The Sunborn

"Their historic mission to Mars and discovery of alien life have made Julia and Viktor the most famous astronauts of all time. Now, decades later, this fame is coveted by arrogant, brilliant, and young Captain Shanna Axelrod, the leader of a new scientific voyage to the solar system's outermost world." "In this strange territory of space, the crew of the starship Proserpina finds deadly raging cosmic storms that threaten the inner planets. Pluto's orbit and axial tilt are constantly changing. And on the frozen ammonia shore of a methane sea, Shanna discovers intelligent creatures thriving in the planet's -300[degree] temperatures. Even more incredibly, these entities are under attack - by something from beyond the known worlds." "Then the powerful conglomerate that controls space travel orders Julia and Viktor to take the prototype ship, High Flyer, and rendezvous with Proserpina. In this new frontier, the Consortium sees the potential for incredible discoveries ... and greater profit." "But Shanna, Julia, Viktor, and their crews soon encounter problems of the human kind, as personality clashes and intense bickering lead to an uneasy rivalry. As their mission findings change from the amazing to the inconceivable, the members of the two teams must overcome their own conflicts and work together. For here in the most remote reaches of the solar system, space is filled with unimaginable wonders. And out in the dark, cold void are countless forces that will crush all human life."--BOOK JACKET.

Gregory Benford is a professor of physics at the University of California, Irvine, and a Woodrow Wilson Fellow.