Firestar (Firestar Saga, Book 1)(Library Edition)

Product Description [Library Edition Audiobook CD in vinyl case.] [Read by Malcolm Hillgartner] It is the dawn of the twenty-first century, and America is in trouble. Public schools breed apathy and ignorance, and politics has become the art of the quick fix. There is one woman, though, who has both the vision and the money to leverage change. Mariesa Gorley van Huyten, heiress to one of the great American fortunes, founds an educational subsidiary called Mentor Academies and begins to subcontract public school systems in order to raise a new, less cynical generation. But her clandestine program is much larger than that: it also includes the founding of a private space program, the eventual construction of an orbital power station, and the revival of technological innovation on Earth. Firestar is a chronicle of private enterprise and individual initiative -- the story of one woman's quest that becomes the focus for a whole new world. Mariesa's program lets teachers strive to teach, hires astronauts who have no government space program to fly for, and provides productive outlets for the idealistic desires of the rich and powerful -- at least those who remain sane enough to have such desires in the face of a crumbling America. And it just might work. Review ''As Robert A. Heinlein did and all too few have done since, Michael Flynn writes about the near future as if he'd been there and was bringing back reports of what he'd seen. A splendid piece of work.'' --Harry Turtledove, New York Times bestselling author '' Firestar is a broad, sweeping saga of the near future. Michael Flynn has a lot to say, and this is the book where he says it.'' --Roger MacBride Allen, New York Times bestselling author '' Firestar is a knockout . . . Blurbmeisters, comparing him to Heinlein, may be shorting his talent . . . By any measure, this is the best book I've seen this year.'' -- San Diego Union-Tribune ''An extraordinary achievement, beautifully and vividly written, full of real people . . . the history of a future that can be ours.'' --Poul Anderson, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Awards ''Flynn has produced one of the better books in this budding subgenre. His plot is complex, but it stays on track. His large cast of characters, particularly industrialist Mariesa van Huyten, are generally well drawn; even the villains have depth. Flynn's detailed description of new space technologies is entirely believable, too . . . Likely to please most fans of thoughtful hard SF.'' -- Publishers Weekly ''Michael Flynn has restored heroism and romance to near future exploration. Not to be missed.'' --Nancy Kress, Hugo Award-winning author ''This is the best book ever written on the science, people, and politics needed to move us into space -- to stay.'' --Charles Sheffield, Hugo Award-winning author '' Firestar is a knockout . . . Blurbmeisters, comparing him to Heinlein, may be shorting his talent . . . By any measure, this is the best book I've seen this year.'' -- San Diego Union-Tribune ''An extraordinary achievement, beautifully and vividly written, full of real people . . . the history of a future that can be ours.'' --Poul Anderson ''Flynn has produced one of the better books in this budding subgenre. His plot is complex, but it stays on track. His large cast of characters, particularly industrialist Mariesa van Huyten, are generally well drawn; even the villains have depth. Flynn's detailed description of new space technologies is entirely believable, too . . . Likely to please most fans of thoughtful hard SF.'' -- Publishers Weekly ''Michael Flynn has restored heroism and romance to near future exploration. Not to be missed.'' --Nancy Kress, Hugo Award-winning author ''This is the best book ever written on the science, people, and politics needed to move us into space -- to stay.'' --Charles Sheffield, Hugo Award-winning author About the Author MICHAEL FLYNN lives in