About the Book
The Beyond started with the Stations orbiting the stars nearest Earth. The Great Circle the interstellar freighters traveled was long, but not unmanageable, and the early Stations were emotionally and politically dependent on Mother Earth. The Earth Company which ran this immense operation reaped incalculable profits and influenced the affairs of nations.
Then came Pell, the first station centered around a newly discovered living planet. The discovery of Pell's World forever altered the power balance of the Beyond. Earth was no longer the anchor which kept this vast empire from coming adrift, the one living mote in a sterile universe.
But Pell was just the first living planet. Then came Cyteen, and later others, and a new and frighteningly different society grew in the farther reaches of space. The importance of Earth faded and the Company reaped ever smaller profits as the economic focus of space turned outward. But the powerful Earth Fleet was still a presence in the Beyond, and Pell Station was to become the last stronghold in a titanic struggle between the vast, dynamic forces of the rebel Union and those who defended Earth's last, desperate grasp for the stars.
Performed by Karen Novack, Zeke Alton, Robb Moreira, James Konicek, Holly Adams, James Lewis, Peter Holdway, Daniel Llaca, JJ Johnson, Triya Leong, Marni Penning, Keith Richards, Chris Davenport, John Kielty, Rob McFadyen, Joe Mallon, Nanette Savard, Anthony Palmini, Jason Keller, Brandon Burton, Yasmin Tuazon, Wyn Delano, Tanja Milojevic, Debi Tinsley, Jacob Yeh, Terence Aselford, Niusha Nawab, Eric Messner, Steve Wannall, Nora Achrati, Alejandro Ruiz, Colleen Delany, Michael John Casey, Bradley Foster Smith, and Ken Jackson.
About the Author :
C. J. Cherryh planned to write since the age of ten. When she was older, she learned to use a typewriter while triple-majoring in Classics, Latin, and Greek. With more than seventy books to her credit, and the winner of three Hugo Awards, she is one of the most prolific and highly respected authors in the science fiction field. Cherryh has been named a Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America.
Marni Penning co-founded Fahrenheit Theatre Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was renamed the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in 2006. While she also performs in contemporary plays and comedies, her stage career has included more than fifty productions of Shakespeare's plays.
James Lewis is a fiction author who gets bored rather quickly. I bounce around several different genres. Basically, I fall in love with a character, setting, or idea, and I go for it.
Review :
[Downbelow Station] has a marvellous perspective on humanity in the wider universe.
-- "Tor.com"
A hell of a story.
-- "io9"
A solid, vividly realized background, excellent characterization of humans and aliens, and an ability to keep a story moving...Intelligent space adventure, conceived and executed on a grand scale.
-- "Booklist"
Full of imagination, action, and understandable, sympathetic characters.
-- "Analog"
