Group Read -Saturn Run final thoughts spoilers welcome

[Ann]

I'm adding a final comments thread. I finished the book last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially appreciated the author notes at the end explaining the technology and how the story pace dictated what was used and how "fifty years in the future" possible science mostly trumped "wantum" science.

[Ann]

Quibbles:
Did I miss some closure at the end with character Joe Martinez? Partly due to his introduction to the space tech early on, his key roles in Sandy and Fiorelli's reporting and his skills at keeping the Nixon going, I felt a dangling thread not knowing what he thought of Sandy's actions and of the scuttling of the ship.
Kudos:
Much is said in subtle effective ways. The book isn't spare due to tech details, but those are presented in easily consumable bites; the characters are diverse and well defined through simple statements providing nuance.
Example - we first meet Naomi Fang-Castro, married and potentially frustrating her wife through dedication to duty over domesticity.
Deep into the story and space Naomi refers to her ex wife.
Mr Snuggles' entry into space and joy at weightlessness provides a pleasant picture of life in space, and it isn't until the end that we learn Mr Snuggles had a heart attack three weeks out.
Sandy's story is fairly spare but holds depth and our interest into his role and background, several other characters are similarly developed.

[Ann]

Whenever two authors write a book together I find myself wondering how the collaboration was handled. In this case we are told that Ctein was integral to the science in the book, and I find myself wondering how they managed to communicate and "who wrote what" - were there segments that were written separately then stitched together, a collaborative editing of one manuscript or?

[Sandi]

I also really liked the book though did feel that the ending was a bit rushed. The authors' note section was very interesting and confirmed my feelings that much of the science was plausible.

Here is an interview I found by the two authors which goes into a bit about how the book was written Q & A with John Sandford & Ctein

[Ann]

Thanks for the Q&A link Sandi - very informative about their writing styles. The ending was rather quick, once they refired those engines, bam they were back. The closure with Rebecca's retrieval was a nice touch and getting Clover back home was satisfying.

[Jack]

Ann i agree with the missing closure with joe martinez who was as much a hero of the story as anyone. Same in general for the crew, some sort of presidential reward of ceremony may have pulled it together withou drawung out the book much.

I liked the notes at the end and the clear aim to avoid wantum physics to explain stuff was great. I know why they spent a lot of time detailing the orbits, tragectories etc... They spent so long researching it they probably wanted to use it so it didnt go to waste. Although it did add suspense and lot to the story especially the fly by the sun, asteroid field and saturns ring manuveres.

I though it was a great book and didnt seem to be mix and matched by the two authors. Read like they worked closely on it as a whole.

[Bruce]

Couldn't agree more with Jack. I almost found the Author's Notes at the end an essential part of the story...or at least, a very revealing one. Cool stuff.