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  • The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel by Mary Robinette Kowal book cover
  • The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel by Mary Robinette Kowal book cover
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The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel

by Mary Robinette Kowal

A space race reshaped by catastrophe

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Awards & Recognition

  • Award recognition

    2018 Nebula Award winner for Best Novel

    Best Novel

  • Bestseller

    Locus Trade Paperback Bestseller List

    Trade Paperback Bestseller List

  • Editorial selection

    Named one of Esquire’s 75 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

    Named among the 75 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

AlbakiReads Editorial

A space race reshaped by catastrophe

In this alternate 1952, a meteorite strike devastates the U.S. East Coast and sets off a climate crisis that threatens humanity’s future on Earth. The emergency accelerates plans for space colonization, bringing pilot and mathematician Elma York into the International Aerospace Coalition’s work as a calculator. Her ambitions point to a second challenge within the effort: why should women with relevant flying and scientific experience be excluded from spaceflight? The novel connects an existential crisis to questions of gender, expertise, and access, while framing the push toward the Moon as both a technical undertaking and a struggle over who gets to participate.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in alternate-history science fiction centered on space exploration.
  • Readers drawn to stories about women’s roles in aviation, science, and the space program.
  • Readers who enjoy speculative premises that connect technological change with social conventions.

Themes

Space exploration and colonizationGender and access to scientific workClimate catastrophe and human survivalExpertise and social conventions

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Mary Robinette Kowal's science fiction debut, 2019 Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Award for best novel, The Calculating Stars, explores the premise behind her award-winning "Lady Astronaut of Mars."

Winner 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novel
Winner 2019 Locus Award for Best Novel
Winner 2019 Hugo Award for Best Novel
Finalist 2019 Campbell Memorial Award
Finalist 2021 Hugo Award for Best Series

Named one of Esquire's 75 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

Locus Trade Paperback Bestseller List

Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2018--Science Fiction/Fantasy
Winner 2019 RUSA Reading List for Science Fiction--American Library Association
Locus 2018 Recommended Reading List

Buzzfeed--17 Science-Fiction Novels By Women That Are Out Of This World

Locus Bestseller List

Chicago Review of Books--Top 10 Science Fiction Books of 2018
Goodreads--Most Popular Books Published in July 2018 (#66)
The Verge--12 fantastic science fiction and fantasy novels for July 2018
Unbound Worlds--Best SciFi and Fantasy Books of July 2018
Den of Geek--Best Science Fiction Books of June 2018
PublishersWeekly--Best SFF Books of 2018
Omnivoracious--15 Highly Anticipated SFF Reads for Summer 2018
Past Magazine--Best Novels of 2018
Bookriot--Best Science Fiction Books of 2018
The Library Thing--Top Five Books of 2018

On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too.

Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

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