by Bob Shaw
First published 1991
The ptertha have turned the skies above Land into hunting grounds. These airborne creatures stalk humans from above, making survival increasingly desperate for the remaining population. Toller Maraquine and his fellow inhabitants face an impossible choice: stay and face extinction, or attempt something never before tried. Their solution defies logic but offers the only path forward. They will build balloons capable of crossing the void between worlds. The destination is Overland, Land's twin planet hanging thousands of miles away in space. The journey requires crossing vacuum by balloon, a feat that should kill anyone who attempts it. Yet with the ptertha closing in, this mad venture becomes humanity's sole chance. Toller and the other ragged astronauts must master balloon flight, survive the airless passage, and establish a new home on an alien world. The stakes could not be higher: succeed, or watch their species disappear forever.
Genres: science-fiction, space, adventure, space-opera
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, survival
Setting: Land, Overland
Period: Future
310 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Orbit