In the not so apparently distant future, NASA has been
disbanded and the farthest the human race will ever get is
Mars. Thomas Quinn has a dream that one day he will build
a
ship that is propelled by solar energy and that he will
explore our solar system with it. At the Very Large Array
in New Mexico, John O'Connell discovers a particle on
Titan,
one of the moons of Saturn, that could potentially allow
time travel or be used as a fuel source. In another part
of
the world, marine biologist Myra Lee finds that the whales
have all started singing a new song. Thomas Quinn builds
his solar sailing ship to set out and find the particles on
Saturn along with Myra Lee and John O'Connell. Their
voyage
will change the Human race forever.
I liked this
book.
I wouldn't say that it's the best book ever but it kept my
attention. To be honest it was rather cliche as far as
science fiction goes. The whole thing with the whales made
me think of Star Trek IV The Voyage Home because that dealt
an awful lot with aliens talking to whales. It actually
was
rather reminiscent of Stanly Kubrick's 2001: A Space
Odyssey. In that they built the Jupiter VIII ship because
Discovery told them to go on a trip to Jupiter. In this
book they built a ship to go specifically to go to Saturn.
Then there's the whole idea that making the ship spin will
create gravity on the ship. That was probably the most
cliche thing of all in the book. Other than that I thought
that the book was very good. It had an easy to follow plot
that even those who've never read science fiction could
follow. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a
good read.
Reviewer City, State and
Country: Grand Island, Nebraska The United States of
America
About the author: David Lee Summers
David Lee Summers is an author, editor and astronomer
living somewhere between the western and final frontiers
in Southern New Mexico. He is the author of five novels:
The Pirates of Sufiro, Children of the Old Stars, Heirs
of the New Earth, Vampires of the Scarlet Order, and The
Solar Sea. His short fiction has appeared in such
magazines as
Realms of Fantasy, Aoife's Kiss, The
Martian Wave, and Science Fiction Trails. He also
edits the science fiction and fantasy magazine,
Tales
of the Talisman and edited the anthology
Space
Pirates. In addition to his work in the written word,
David has also worked at numerous observatories around the
southwestern United States. Currently he works for Kitt
Peak National Observatory, outside of Tucson, Arizona. He
lives in Southern New Mexico with his wife Kumie and his
daughters Myranda and Verity.
Humans settled the Moon and satellites orbiting the Earth
were a common sight, but with the abolition of NASA,
humans had no desire to go further and space exploration
died.
Then, a technician from the Very Large Array, a radio
telescope in New Mexico, discovers powerful particles
orbiting Saturn's moon, Titan, which could be a new energy
source. Strangely enough, following the discovery's
announcement, whales around the Earth changed their songs
overnight.
As scion of the powerful Quinn Corporation, Thomas Quinn
builds a solar sail to find the source of these particles
in Titan's orbit. He gathers the best and brightest team
to pilot his craft: Jonathan Jefferson, an aging astronaut
known as the last man on Mars; Natalie Freeman, a
distinguished Navy captain; Myra Lee, a biologist
specializing in whale communication; and John O'Connell,
the technician who first discovered the particles. All
together they make a grand tour of the solar system and
discover not only wonders but dangers beyond their
imagination.
Drawing on his experience as an astronomer, David Lee
Summers has created a story that is both exciting and
plausible, one that can be enjoyed by both the young and
young-at-heart who enjoy looking at the planets on a clear
night and dreaming of what could be.
Reviews
"
The Solar Sea captures the thrill, threats, and
theories of exploring the unknown. Summers does what
explorers have done for centuries, inspire us to look
beyond our own backyards out into the vast possibilities
of our imaginations."
Nicole Givens Kurtz, author of
Zephyr Unfolding and the Cybil Lewis Detective
Series.
"In
The Solar Sea, David Lee Summers creates a page-
turning yarn with some of the most dramatic characters
I've read in years. You won't want to put it down, and
when you're done, you'll only want more."
J Alan
Erwine, author of The Opium of the People.
"
The Solar Sea is a high-tech science fiction
adventure that spins a new twist on space exploration and
alien encounters. Summers' descriptions of technology and
scientific theories, along with his alien species, work
together to raise the stakes and makes for an entertaining
read for teens or adults alike."
Erin Durante, author
of the Damewood Trilogy.
