Synopses & Reviews
Astronomy professor Aurora ‘Rory’ Bell gets a message from space that seems to portend the arrival of extraterrestrial visitors. According to her calculations, whoever is coming will arrive in three months— on New Year’s Day, to be exact.
A crowded and poisoned Earth is moving toward the brink of the last world war—and is certainly unprepared to face invasion of any kind. Rory’s continuing investigation leads her to wonder if it could be some kind of hoax, but the impending ‘visit’ takes on a media life of its own. And so the world waits. But the question still remains as to what, exactly, everyone is waiting for…
Review
“[A] real triumph…You’re not going to find a smoother, more assured, more convincingly human tale of the near future on the shelves this year.”
Russell Letson, Locus “A large-scale story [that] provides food for thought as well as fast-paced action.” Library Journal
“Stunning…one of the most compelling and provocative of all of Haldeman’s recent novels, and one of his most humanly convincing.” Gary K. Wolfe, Locus
“Highly entertaining…a near-future caper-cum-thriller [that] will definitely draw the reader in by the lapels.” Science Fiction Weekly
About the Author
Joe Haldeman is a Vietnam veteran whose classic novels The Forever War and Forever Peace both have the rare honor of winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards. He has served twice as president of the Science Fiction Writers of America and is currently an adjunct professor teaching writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.