Radiant Sky - (Apollo Rising) by Alan Smale (Paperback)

About the Book

"Vivan Carter, the electrifying hero from Hot Moon, returns to lead a lunar geological survey team comprised of both Americans and Soviets. Their journey takes them across the harsh and barren lunar surface as they chart the moon and collect samples for this grueling mission. It is dangerous enough, but the stakes become much higher when an ambush threatens the entire mission. The crew must navigate a treacherous path where survival requires ingenuity, courage, and an uneasy alliance with their Soviet counterparts. As the stakes grow higher, the mission becomes a test of skill, endurance, and trust in an era defined by suspicion and rivalry."--

Book Synopsis

This is the much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Hot Moon ("A nail-biting thriller"-Publishers Weekly) by two-time Sidewise Award-winning author Alan Smale.

Vivan Carter, the electrifying hero from Hot Moon, returns to lead a lunar geological survey team comprised of both Americans and Soviets.
Their journey takes them across the harsh and barren lunar surface as they chart the moon and collect samples for this grueling mission. It is dangerous enough, but the stakes become much higher when an ambush threatens the entire mission.

The crew must navigate a treacherous path where survival requires ingenuity, courage, and an uneasy alliance with their Soviet counterparts. As the stakes grow higher, the mission becomes a test of skill, endurance, and trust in an era defined by suspicion and rivalry.

Dive into an electrifying alternate history where space rivalry takes center stage. Radiant Sky is a thrilling continuation of the highly acclaimed hard science fiction novel that will captivate fans of NASA fiction books, near-future adventures, and hard science fiction series. Set in a meticulously crafted world where the Cold War extends far beyond Earth's atmosphere, humanity's reach into space creates a new frontier of tension and exploration.

With breathtaking accuracy from a retired NASA director and an immersive look at the untold stories of space rivalry, Radiant Sky brings hard science fiction alive, capturing the imagination and the thrill of space exploration. Prepare for a pulse-pounding experience that redefines what it means to venture into the unknown.

ACCLAIM FOR THE SERIES

"Smale's latest will delight and enthrall."--Library Journal *starred review*

"A nail-biting thriller set in a plausible alternate 1979."--Publishers Weekly

"Hot Moon is a provocative science fiction novel set in an alternative but plausible reality. It follows a war in space with original, imaginative flourishes."--Foreword

"I loved it. Great 'hard' science fiction with convincing space battles."--Larry Niven

"Alan Smale is one of the brightest stars in the hard-SF firmament, and Hot Moon is his best novel yet. "--Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author

"Intriguing, adrenaline-fueled, and engaging, author Alan Smale's Hot Moon is the perfect sci-fi meets political thriller."--Anthony Avina's Blog

"A frightening glimpse into what the future may hold. This unforgettable journey takes readers to the very edge of reality, and possibly, our future."--Mostly Mysteries' and Other Books Too

About the Author

Alan Smale is an award-winning science fiction (hard SF and alternate history) and fantasy author who has sold over fifty pieces of short fiction to Asimov's, Galaxy's Edge, Abyss & Apex, and other magazines and anthologies. His short story "Gunpowder Treason" earned him a second Sidewise Award in 2022. His non-fiction essays have appeared in Lightspeed, Journey Planet, and Galaxy's Edge. Alan grew up in England, and received degrees in Physics and Astrophysics from Oxford University. Until recently he performed research into Galactic neutron star and black hole binary systems at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and served as the Director of one of NASA's big-three astrophysical data archives.