Robert J. Sawyer, the author of such “revelatory and thought-provoking”* novels as Triggers and The WWW Trilogy, presents a noir mystery expanded from his Hugo and Nebula Award-nominated novella “Identity Theft” and his Aurora Award-winning short story “Biding Time,” and set on a lawless Mars in a future where everything is cheap, and life is even cheaper…

Alex Lomax is the one and only private eye working the mean streets of New Klondike, the Martian frontier town that sprang up forty years ago after Simon Weingarten and Denny O’Reilly discovered fossils on the Red Planet. Back on Earth, where anything can be synthesized, the remains of alien life are the most valuable of all collectibles, so shiploads of desperate treasure hunters stampeded to Mars in the Great Martian Fossil Rush.

Trying to make an honest buck in a dishonest world, Lomax tracks down killers and kidnappers among the failed prospectors, corrupt cops, and a growing population of transfers—lucky stiffs who, after striking paleontological gold, upload their minds into immortal android bodies. But when he uncovers clues to solving the decades-old murders of Weingarten and O’Reilly, along with a journal that may lead to their legendary mother lode of Martian fossils, God only knows what he’ll dig up…

*The Globe and Mail

En 2010, le premier message venu d'une autre étoile est capté. Il a été émis depuis Sigma Draconis, distante de dix-huit années-lumière. Et, non sans mal, l'astronome Sarah Halifax l'a déchiffré. Ce qui a permis de lui donner une réponse. Trente-huit ans plus tard, en 2048, un second message est capté. Crypté. Et deux fois plutôt qu'une.

Qui pourra le décoder, sinon Sarah Halifax ? Seul problème : elle a désormais quatre-vingt sept-ans.

Un multimilliardaire qui a fait fortune dans l’industrie des robots lui propose un *rollback*, un traitement de rajeunissement extraordinairement coûteux, qu lui rendra ses vingt-cinq ans. Sarah n’accepte que si Don, son époux du même âge, bénéficie de la même chance.

Mais il y a un risque. C'est que sur l'un ou sur l'autre le traitement échoue. Que deviendra leur amour si longtemps partagé s'ils se trouvent séparés par soixante ans d'âge apparent ?

Et que veulent donc nous dire les habitants de Sigma Draconis ?

Croisant les deux thèmes du contact avec une autre civilisation et du rajeunissement intégral, Robert J. Sawyer, déjà couronné par le prix Hugo, nous donne ici un roman passionnant, intelligent et émouvant.

Canadian author Robert Sawyer once again presents likable characters facing big ethical dilemmas in this smoothly readable near-future SF novel. Astronomer Sarah Halifax, who translated the first message from aliens and helped prepare humanity’s response, is 87 when the second, encrypted message arrives 38 years later. To aid the decoding, a tycoon buys rejuvenation treatment for Sarah and Don, her husband of 60 years; however, only Don becomes young again. While coping with the physical indignities of old age, Sarah tries to figure out the puzzle of the second message. The bond between Don and Sarah continues, even while Don is joyfully and guiltily discovering the pleasures of living in a young body again. They want to do what’s right for each other and the rest of humanity—for the aliens, too—if they can figure out what “right” could be. By its nature, a story about moral choices tends to get talky, but the talk is intelligent and performed by sympathetic and believable people.

Canadian author Robert Sawyer once again presents likable characters facing big ethical dilemmas in this smoothly readable near-future SF novel. Astronomer Sarah Halifax, who translated the first message from aliens and helped prepare humanity’s response, is 87 when the second, encrypted message arrives 38 years later. To aid the decoding, a tycoon buys rejuvenation treatment for Sarah and Don, her husband of 60 years; however, only Don becomes young again. While coping with the physical indignities of old age, Sarah tries to figure out the puzzle of the second message. The bond between Don and Sarah continues, even while Don is joyfully and guiltily discovering the pleasures of living in a young body again. They want to do what’s right for each other and the rest of humanity — for the aliens, too — if they can figure out what “right” could be. By its nature, a story about moral choices tends to get talky, but the talk is intelligent and performed by sympathetic and believable people.

Vieną dieną svetimeivių erdvėlaivis nusileido Toronto mieste greta Paleontologijos muziejaus. Iš kosminio aparato išlindęs šešiakojis, dvirankis padaras, vardu Holusas, pareiškė norą pasikalbėti su žymiausiu paleontologu. Iš pokalbio paaiškėja, kad ir Žemė, ir Holuso planeta, ir dar vienas protingų būtybių pasaulis per kelis milijardus metų patyrė penkias grandiozines katastrofas TUO PAČIU METU.

Vadinasi, kažas itin galingas (gal net visagalis) akivaizdžiai reguliuoja evoliuciją mūsų Galaktikoje. Holusas mano, kad galima pamėginti jį surasti...

Need a Job, Go to Mars… or the nearest space station or colony world. But what kind of career opportunities will you find on the ever-expanding frontiers of space? And how many alien beings will be vying for the same positions? To discover some of the possibilities, check out Space, Inc., and such entertaining and original tales as:

“Attached Please Find My Novel”—Sometimes you found tomorrow’s best-sellers in the most unexpected places…

“The Siren Stone”—Their mission was to blow up an asteroid before it could destroy a space station and its entire population, but nothing could prepare them for what they discovered when they rendezvoused with this giant piece of rock…

“Come All Ye Faithful”—Finding a real congregation on Mars wasn’t going to be easy—in fact he had to admit it would be a miracle if it ever happened…

The challenge and lure of space exploration has long been fertile ground for some of the finest science fiction stories. Here, fifteen of the best chroniclers of the day after tomorrow present unique tales of space stations both in our own solar system and far beyond.

The challenge and lure of space exploration has long been fertile ground for some of the finest science fiction stories. Here, fifteen of the best chroniclers of the day after tomorrow present unique tales of space stations both in our own solar system and far beyond.

Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer offers an epic hard-science space adventure full of technical descriptions of starships and physics tempered by human concerns. In the twenty-first century, the human race has both developed faster-than-light travel and contacted nonhuman intelligent races. Starplex, under the command of Keith Lansing, is one of the contact makers. Lansing faces hostile crew members, the personal and cultural idiosyncracies of nonhumans, the problems of first contact, and a marriage that may be deteriorating. Scientists on the Starplex study the mysterious artificial wormholes that make space travel routine and convenient. Then the wormholes' creators appear, and the scientists must understand and communicate with them to save the galaxy.

2096. Affrété par le Commonwealth des planètes, le vaisseau Starplex sillonne la galaxie. Son objectif : découvrir de nouvelles formes de vie et entrer en communication avec elles. Mais la tâche n’est pas aisée pour le commandant Keith Lansing. Il lui incombe en effet au préalable de faire cohabiter harmonieusement les membres de son équipage. Et ô combien diverses — et divergentes — sont les attitudes de son épouse Clarissa, d’un belliqueux physicien waldahud, ou d’un dauphin pilote farceur... Sans compter que l’enjeu de cette soi-disant mission de routine va vite s’avérer n’être ni plus ni moins que la préservation de la paix intergalactique, et que le paisible vaisseau d’exploration scientifique va devoir se transformer en navire de guerre !

Canadian author Sawyer offers an epic hard-science space adventure full of technical descriptions of starships and physics tempered by human concerns. In the twenty-first century, the human race has both developed faster-than-light travel and contacted nonhuman intelligent races. Starplex, under the command of Keith Lansing, is one of the contact makers. Lansing faces hostile crew members, the personal and cultural idiosyncracies of nonhumans, the problems of first contact, and a marriage that may be deteriorating. Scientists on the Starplex study the mysterious artificial wormholes that make space travel routine and convenient. Then the wormholes' creators appear, and the scientists must understand and communicate with them to save the galaxy.

Od ponad dwudziestu lat eksploracja kosmosu przebiega w oszałamiającym tempie, głównie za sprawą sztucznych międzygwiezdnych skrótów. Nikt nie wie, kto je zbudował, lecz właśnie dzięki nim najodleglejsze zakątki wszechświata znalazły się w zasięgu ręki. Zdaniem Keitha Lansinga, szefa statku „Starplex”, jest to stanowczo zbyt blisko. gdy z nowego skrótu wyłania się zagadkowy obiekt bez okien, spoin czy jakichkolwiek widocznych urządzeń napędowych, „Starplex” może stac sie zarzewiem międzygalaktycznej wojny.

Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer offers an epic hard-science space adventure full of technical descriptions of starships and physics tempered by human concerns. In the twenty-first century, the human race has both developed faster-than-light travel and contacted nonhuman intelligent races. Starplex, under the command of Keith Lansing, is one of the contact makers. Lansing faces hostile crew members, the personal and cultural idiosyncracies of nonhumans, the problems of first contact, and a marriage that may be deteriorating. Scientists on the Starplex study the mysterious artificial wormholes that make space travel routine and convenient. Then the wormholes’ creators appear, and the scientists must understand and communicate with them to save the galaxy.

Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer offers an epic hard-science space adventure full of technical descriptions of starships and physics tempered by human concerns. In the twenty-first century, the human race has both developed faster-than-light travel and contacted nonhuman intelligent races. Starplex, under the command of Keith Lansing, is one of the contact makers. Lansing faces hostile crew members, the personal and cultural idiosyncracies of nonhumans, the problems of first contact, and a marriage that may be deteriorating. Scientists on the Starplex study the mysterious artificial wormholes that make space travel routine and convenient. Then the wormholes’ creators appear, and the scientists must understand and communicate with them to save the galaxy.

La missione dell’astronave Starplex è indagare sui scorciatoie, misteriose anomalie del cosmo che permettono di viaggiare sia nello spazio che nel tempo. Ma durante l’esplorazione il comandante keith Lansing e la sua nave si trovano di fronte a una stella tanto vecchia da risuktare più antica dell’universo stesso! Non è l’unica scoperta “impossibile”: una razza sconosciuta viene identificata in quell’assurda regione della galassia, e la Starplex è attaccata da nemici sconosciuti. Lansing sa che c’è un solo mezzo per uscire dalla situazione critica: entrare nel scorciatoia e varcare la soglia di parecchi miliardi di anni per scoprire il segreto della stella verde.

Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer offers an epic hard-science space adventure full of technical descriptions of starships and physics tempered by human concerns. In the twenty-first century, the human race has both developed faster-than-light travel and contacted nonhuman intelligent races. Starplex, under the command of Keith Lansing, is one of the contact makers. Lansing faces hostile crew members, the personal and cultural idiosyncracies of nonhumans, the problems of first contact, and a marriage that may be deteriorating. Scientists on the Starplex study the mysterious artificial wormholes that make space travel routine and convenient. Then the wormholes’ creators appear, and the scientists must understand and communicate with them to save the galaxy.