Book Review: Heaven’s Shadow: Book I by David S. Goyer and Michael Cassutt
Heaven‘s Shadow: Book I by David S. Goyer and Michael Cassutt. © 2011 Ace. ISBN 9780441020331. Hardback. Science Fiction. 397 pages. Source: finished review copy provided by the publishers.
Synopsis: Three year ago, an object one hundred miles across was spotted on a trajectory for Earth’s sun. Now, it’s journey is almost over. As it approached, two competing manned vehicles race through almost half a million kilometers of space to reach it first. But when they both arrive on the entity, they learn it has been sent toward Earth for a reason. An intelligent race is desperately attempting to communicate with our primitive species. And the message is: Help us.
Review: A novel co-written by the screenwriter behind Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Blade and the forthcoming Superman: Man of Steel (plus he was co-creator of ABC‘s FlashForward which I adored) and the writer/producer of Eerie, Indiana (one of the best shows from my childhood)? Sign me up!
In Heaven’s Shadow, The USA and the Russian-Indian-Brazilian coalition work together to reach the Near-Earth Object (asteroid) dubbed “Keanu” (named because Near-Earth Object is initialed as NEO, hehe) only to find out it’s not some floating space rock … but a ship originating from the Octans constellation. NASA launches a nuclear bomb while “Keanu” sends orbs to Earth which abduct humans who will man an alien army in another galaxy.
It did have a few things that bother me in books–frequent viewpoint changes , short chapters and a love triangle–but Goyer definitely brings in his action-driven writing and mixes it wonderfully with Cassutt’s knowledge of the space program to create a blend of sci-fi and suspense with well-developed characters even if the story is particularly cinematic. But hey, this is the book equivalent to a Hollywood Summer Blockbuster (which actually will make it to theatres in Summer 2012 [tentative date] via Warner Bros), so I can’t really blame ‘em as this is the first in a trilogy and needed to set the ground for the succeeding books. Definitely has something to offer the space nerd and the explosive, action-driven movie geek.
