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On a seemingly quiet summer day, a mysterious pathogen is released upon a remote observatory in New Mexico, killing the sole technician on duty. A recovery team later finds the technician's body with a note containing the last set of spatial coordinates the observatory's telescope was pointed at, which the technician believes has triggered the end of days.
The next morning, disgraced physics professor Theodore Kim finds himself on a spacecraft orbiting Saturn. With no recollection of how he got there, he tries to piece together his recruitment as part of an unwilling crew along with his longtime girlfriend, a retired physician, a Russian aviator, a zoologist, and a stay-at-home mother. Without explanation, the experimental craft known as the Moirae departs the galaxy for an unknown destination.
Back on Earth, Douglas Silva, a man with no memories, discovers a landscape punctuated by death and abandonment. With no knowledge of the earth's demise, he is haunted by a single vision. A dream. A dream of a man falling from the sky. A dream that, unbeknownst to him, belongs to Theodore Kim.
As Silva moves deeper into the wasteland and the Moirae drifts farther away from the galaxy, the questions mount. What has happened to the earth? Why has the Moirae been cast off into space? Are they the last ark of humanity, sent to colonize some distant planet? Or have they been sent on a fool's errand to search out God in the depths of space, as some of the crew believe? If so, why did they send Kim, a boozing agnostic, to do the talking?
Luv2Read0
Posted August 9, 2012
There is a reason this book is listed as one of the top summer reads on NPR's Recommended Reading list. Exiles is an exciting, "page turner" adventure from beginning to end. The book alternates between what would initially appear to be 2 seemly unrelated storylines, but this beautifully written book brings everything together for an amazing surprise ending. There are also hidden gems (references) for the literature buffs, but they're so subtle that if you don't catch the references, you're "none the wiser". The great balance between humor and serious moments drive the story and keep you entertained throughout the book. I highly recommend this book without any hesitation!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.DiamondJim
Posted June 22, 2012
One of the best and most original sci-fi books to come out in quite some time. A very quick and easy read. I truly hope he is working on his next novel.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 28, 2012
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Overview
On a seemingly quiet summer day, a mysterious pathogen is released upon a remote observatory in New Mexico, killing the sole technician on duty. A recovery team later finds the technician's body with a note containing the last set of spatial coordinates the observatory's telescope was pointed at, which the technician believes has triggered the end of days.
The next morning, disgraced physics professor Theodore Kim ...