Ark has already been described by one reviewer as perhaps Baxter's masterpiece. It is certainly an extraordinary work of science fiction and one of the most evocative and compelling explorations of the Generation Ship concept ever written.
Ark is the sequel to Flood, Baxter's post-climate change nightmare scenario where rising sea levels just keep rising. Set in the 2040's as internally displaced refugees migrate inland from the inundated Pacific and Atlantic US coasts, Flood documents with high realism the political and social impacts of catastrophic climate change. But there are rumours of a secret project - a star ship for a select few to flee Earth and start again in a distant solar system.
The star ship, or Ark, is constructed under the utmost secrecy, its destination a terrestrial extra-solar planet some 22 light years away. When they finally reach Earth II, however, it is barely habitable, raising the question: do they stay on Earth II, do they keep looking for another planet, or do they return home to Earth in the hope that a solution has been found?
The power of Ark is in the human realism. The power of humanity to engineer technical solutions to their self-created problems is never in doubt but human error, pride and factional politics is as destructive in Baxter's future as it is in today's world.
Intelligent, incisive and absorbing, Ark is hard science fiction at its literary best.
Reviewed by Richard Bilkey, Booktopia Buzz Editor
In FLOOD Baxter drowned the world, in ARK he shows that mankind's future is no less perilous.
As the waters rose in FLOOD, high in the Colorado mountains the US government was building an ark. Not an ark to ride the waves but an ark that would take a select few hundred people out into space to start a new future for mankind.
Sent out into deep space on an epic journey centuries, generations of crew members carry the hope of a new beginning on a new, incredibly distant, planet.But as the decades pass knowledge and purpose is lost and division and madness grows. And back on earth life and man, find a new way. This is the epic sequel to the acclaimed FLOOD; a stirring tale of what mankind will do to survive and the perfect introduction for new readers to one of SF's greatest tropes; the generation ship.
Written by one of the most significant SF writers of the last 30 years, a man considered to be the heir of Arthur C Clarke as a writer with a unique ability to popularise science and science fiction for the largest possible audience. FLOOD and ARK together form a landmark in modern SF.
Industry Reviews
"Never has Baxter presented a more thrilling and moving glimpse of a possible future: Ark could well be his masterpiece." -- Eric Brown THE GUARDIAN "A seam of realism runs through the novel, making it more compelling than most shiny, happy dreams of space travel. Even when the equations and technology work, there is no escaping the human factor that fouls up the best-laid plans. This is a grim but exciting tale of the ultimate in pioneering adventure, in the most unforgiving environment of all." -- Lisa Tuttle THE TIMES "An excellently executed novel that dealt in everything from the mundane daily tasks of the crew as they seek out another world brought together with almost impeccable execution. Add to the mix emotional conflict, political infighting and it's a novel that could well be his best work to date." FALCATTA TIMES "[He] writes brilliantly about what it might be like to experience space travel. This capacity for mixing awe-inspiring vistas with gnarly day-to-day details hasn't diminished." -- Jonathan Wright SFX "... all too convincing as he imagines the terrible dangers and tensions of such a journey. He shows us that, while it may be easy to preserve Mother Earth as a benign home, it's a simple task compared to colonising new worlds." -- Jonathan Wright BBC FOCUS "Baxter is the natural heir to the hard sci-fi crown of Arthur C Clarke and he shares Clarke's generous imagination and ability to extrapolate a plausible future technology from the cutting-edge theories of today. Imaginative appeal is what counts with Baxter and in that he delivers reliably." -- Peter Ingham THE DAILY TELEGRAPH "Beyond the science and technicalities - which are wonderful, informative, and completely believable - Ark is a story about characters. I loved the writing, the blend of physics, hard science fiction, and compelling plot lines. I loved the emotional turmoil, the self-destructive nature of humanity, and the messiness of survival. Simply put: I loved this book." THE BOOK SMUGGLERS "A page turning disaster sequel that shows us a fascinating, terrifying and ultimately hopeful view of humanity's chances in the face of terrific adversity." SCI FI NOW "Science fiction told very realistically, through the characters and the science. Perhaps Ark lacks the sheer sense of wonder of some of Baxter's previous galaxy-spanning fiction, but this is recession fantasy, with no impoverishment of the imagination. " TOTAL SCIFI
