Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published in USA
Feb 2021
304 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
Showing that truth is stranger than fiction, Sylvain Neuvel weaves a sci-fi thriller reminiscent of Blake Crouch and Andy Weir, blending a fast moving, darkly satirical look at 1940s rocketry with an exploration of the amorality of progress and the nature of violence in A History of What Comes Next.
Always run, never fight.
Preserve the knowledge.
Survive at all costs.
Take them to the stars.
Over 99 identical generations, Mia's family has shaped human history to push them to the stars, making brutal, wrenching choices and sacrificing countless lives. Her turn comes at the dawn of the age of rocketry. Her mission: to lure Wernher Von Braun away from the Nazi party and into the American rocket program, and secure the future of the space race.
But Mia's family is not the only group pushing the levers of history: an even more ruthless enemy lurks behind the scenes.
A darkly satirical first contact thriller, as seen through the eyes of the women who make progress possible and the men who are determined to stop them...
"[T]hrilling...The balance of wry narration, wired action, and delicate worldbuilding make for deeply gratifying reading. Fans of alternate history and intelligent sci-fi will love this." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Neuvel showcases meticulous research through his worldbuilding...A highly crafted and unique look at the space race, through the eyes of those who exist only to ensure its success. Neuvel's intriguing first-contact story is set through centuries of manipulation and pursuit. It's a promising start to what looks to be a dark and exciting trilogy." - Library Journal
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Sylvain Neuvel has taught linguistics in India, and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. He is also a certified translator, though he wishes he were an astronaut. His girlfriend would have him believe that he has too many toys, so he writes about aliens and giant robots as a blatant excuse to build action figures (for his son, of course). His debut, Sleeping Giants, was described by NPR as "one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory."
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