From Publishers Weekly
In this well-done tale of politics in near-Earth orbit from Rosenblum (
The Stone Garden), Ahni Huang, a class nine empath, cyborg and daughter of the ruler of Taiwan, has been sent up the space elevator to the synchronous platform New York Up to avenge the supposed murder of her brother. There she finds herself enmeshed in a complex web of political intrigue as various factions struggle for control of the platform's future. She also meets Dane Nilson, New York Up's charismatic chief agronomist, who sees himself as the midwife to humanity's next evolutionary step, and Koi, who may well be that next step. The major plot threads—a space colony's attempt to gain freedom from a domineering Earth government, human distrust of the Other, the importance of balancing the environment—aren't particularly new, but the author uses them nicely to create an entertaining tale. Rosenblum, who also writes mysteries as Mary Freeman, provides a fascinating picture of how humanity might develop in zero gravity.
(Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Praise for Horizons
“Superbly constructed piece of work. . .Rosenblum knows how to keep a reader’s interest piqued. The world-building is excellent stuff, ripe for enjoyable continuations.” –Vector
“It's a tale of revolution and restraint that should satisfy any Heinlein fan. Horizons presents an excellently crafted world. Along with authors like Ben Bova [Rosenblum is] charting the near space future with solid characters at the helm and lot of good insights into the world of tomorrow.” --SFRevu
“Immensely satisfying with its cast of intelligent, sympathetic characters, its attention to detail, and its clear and efficient style. . .[Rosenblum’s] most successful novel to date.” --Locus
“Well-done tale of politics in near-Earth orbit . . . . An entertaining tale. . . . Rosenblum . . .provides a fascinating picture of how humanity might develop in zero gravity.” –Publishers Weekly
“Mary Rosenblum's Horizons offers a thought-provoking adventure with an equally unusual main character who is not who she thinks she is as she sets out to avenge a death that never happened in orbital "worlds" that are developing their own unique flora and fauna -- as well as another step in human evolution.” --L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
"A smart, sexy, and savvy future thriller from one of the best new writers in science fiction, people by real human characters with psychological complexity and emotional depth, and driven by a plot that races ahead like a runaway train." –Gardner Dozois
"Well researched, well written SF--- and with great characters, pacing, and action. This is Mary Rosenblum's absolute best." –Walter John Williams on Horizons
“An intricate, treacherous, and ultimately subversive book, not only in whom you can trust, but in what is being subverted.” –Michael Flynn on Horizons
“Horizons is a sure winner. It has it all: believable tech, plausibly detailed and complex politics, and engaging characters. If you want to know what the human future might actually look like -- this could well be it.” –Nancy Kress
