May, 1970. A two-person Soviet crew approaches the moon,
ready to accomplish the greatest feat in human history--provided they can
overcome their own petty jealousies. Alone on the Moon chronicles a Soviet moon mission through
the eyes of Boris Volynov, a backup who's been pressed into service helping
Alexei Leonov (a man he despises) attempt humanity's first lunar landing. Thoroughly
researched, it's a detailed and plausible rendition of two larger-than-life
personalities facing incredible challenges. It's also a meditation on luck,
trust, the nature of observation, and the burden of being chosen--plus the way
our personal narratives can shape (or poison) our perceptions of the present.
Do the stories we tell ourselves shape our fate, or can we write a new chapter?
The answer awaits.
The titles in the Altered Space series are wholly separate
narratives, but all deal with the mysteries of space and time, progress and
circularity. Each one is an ensō of words in which orbits of spacecraft, moons,
planets, and people allow us fresh perspectives on the cycles of our own lives.
