The Fated Sky
Continuing the grand sweep of alternate history laid out in The Calculating Stars, The Fated Sky looks forward to 1961, when mankind is well-established on the moon and looking forward to its next step: journeying to, and eventually colonizing, Mars.
Of course the noted Lady Astronaut Elma York would like to go, but could the International Aerospace Coalition ever stand the thought of putting a woman on such a potentially dangerous mission? Could Elma knowingly take the place of other astronauts who have been overlooked because of their race? And could she really leave behind her husband and the chance to start a family? This gripping look at the real conflicts behind a fantastical space race will put a new spin on our visions of what might have been.
Mary Robinette Kowal
Mary Robinette Kowal writes stories where the boundaries of science fiction and fantasy blur, creating worlds that feel both fantastical and grounded in human experience. Known for her lyrical prose and insightful explorations of technology, emotion, and society, Kowal’s work invites readers into captivating, thought-provoking realms, where the magic of storytelling is intricately woven with real-world issues.
A proud graduate of the prestigious Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa, Kowal’s early career in puppetry and voice acting helped shape her storytelling style, infusing it with rich character voices and a tactile sense of the physical world. She’s a multi-talented creator, with experience both on stage and behind the scenes in theater. This deep appreciation for the art of performance manifests in her writing, where characters come to life with the same vividness as a puppet brought to life on stage.
Lady Astronaut
On a cold spring night in 1952, a meteorite falls to earth and destroys much of the eastern seaboard of the United States, including Washington D.C. The Meteor, as it is popularly known, decimates the U.S. government and paves the way for a climate cataclysm that will eventually render the earth inhospitable to humanity. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated timeline in the earth’s efforts to colonize space, and allows a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.
Lady Astronaut consists of four books — series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
