The Barnes & Noble Review
In Mercury, one of the destinations on Ben Bova's epic Grand Tour saga (Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, et al.), a disgraced engineer weaves an intricate plot to take down the people who ruined his life. The stage for his vengeance is the barren, heat-scorched planet of Mercury.
Maverick entrepreneur Saito Yamagata has come out of his self-imposed seclusion to begin a project on Mercury devoted to generating inexpensive power for the growing human habitations throughout the solar system. Also involved in the project are Victor Molina, a self-absorbed astrobiologist; Elliott Danvers, a sanctimonious preacher in the fanatical New Morality Church; and Dante Alexios, an intense, enigmatic engineer in charge of the mission. Unbeknownst to all, Alexios is actually Mance Bracknell, a visionary engineer turned pariah after the project he was heading -- the construction of a massive skytower in Ecuador -- crashed to earth, killing more than 4 million people. Danvers, Molina, and Yamagata all played integral roles in Bracknell's downfall: Danvers was a spy for the Church, Molina falsely implicated Bracknell during the subsequent trial and ended up marrying his fiancée, and Yamagata's corporation was behind the project's sabotage. Now decades later, Dante has his fiery revenge.
Like the other novels in Bova's Grand Tour -- a series of loosely connected tales about humankind's expansion throughout the solar system -- Mercury is built on hard science but powered by the emotional entanglements of its characters. While nothing in life is guaranteed, Ben Bova's storytelling prowess -- with his trademark blend of scientific speculation and enthralling romantic and political intrigue -- comes close. Paul Goat Allen
Mercury
Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Arte Johnson, Moira Quirk
Ben BovaUnabridged — 10 hours, 29 minutes
Mercury
Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Arte Johnson, Moira Quirk
Ben BovaUnabridged — 10 hours, 29 minutes
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Overview
A tale of revenge and technological endeavor set on our solar system's most desolate stage
Despite Mercury's desolateness, there are still those who hope to find diamonds in the rough. Saito Yamagata thinks Mercury's position will make it an ideal orbit point for satellites that could someday create enough power to propel starships into deep space. He hires Dante Alexios to bring his dreams to life. Astrobiologist Victor Molina thinks the water at Mercury's poles may harbor evidence of life, and hopes to achieve fame and glory by proving it. Bishop Elliot Danvers has been sent by the religious sect, "The New Morality," to keep close tabs on their endeavors, which threaten to produce results that contradict biblical teachings.
Editorial Reviews
Set in the same future universe as the author's asteroid series (The Silent War, etc.) and sharing such major players as the Yamagata Corporation and the religion of the New Morality, Hugo-winner Bova's well-plotted fourth planet novel (after 2003's Saturn) features a classic love triangle, backed by the occasional Greek chorus of scientific explanations. While astrobiologist Victor Molina and engineer Mance Bracknell (disguised as Dante Alexios) vie for the affections of Victor's wife, Lara Tierney Molina, Saito Yamagata attempts to create an efficient, inexpensive staging area on Mercury to send ships into deep space. Meanwhile, Bracknell schemes to exact revenge for his destroyed past. Ten years earlier, Bracknell's efforts to create another efficient, inexpensive method of launching spaceships called "The Sky Tower" was sabotaged by Bishop Danvers of the New Morality, as well as by Molina and Yamagata's son, Nobu. Millions of innocents died as a result. The moral questions raised by Bracknell's complicated retribution scenarios about the rights of victims for revenge and the immoral consequences of moral acts add depth to an otherwise standard tale of space adventure. Agent, Barbara Bova. (May 4) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
"A guaranteed crowd-pleaser!"
In the near future, the planet Mercury looms large in the sights of men and women who see Earth's future survival in harvesting the solar system. Some want to use the tiny planet as a satellite orbit point, others seek evidence of life in the polar water, while one man craves revenge for a past tragedy of monstrous proportions. Continuing his exploration of the solar system, sf veteran Bova presents a dramatic tale of ambition and vengeance coupled with an absorbing look at the inner solar system's smallest and most elusive planet. Fans of the author's technological expertise and his strong prospace bias should enjoy this action-packed tale. Recommended for most libraries. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Another entry in Bova's series melodramatizing the near/medium-future exploration of the solar system (Powersat, 2004, etc.). This time, various movers and shakers are drawn to the planet Mercury. Ruthless industrialist Saito Yamagata, given a second life thanks to medical nanotechnology (he died of cancer, was frozen, revived and cured), conceives a grand idea: He will send mankind to the stars. So, Yamagata hires space engineer Dante Alexios to build a fleet of power satellites in orbit about Mercury. Laser boosts from the powersats will push spaceships to the stars. But Yamagata wonders why, though they hadn't met before, Alexios seems so familiar. Meanwhile, exobiologist Victor Molina receives an anonymous tip about some rocks found in a crater on Mercury. The rocks, Molina finds, bear traces of life! To Molina, also, Alexios seems weirdly familiar. Soon after, Molina triumphantly broadcasts his discoveries, Bishop Elliot Danvers of the reactionary New Morality arrives; his mission is to discredit Molina. It gives nothing away to mention the story's central section-Bova makes no attempt to conceal the broad outlines of his plot-in which, ten years ago, genius engineer Mance Bracknell built a space elevator; attacked by terrorists, the structure fell to Earth, killing millions. Bracknell was blamed, thanks in part to testimony by Molina and Danvers. Yamagata's role in the disaster was, apparently, even more direct. As a result, Bracknell was banished from Earth and lost the love of his life to Molina. No prizes for guessing who's who, and how this all links up. A humdrum addition to this wide-ranging but, lately, flagging series.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940172067266 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Macmillan Audio |
| Publication date: | 05/01/2005 |
| Series: | Grand Tour Series , #16 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Read an Excerpt
Mercury
Planet Novel #4
By Bova, Ben
Tor Science Fiction
Copyright © 2006
Bova, Ben
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0765343142
"I'm really stuck here," Molina called, a hint of desperation in his voice. "I need you to help me. What are you doing up there?"
Alexios heard himself say, "I'm coming down. It'll take a few minutes. Hang in there."
"Well for Christ's sake don't dawdle! I'm sloshing in my own sweat inside this frigging suit."
Alexios smiled again. You're not helping yourself, Victor. You're not making it easier for me to come to your aid.
But he pushed the door of the tractor's cab open and jumped to the ground, almost hoping that he'd snap an ankle or twist a knee and be unable to save Victor's self-centered butt. Angry with himself, furious with Victor and the other two, irritated at the world in general, Alexios marched to the winch and wrapped the cable around both his gloved hands.
Slowly he began lowering himself down the steep side of the gully.
"What are you doing?" Molina demanded. "Are you coming?"
"I'll be there in a few minutes," Alexios said between gritted teeth.
I'll save your ass, Victor, he thought. I'll save your body. I won't let you die. I'll bring you back and let you destroy yourself. That's just as good as killing you. Better, even. Destroy yourself, Victor. With my help.
Continues...
Excerpted from Mercury
byBova, Ben
Copyright © 2006 by Bova, Ben.
Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
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