The Long Mars

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter, the perfect meld of fantasy and science fiction, return as masters of their craft in this third instalment in their Long Earth series. The dust has settled after the eruption of Yellowstone on Datum Earth and mass migration from the central world has reached new heights, causing large-scale economic dislocation. Interrupted from their aid work, natural-born steppers Sally Linsay, Joshua Valiente and their artificial companion Lobsang (the reincarnation of a Tibetan monk in an automaton device) are called on missions which find them, once again, stepping across the long earth. Joshua is embroiled in his search for the ‘Next’ – super intelligent post-humans who are on the receiving end of ignorance and fear from the general population, with potentially long-earth shattering consequences. Meanwhile, Sally is called away by her long-missing father and inventor of the potato-powered stepping device, to a voyage across the stars and the long mars but, unknown to Sally, her father has ulterior motives… The world-building finesse of Stephen Baxter and the parodic humour of Sir Terry Pratchett collide once again in an adventure that spans many worlds with intrigue, wit and wisdom.