Farside (The Grand Tour)

The Grand Tour is a series of partly interconnected novels, although most of them are completely independent of each other. The series is deals with humanities exploration and colonization of the solar system where each book is typically thematically centered around a planet or moon. In this recent publication, it is the dark side of the moon. And, to put it bluntly, there’s not much light in it.The story, in a few words, revolves around the construction of a large optical telescope on the far side of the moon that is supposed to be aiming at the nearest earth-like planet (a few parsec from Earth around Sirius C). At the same time, there is a competing project to build a similar telescope in low earth orbit. If you forget everything you learned about optical resolution and the wavelength of visible light, proceed with caution. What could still have been a pretty interesting plot quickly falls apart when the stage and the characters are sketched out, though.Many people have complained about the characters being cut-and-paste, cliche, and for the most part extremely sexist. What I found most irritating is how one-dimensional and self-centered all of them are. So here we are presented with a group of idealistic, who do not have to worry about the use of nanotechnology on the moon because there is literally no crime. The same people on the other hand are breaking apart at the smallest of problems and start accusing each other of being responsible for mistakes that were made. Space and technology are the new frontier in the Grand Tour, but it starts to paint not only a weird but a damaging picture of modern scientific endeavors and research. Which is doubly sad, because I don’t think this is intended.Should I mention the blind director of the project, whose sole goal is to receive a Nobel price? Someone who is so focused on said price that not only does he ignore anything that would reduce his chances, but someone who bases fundamental career decisions on it. I am tempted to say that chemistry or nanotechnology would have been the better choice. Maybe that would have made for a better story, too. I think I'm going to skip the next one...

Farside is another very good science-fiction novel by Ben Bova, a six-time Hugo-Award winner. This novel takes place on the Moon, where a huge state-of-the-art optical interferometer telescope is being built on the farside of the Moon, i.e., the side that always faces toward outer space and never toward the Earth. The lack of an atmosphere and the emptiness of the Moon make it an ideal platform for such a telescope. The farside of the Moon is an ideal location for the observatory equipment because the Moon itself serves to block light; radio, television, microwave, and other transmissions; and atmospheric interferences from Earth. Previously, an exciting discovery using a smaller more traditional telescope on “Farside” revealed an Earth-sized planet, named Sirius C, orbiting a star that was less than nine light-years away. Furthermore, Sirius C appears to have an atmosphere, prompting the popular media to refer to it as “New Earth.” This story focuses on the small group of scientists, engineers, technicians and their support personnel who are constructing and using the equipment to study “New Earth.” They live and work under Spartan and harsh conditions on the Moon. In fact, the conditions can be dangerous, life-threatening, and unforgiving. Nanomachines, microscopic entities (machines) that can be programed to construct at the molecular level, prove to be a great help in the construction project. However, they can also be very dangerous if not used properly. The team must work carefully and cooperatively to get the job done without sustaining injuries or deaths. Unfortunately, human nature includes political motives and individual desires and prejudices that can be a hindrance to progress and safety. Like all of Bova’s science-fiction books, this one includes much interesting and credible science. Remarkably, he is able to present it within a very interesting story that is also populated with knowledgeable, intriguing, and very human characters with actions and motives that most readers will understand. He also provides gripping and alarming action, and an appeasing ending. I was not surprised that I liked this book very much. Bova writes terrific science fiction with a focus on the relationships between the science and the people in his stories. I recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction.

Good author with a recognisable style, SF with rockets, vacuum and stuff. Acceptable amounts of squishy human involvement.

Thoroughly enjoyed revisiting Bova's writing. Reminded me I've got to read more of his past works and will sort that asap.

Haven't started reading yet but I know it'll be as good as all my other Ben Bova books

Fab and fast delivery

I came late into Ben Bova's Grand Tour books and started so to speak backwards with the last novel in the series. I enjoyed reading this book, not much here for hardcore science fiction fans, but for a relaxed evening a must.