C. A. Higgins’s acclaimed novel Lightless fused suspenseful storytelling, high-caliber scientific speculation, and richly developed characters into a stunning science fiction epic. Now the dazzling Supernova heightens the thrills and deepens the haunting exploration of technology and humanity—and the consequences that await when the two intersect. Once Ananke was an experimental military spacecraft. But a rogue computer virus transformed it—her—into something much more: a fully sentient artificial intelligence, with all the power of a god—and all the unstable emotions of a teenager. Althea, the ship’s engineer and the last living human aboard, nearly gave her life to save Ananke from dangerous saboteurs, forging a bond as powerful as that between mother and daughter. Now she devotes herself completely to Ananke’s care. But teaching a thinking, feeling machine—perhaps the most dangerous force in the galaxy—to be human proves a monumental challenge. When Ananke decides to seek out Matthew Gale, the terrorist she regards as her father, Althea learns that some bonds are stronger than mortal minds can understand—or control. Drawn back toward Earth by the quest, Althea and Ananke will find themselves in the thick of a violent revolution led by Matthew’s sister, the charismatic leader Constance, who will stop at nothing to bring down a tyrannical surveillance state. As the currents of past decisions and present desires come into stark collision, a new and fiery future is about to be born. Praise for Supernova “An enjoyable, hard science fiction adventure.”—Cinelinx “Higgins succeeds in expanding her universe and leaving the reader hungry to learn how her debut trilogy will end.”—New York Daily News “Riveting and thought-provoking.”—Publishers Weekly Praise for C. A. Higgins’s Lightless “Gripping . . . sci-fi with a hint of thriller.”—New York Daily News “[A] measured, lovely science-fiction debut [that is] more psychological thriller . . . contained, disciplined, tense . . . The plot is compulsive. . . . Lightless is the first of a planned series, and you can’t help looking forward to learning what’s next.”—The New York Times “The stakes in this story are high—life and death, rebellion and betrayal. . . . Higgins continually ratchets up the tension. . . . This is a debut not to be missed.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A taut, suspenseful read.”—Tech Times “Absolutely brilliant . . . science fiction as it is meant to be done.”—New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire
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“Narrator Fiona Hardingham deftly balances two plot lines in this second installment of a trilogy. In one, the engineer of a spaceship finds herself alone on her ship with a computer that has become sentient. It doesn’t take long for Hardingham to make listeners forget that it’s a computer talking, particularly as the computer seemingly grows into adolescence with a desire to dominate her sole companion. As it continues to transform, Hardingham portrays its emotional development and the pseudo mother-daughter relationship that unfolds. In the second story line, Hardingham depicts a villain who has brought about a revolt against earth. Her performance is nuanced, reflecting the complexities of her character and her obsession with dominating the earth. Hardingham skillfully augments the suspense in both stories.”
— AudioFile
“In Higgins’ riveting and thought-provoking sequel to Lightless…philosophical debates and moral quandaries abound. Descriptions of terraforming and the life of a black hole will satisfy fans of hard SF, but the main draw is the excellent, realistic portrayal of people struggling to cope with sudden change and its fallout.”
— Publishers Weekly“While this second volume of the trilogy widens the setting from one claustrophobic spaceship to a whole solar system, the focus remains on the characters, all of whom struggle, especially Constance, to deal with the fallout of their decisions. Verdict: Recommend to SF readers who savor character-driven stories.”
— Library Journal“An incredible followup to its excellent precursor…With perspective bouncing back and forth between the ship and the rebel, parallels between the two become apparent, exploring what, exactly, defines humanity.”
— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!)Be the first to write a review about this audiobook!
C. A. Higgins writes novels and short stories. She was a runner-up in the 2013 Dell Magazines Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing.
Fiona Hardingham is a British-born actress, singer, voice-over artist, and AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. On stage, she appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in her comedic one-woman show The Dark Show. She has also starred in the dark-comedy short film The Ballerino. She earned a BA honors degree in performing arts from Middlesex University, London, and also studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.