Born of the Sun Adventures in Our Solar System

On Mercury: How do you outrun the dawn and its lethal sunrise?

On Jupiter: When humans transfer their minds into the local fauna to explore the surface, why do they never return?

On Pluto: How long must an astronaut wait for rescue at the furthest reaches of the system?

We have always been fascinated by the promise of space and the distant lure of our fellow planets orbiting the Sun. In this new collection of classic stories, Mike Ashley takes us on a journey from the harsh extremes of Mercury to the turbulent expanses of Saturn and beyond, exploring as we go the literary history of the planets, the influence of contemporary astronomy on the imagination of writers, and the impact of their storytelling on humanity's perception of these hitherto unreachable worlds. Featuring the talents of Larry Niven, Robert Silverberg, Clare Winger Harris, and more, this collection offers a kaleidoscope of innovative thought and timeless adventures.

Mike Ashley has edited several British Library Science Fiction Classics anthologies which explore Golden Age themes such as artificial intelligence, time travel and encounters with aliens. These collections include Beyond Time: Classic Tales of Time Unwound and The End of the World and Other Catastrophes.

Introduction: Solar Tour 7
MERCURY 11
Sunrise on Mercury Robert Silverberg 19
VULCAN 39
The Hell Planet Leslie F. Stone 41
VENUS 89
Foundling on Venus John and Dorothy De Courcy 97
MARS 109
The Lonely Path John Ashcroft 117
ASTEROID BELT 169
Garden in the Void Poul Anderson 175
JUPITER 215
Desertion Clifford D. Simak 221
SATURN 239
How Beautiful with Banners James Blish 245
URANUS 259
Where No Man Walks E.R. James 261
NEPTUNE 285
A Baby on Neptune Clare Winger Harris & Miles J. Breuer 287
PLUTO 321
Wait It Out Larry Niven 324
Story Sources 335