The Moon and Beyond
by John E. Siers
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Pub Date Nov 20 2012 | Archive Date May 15 2013
Description
Ian Stevens, Director of the Deep Space Research Institute, has a hidden agenda. While the rest of the world (including the U.S. Government) thinks the DSRI is primarily engaged in pure research — astronomy, astrophysics, and computer science — Ian has a few other projects going on, mostly related to manned space travel. This comes at a time when NASA is all but defunct, few scientific probes are being launched, and almost everything that goes up into Earth orbit involves government-owned hardware designed for Earth surveillance. No one even talks about human spaceflight any more, and any such projects would be frowned upon by the government, especially when conducted without government supervision.
A billionaire in his own right (and with the backing of several multinational corporations), Stevens has assembled a crew of the best scientists and engineers he can find, including a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who has unlocked the secrets of gravity itself. With engineering genius Mick O'Hara, ex-USAF test pilot Lorna Greenwood, and former Navy Seal Charlie Bender to maintain operational security, the DSRI is secretly building and testing several gravity-powered spacecraft.
Now, if they can just manage to get it done without being noticed by the cyber-spies of the NSA, the watchdogs of Homeland Security, the IRS, OSHA, and a half-dozen other government agencies that might be upset over their activities, they might actually succeed. And they do have the world's smartest computer system on their side, one that can fend off threats to their own cyber-security and get them any information they might need from anyone else's electronic systems anywhere on the planet.
Ultimately, Stevens and his crew want to establish a permanent, self-sufficient settlement on the Moon, and use it as a base for further exploration of the solar system. What's more, to prevent interference from the U.S. (and other Earth nations) they plan to declare their lunar settlement an independent nation... and they are NOT going to apply for membership in the U.N.
Welcome to the Lunar Free State...
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781938223761 |
| PRICE | $15.95 (USD) |
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Featured Reviews
Librarian 105878
Deep Space Research Institute is a covert operation that does its business right under the noses of the authorities and officially sanctioned space programs. The DSRI consists primarily of scientists who have developed a means of propulsion using gravity to provide thrust rather than tugging things back to the earth. Using this concept, the DSRI builds a fleet of space craft that are capable of leaving Earth and returning without damage and begins to set up a colony on the moon. When the United States government gets wind of the operation they try to shut it down, forcing the leaders of DSRI to make a hasty exit - to the moon.
The Lunar Free State - as the colonists declare themselves - declare their independence from the United States and any and every other country on Earth. They look for countries that will recognize their independence and be willing to begin trade and perhaps even share ambassadors. But as with any newly found country, hostilities run high and the price of freedom doesn't come without sacrifice.
Author John E. Siers has written an absolutely engrossing, believable, and exciting story.
Right from the start, Siers had me hooked. His research and explanation of what was happening was so spot on I checked my book three times because I thought I was reading a non-fiction account of the space race. Then, about half way through the book, Siers picks up the action and never really lets it drop. It subsides here and there, but it's otherwise an action-thriller to the end.
Siers must be a bit prescient... on multiple occasions he writes about politicians that seem to have come from the 2016 Presidential race. "...we should face the fact that the truth doesn’t matter to politicians or to the media. Only perceptions matter. Victory goes to the guy who puts the best spin on the story" he writes at one point and "It's a hoax so blatant tha most of the media dropped it after the first report" he adds later.
The characters are all pretty strong and mostly unique enough to be distinguishable from one another and the world-building is wonderful and authentic. But it's the concept and the thrill ride that really engages the reader. I wish I could be a member of the Lunar Free State, and I'd love to read the next book in the series!
Looking for a good book? <em>The Moon and Beyond</em> by John E. Siers is a thrilling sci-fi adventure sure to be loved by fans of the genre and could attract some YA readers as well.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
