Seveneves
Hugo Award nominee 2016.
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
The critically acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anathem and Cryptonomicon, returns with an epic sociopolitical-military thriller set 30,000 years in the future when seven distinct human subspecies — our descendants — attempt to recolonize the Earth
Months after our moon explodes, meteorite storms begin to pummel the Earth, rendering the planet uninhabitable. Before the deluge begins, the world’s nations transport as many humans as they can to the International Space Station, which is expanded to become a genetic Noah’s ark, stocked with seeds, DNA records, frozen sperm and embryos, and genetic engineering equipment.
But the ISS is in danger itself; losing communication with Earth, it is badly damaged by successive meteor strikes that destroy much of the equipment — including frozen embryos — and kill many of those on board. Ultimately, only seven women will remain alive. The future of mankind rests with these “Seven Eves” who devise a way to use their DNA stock and the genetic engineering equipment to reproduce.
Eons later — 30,000 years to be precise — billions of humans live in a ring of space habitats that form a hyper-cosmopolitan, affluent society orbiting the Earth. Though the surface of the planet has been transformed, it is still recognizable.. and it is calling them back. But these space dwellers do not know that two groups of humans managed to survive on the surface: one group living under the sea, another finding refuge in mines. Long ago the two groups joined together, and began repopulating this rocky, wild, beautiful, and largely inhospitable place. These indigenous humans are rustic and backward compared to their cousins, the descendants of the Seven Eves who dwell in orbit.
And now, the children of the Seven Eves — seven distinct human subspecies, each with physical and mental characteristics that can be traced back to each of their individual foremothers — are going to go home...
Neal Stephenson
Neal Town Stephenson (born 1959) is an American writer.
Neal Stephenson is primarily known for his science fiction works in the post-cyberpunk genre with a penchant for explorations of society, mathematics, currency and the history of science.