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The Calculating Stars

A Lady Astronaut Novel

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About this listen

Mary Robinette Kowal's science fiction debut, The Calculating Stars, explores the premise behind her award-winning Lady Astronaut of Mars.

Den of Geek - Best Science Fiction Books of June 2018

Omnivoracious - Fifteen Highly Anticipated SFF Reads for Summer 2018

On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the East Coast of the US, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs.

This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space and requires a much-larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first lady astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

©2018 Mary Robinette Kowal (P)2018 Audible, Inc. Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Space Exploration Fiction Interstellar Heartfelt Feel-Good Aviation Air Force
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What a wonderful book. Exploring the opportunity of space from the view of a woman, a Jew, a fallible, anxious and desperately determined protagonist. The glorious, human, hopeful narration does such justice to a brilliant text. I finished it in tears!

The best audiobook I’ve ever heard!

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was excited about this book but it didn't live up to expectations. quite dull at times really. the concept is great, the narration was ok, I'll forgive the cringy sex scenes as they were on point for the character and story, male authors get to do that all the time so why not. but yeah not sure this deserved a nebula. nowhere near as good as n k jemsin or Anne leckie if you're looking for good sci fi or fantasy by a female author

struggled to finish

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MRK makes her book come to life such that I was having panic attacks with Elma, sad crying whenever anything bad happened, happy crying whenever anything good happened... basically this book left me a complete mess.

Made me cry a lot in public. Super embarrassing.

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absorbing, interesting, entertaining and enlightening. Absolutely glad I listened to this book and will listen to and read the whole series.

The Calculating Stars

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I think I'd like this book if i haven't seen the tv series, because is the same plot, but better. Sometimes the book felt like a drama more than Sci-Fi (protagonist family drama and really unnecesary erotic-but-no moments with her husband).
The acting voice is not the worst that I ever listened here, but... meh.

For All Humankind

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