Bowl of Heaven

by Gregory Benford

First published 2012

The human expedition to a distant star system encounters something impossible: a colossal bowl-shaped artifact that encases half a star, creating a habitable surface area equivalent to millions of Earths. The structure travels through space on a collision course with the same destination as the human ship. When the crew sends a landing party to investigate, everything goes wrong. The Bowl's alien inhabitants capture half the exploration team. The remaining humans flee across the artifact's vast and hostile terrain, pursued by forces they don't understand. Each group faces different dangers as they struggle to survive on this incomprehensible megastructure. The separated explorers must uncover the Bowl's origins and purpose while fighting for their lives. Their discoveries will fundamentally change how humans see themselves in the cosmos.

Genres: science-fiction, space, adventure, aliens

Vibes: epic, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: first-contact, found-family

416 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books

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