Until the Last of Me: Take Them to the Stars, Book Two

by Sylvain Neuvel

Overview

“[A] riveting blend of historical thriller and scientific speculation, which never loses its core of humanity.”—James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on A History of What Comes Next

Sylvain Neuvel's Until the Last of Me presents a darkly satirical thriller, as seen through the eyes of the women who sacrifice all to make progress possible and the men who are determined to stop them.

The First Rule is the most important: Always run, never fight.

For generations, Mia’s family has shaped human history to push them to the stars.

The year is 1968 and she is on the cusp of destiny, poised to launch the first humans into space.

But she cannot take them to the stars, not quite yet. Her adversary is at her heels, the future of the planet at stake, and obeying the First Rule is no longer an option.

For the first time in one-hundred generations, Mia’s family will have to choose to stand their ground, risking not only their bloodline, but the future of the human race.

Always run, never fight.
Preserve the knowledge.
Survive at all cost.
Take them to the stars.

“An exciting science fiction thriller that will in turn inform and surprise readers.” —Library Journal, starred review

Also Available by Sylvain Neuvel:

Take Them to the Stars series
1. A History of What Comes Next

The Test

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250262103
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/29/2022
Series:	Take Them to the Stars , #2
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Sylvain Neuvel has taught linguistics in India and worked as a software engineer in Montreal. He is also a certified translator, though he wishes he were an astronaut. His girlfriend would have him believe that he has too many toys, so he writes about aliens and giant robots as a blatant excuse to build action figures (for his son, of course). His debut, Sleeping Giants, was described by NPR as “one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory.”

Editorial Reviews

12/06/2021

Neuvel’s thrilling second Take Them to the Stars alternate history (after A History of What Comes Next) continues the story of Mia, the hundredth generation of identical alien women living camouflaged on Earth, whose purpose is to nudge humanity toward space exploration. Still mourning her mother—who died to stop a Tracker, of another alien race bent on finding a device hidden by Mia’s ancestors—Mia spends much of the 1960s on Mallorca raising her daughter, Lola. When the Trackers catch up to them, Mia and Lola flee, crisscrossing the globe for 20 years while closely following the advances of the human space race. Word of an ancient bow discovered in China that might have a connection to their family’s past takes the women to China in 1981 amid extreme civil unrest. Meanwhile, Samael, the only Tracker raised to have some counterweight to his brutality by his human mother, leads his brothers through Egypt on a hunt for the device, chasing stories of an ancient priestess with exceptional powers. Though it lacks the nail-biting action of its predecessor, the focus on Lola’s emotional state and Samael’s struggle not to become a monster add depth to the drama. This is an exciting bridge to the next installment. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

An exciting science fiction thriller that will in turn inform and surprise readers.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Thrilling... the focus on Lola’s emotional state and Samael’s struggle not to become a monster add depth to the drama.” —Publishers Weekly

“...[T]he stakes of this series have risen exponentially.” —Tor.com

“Series fans and readers of speculative thrillers built around actual historical events will eagerly anticipate book three.” —Booklist

Praise for A History of What Comes Next:

“Sylvain’s Neuvel’s latest genre-bending bit of genius, A History of What Comes Next, is a riveting blend of historical thriller and scientific speculation, which never loses its core of humanity. It’s exciting, thought-provoking, and ultimately shocking in both scope and plotting. It’s the opening gambit in a trilogy that spans decades and promises much more to come. I’m in for the ride to the very end!” —James Rollins

“An extraordinary twist on the space race and a paean to what smart, strong women can accomplish. I'm always over the moon for Neuvel's stories!”—Delilah S. Dawson

“Sylvain Neuvel proves once again he deserves the title of the hottest new SF writer of the 21st century — and this time he does it by looking back at the storied development of rocketry in the 20th. Clever and compelling, with a succession of kick-ass heroines propelling events along via mayhem and murder behind the scenes, A History of What Comes Next blasts off on page one and will keep you enthralled until the end.”—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of The Oppenheimer Alternative

More Praise for Sylvain Neuvel:

“Thought-provoking and disturbing. A cautionary tale illuminated with dark enlightenment.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on The Test

“As high-concept as it is, Sleeping Giants is a thriller through and through. . . . Not only is Sleeping Giants one of the most promising series kickoffs in recent memory, it’s a smart demonstration of how science fiction can honor its traditions and reverse-engineer them at the same time.” —NPR

“But the most surprising thing about the book may just be how compelling the central characters are in the midst of these larger-than-life concepts. . . . I can’t stop thinking about it.” —The Chicago Review of Books

“Reminiscent of The Martian and World War Z, Sleeping Giants is a luminous conspiracy yarn that shoots for (and lands among) the stars.” —Pierce Brown

From the Publisher

★ 02/01/2022

Mia is one of the Kibsu: over 100 generations of women working to guide humanity to the stars. Now in the late 20th century, she and her daughter Lola may finally see the first people launch into space. Yet the Tracker, the men who work to destroy not only Mia, but also what her family has done, is always close behind, and the only way that Mia may be able to move things forward is to break the First Rule: "Always run, never fight." Traveling the globe, Mia races against the clock to find more answers about the pursuit of her people and see if they can survive the mounting odds against her family and the future of the human race. Including chapters from the points of view of Mia's daughter Lola as she prepares for her part of the journey, along with the Tracker as he pursues the women, creates intimate perspectives and unpredictable results. VERDICT Balancing scientific details with character arcs and exciting action, Neuvel's follow-up to A History of What Comes Next is an exciting science fiction thriller that will in turn inform and surprise readers.—Kristi Chadwick

Library Journal