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“Benford is a rarity: a scientist who writes with verve and insight not only about black holes and cosmic strings but about human desires and fears.”
— New York Times Book Review, praise for the author
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“Engaging and thorough.”
— Amazon.com
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“Among the most believable in recent genre literature…Strange and beautiful.”
— Publishers Weekly
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“One of the premier crafters of the genre.”
— Library Journal
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“Adventure, relationships, discovery, and the pursuit of fame and fortune all add up to a page-turner for teens who like their science fiction rooted solidly in science.”
— School Library Journal
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“Benford is as expert as ever at seamlessly melding characterization, technology, and narrative drive in an effective novel that takes its place near the front of the pack of Martian-yarn contenders.”
— Booklist
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“Taut, plausible, and full of ideas.”
— Kirkus Reviews
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“Combines a realistic Mars mission plan with a dynamic plot and a sense of wonder to produce a real page-turner. One of the finest novels about human exploration of the Red Planet ever written.”
— Dr. Robert Zubrin, president of The Mars Society and author of The Case for Mars
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“Both gritty and inspiring! Benford has a deep grasp of how the future might be seized, one bold move at a time.”
— David Brin, author of Foundation’s Triumph
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“A fascinating drama of total plausibility…I predict that many of the ideas in this book will soon make the transition from fiction to fact.”
— Paul Davies, author of The Fifth Miracle
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“Benford emulates the winning strategy of Prince Henry the Navigator to achieve one of our dearest dreams—to land humans on Mars. Mission planners at NASA might seriously consider taking a leaf from this book.”
— Eric Kotani, author of Legacy of Prometheus
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“Cast in the fiercely anti-establishment tradition of Robert Heinlein, but evolving a twenty-first–century cooperative perspective…A great read…Thought-provoking.”
— Bruce Murray, professor at California Institute of Technology and president of The Planetary Society
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“Superbly details the ambitions and frailties of both the explorers and the exploiters.”
— John Connolly, planetary scientist
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“An exciting adventure and a remarkable novel.”
— Nathalie A. Cabrol, planetary scientist
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“Accurate science…Highly credible…An innovative thriller.”
— Edmond A. Grin, planetary scientist