Book Review: Seveneves
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
By Clara Moskowitz
On supporting science journalism
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Seveneves
by Neal Stephenson
William Morrow, 2015 (($35))
A cataclysm on the moon dooms Earth in this near-future epic tale by famed science-fiction author Stephenson. With less than two years to prepare before the planet becomes unlivable, humanity scrambles to devise a plan to live long-term in space. Nations join forces to augment the International Space Station to serve as a life raft for a sampling of the human species. Relatable heroes rise to the occasion, finding creative ways to acquire rocket fuel and battle space debris, and nefarious actors attempt sabotage in this scientifically rich and realistic picture of how people manage to endure. Later in the story, readers fast-forward 5,000 years to follow the races and cultures of the survivors' descendants, who are grappling with their history as they ready to return to their home planet.
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