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Spider Star
The human colony on the planet Argo has long explored and exploited the technology left behind by an extinct alien race. But then an archaeology team accidentally activates a terrible weapon...
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Praise for Star Dragon
"Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fiercely credible and astonishingly imaginative. This is Science Fiction."
-- David Brin"Star Dragon is terrific fare, offering readers a fusion of hard science and grand adventure."
-- Locus Magazine"Star Dragon is steeped in cosmology, the physics of interstellar travel, exobiology, artificial intelligence, bioscience. Brotherton, author of many scientific articles in refereed journals, has written a dramatic, provocative, utterly convincing hard science sf novel that includes an ironic twist that fans will love."
-- Booklist starred review"Readers hungry for the thought-provoking extrapolation and rigorous technical detail of old-fashioned hard SF are sure to enjoy astronomer Brotherton's first novel."
-- Publishers Weekly"Mike Brotherton, himself a trained astrophysicist, combines the technical acuity and ingenuity of Robert Forward with the ironic, postmodern stance and style of M. John Harrison. In this, his debut novel, those twin talents unite to produce a work that is involving on any number of levels. It's just about all you could ask for in a hardcore SF adventure."
-- Paul di Fillippo, SCI-FI.COM
Riolinks
August 6th, 2009
Yesterday was a travel day as I headed for Rio de Janeiro for the International Astronomical Union’s General Assembly (and here’s the agenda for me today). Also came down with a throat/chest cold and talking has been a little tough and painful, which sucks because I otherwise feel ok, although tired. Anyway, I have a pile of links and too much to do here, so let’s proceed.
Really cool images and story about the giant star Betelgueuse.
I’ll be attending MileHiCon in Denver, Colorado toward the end of October and there should be some good programming, as usual. Thankfully NOT Halloween weekend, as I plan to host a big party. Hope to see a lot of old and new friends at the con.
Terry Pratchett planning to end things before his disease gets too bad, calls for UK to lift bad on assisted suicides.
Brain Malow has a great new video up at time.com about “The Helium Crisis.” Check it out now.
Mad Science video from a panel at Comic-Con 2009.
And lo, 2001 in 2009 — Monolith spotted on Mars. And Buzz Aldrin is pushing it as a reason to exlpore Mars, and in the video at the link, seems to talk about God putting it there…weird. I’ll probably post more at length about this soon if it picks up an sustained attention.
NYT op-ed by Sam Harris, Science is in the Details, explaining his opposition to Francis Collins for NIH director. Registration required.
And finally, really nice essay about why science needs science fiction, The Double Helix, by Athena Andreadis.
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August 7th, 2009 at 9:24 am
hey Mike, just take care and be sure its not swine flu.
as for the monolith, it seems scientists are saying its just a boulder.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/sciencefair/2009/08/scientists-mars-monolith-a-boulder.html
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/mystery-of-rocky-mars-monolith-solved-scientists-say/story-e6frev20-1225758228098
Anyway, Buzz Aldrin really dreams of US going to Mars directly instead of returning to the moon, and he will certainly use any excuse at all to make the american public support the endeavour.
August 7th, 2009 at 9:25 am
These are not the monoliths you’re looking for. Move along now.
I’m feeling better now. Never had a fever, wasn’t a flu. Maybe one more day back to normal.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Mike, I only saw the Aldrin interview now… he says the monolith is located on one of Mars moons (both are kinda potato shaped, so Im not sure if he means Deimos or Phobos)
But the Sun article says its located in the mars itself (and the dunes on the picture suggest that too).
So what am I missing in this whole story?
August 8th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Don’t know. Need to look into it, although as far as I can tell this isn’t getting much attention.
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:02 am
Glad you enjoyed The Double Helix, Mike! Here’s more along those lines, if you’re interested:
Science Fiction Goes MacDonald’s: Less Taste, More Gristle