the opportunity to undertake a survey mission of Mars' Cydonia region presents itself, Star leaps at the chance.Drifting above Mars' surface, the family rediscovers the wonder of pure exploration. With strength and humor, Star addresses her parenting difficulties, battles 21st century piracy, connects with a self-sustaining Martian colony, and discovers a mysterious link with the red planet's--and Earth's--ancient past.In this concluding volume of the trilogy, Svensdotter comes to terms with the repercussions of The Big Lie and is forced to look back to Terra as well as out to the stars.… (more)
User reviews
A reluctant Star is sent to Mars by her Machiavellian boss to investigate the traces of a
These novels aren't well-written, and their appeal rests heavily on Star's shoulders. I remain entertained by the half-willing competence of a smart, stubborn woman who doesn't have a clue how to be in a relationship (romantic or maternal). The books have moments of brilliance - in this installment, the storyknife ceremonies feel awkward in context, but are memorable and moving; and the argument around Intelligent Design was well-played - but it largely feels like Stabenow was writing for her own amusement, and it doesn't always work.
It's unclear whether Stabenow meant to write more; the trilogy is very open-ended, and leaves big questions unanswered. However, given Star's (also awkward) philosophical meandering at the end, this doesn't seem unreasonable. The point here seems to be that space is exciting and will always pose more questions than we can answer; we just need to embrace the challenge and get out there for a look.