First published 2419
Emilio Sandoz is the sole survivor of a Jesuit mission to the alien world of Rakhat. Scarred by his ordeal, he reluctantly agrees to guide a new expedition, even as he grapples with the moral complexities of first contact. As the team ventures forth, they uncover a shocking revelation about the children born on Rakhat - and the unsettling role Emilio may have played in their fate. Forced to confront his past, Emilio must decide whether to embrace a future he never imagined.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, literary-fiction
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, redemption
Setting: Rakhat
Period: 21st-century
436 pages · Hardcover · Villard Books
Content warnings: violence