Polaris
The Author Comments: Polaris
Ace Books
November 2004
ISBN: 0441012027
Reviews
"(Stephen) King has referred to his own work as "the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and a large fries from McDonald's." The same can be said of McDevitt and his sequel to A Talent for War. Chances are that Polaris, an unpretentious space adventure, is just what your literary taste buds are in the mood for."— The Kansas City Star
"Great fun."— The Florida Times Union
"A truly captivating mystery, a pair of pleasant and engaging protagonists, and a story that mixes excitement and suspense in equal parts.... (McDevitt) just keeps on getting better."
"In recent years, Jack McDevitt has produced a remarkable series of interstellar adventure novels (Chindi, Omega, Deepsix) that has established him as perhaps the best pure storyteller working in the field today. McDevitt's latest, Polaris, can only enhance his reputation. A cleverly constructed mystery set against a rigorously developed future history, Polaris offers both a high-adrenaline narrative and a complex meditation on some thorny ethical dilemmas.... An exemplary merger of mystery and science fiction.... It all adds up to an intelligent, provocative entertainment by a man who brings energy, style, and a fresh perspective to everything he writes."— The Washington Post
"...Combines hard science with mystery and adventure in a wild tour of the distant future that also comes to grips with the ethical issues of tomorrow — life extension and the cosmic environment. Stellar plotting, engaging characters, and a mastery of storytelling make this a standout addition to sf collections. Highly recommended."— Library Journal
"A grander puzzle than any (Alex and Chase) have faced....You will enjoy the read....You will also be looking forward to the next...."— Analog
"McDevitt refuses to pull a robot out of the hat-- the solution to the mystery is rooted not in the posthuman but in the all-too-human. And this is completely in tune with his work, which insists that no matter where we go or what kinds of exotic environments we inhabit, we remain stubbornly and recognizably ourselves. It's an odd position for a writer of fantastic adventures, but it's a large part of the appeal of his writing, and half of the reason I return to it so gladly. (The other half is that nifty skiffy stuff he works in.)— Locus
"This SF mystery's smooth and exciting surface makes it difficult to appreciate how exceptionally good it is at combining action and ideas.... A fine job of creating different worlds for Alex and Chase to explore as they hunt clues....An SF mystery novel ...that turns out to have a surprisingly serious human core.
— Publishers Weekly