by Paul Preuss
First published 2016
A team of scientists finds itself stranded in Venus's crushing, toxic atmosphere. Sparta launches a desperate rescue mission into the planet's gaseous inferno, knowing the odds of survival are slim. Her daring intervention succeeds in saving the researchers, but the rescue yields an unexpected discovery. The team has recovered a mysterious artifact that provides undeniable proof of extraterrestrial life. As Sparta examines this alien evidence, she realizes it holds secrets that extend far beyond its scientific value. The artifact's revelations point toward answers about her own past and the enigma of her true origins. What began as a straightforward rescue operation transforms into a personal quest for identity, with the alien discovery serving as the key to unlocking mysteries Sparta never knew existed.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller
Vibes: emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, identity-crisis
Setting: Venus
Period: 20th-century
318 pages · Hardcover · iBooks