Mary Robinette Kowal Books

The first mission to Mars is go for launch, against a backdrop of gender politics, civil rights and featuring the Lady Astronaut.

Mary Robinette Kowal continues her Hugo and Nebula award-winning Lady Astronaut series, following The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky, with The Relentless Moon. The Earth is coming to the boiling point as the climate disaster of the Meteor strike becomes more and more clear, but the political situation is already overheated. Riots and sabotage plague the space program. The IAC’s goal of getting as many people as possible off Earth before it becomes uninhabitable is being threatened. Elma York is on her way to Mars, but the Moon colony is still being established. Her friend and fellow Lady Astronaut Nicole Wargin is thrilled to be one of those pioneer settlers, using her considerable flight and political skills to keep the program on track. But she is less happy that her husband, the Governor of Kansas, is considering a run for President.

Exploring the profound implications of first contact, this book delves into how encounters with extraterrestrial beings or newfound sentience on Earth could reshape our perspectives on technology, philosophy, and humanity. It examines the potential cognitive dissonance society might face and challenges readers to consider the broader definitions of consciousness and existence. Through thought-provoking scenarios, it invites reflection on our place in the universe and the nature of sentience itself.

The Right Stuff meets Hidden Figures by way of The Martian. A world in crisis, the birth of space flight and a heroine for her time and ours; the acclaimed first novel in the Lady Astronaut series has something for everyone., On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too. Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

The charming sequel to Shades of Milk and Honey. Glamour in Glass continues following the lives of beloved main characters Jane and Vincent, in a story rich with drama and intrigue and magic.

The Spare Man is a stylish murder mystery by Hugo, Locus, and Nebula award- winning author Mary Robinette Kowal set on an interplanetary liner between Earth and Mars.

Shades of Milk and Honey is the fantasy novel you've always wished Jane Austen had written. Full of wit, historical nuance, romantic entanglements and domestic magic, this is pure entertainment.

In Belle Epoque Paris, a monster is on the loose, targeting powerful men, and it may take a woman to stop it. Samantha Harker, a researcher at the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Phenomena, is more accustomed to dealing with papercuts than knife fights. However, she possesses a unique ability to delve into the minds of monsters, a skill that could either solve the case or land her in an asylum. Dr. Helena Moriarty, the Society’s top agent, has built a successful career despite the dark legacy of her infamous father. With a history of partners meeting mysterious ends, the elusive Professor Moriarty looms in the background. Their investigation leads them from the opulence of Paris' opera house to its shadowy catacombs, confronting magic, monsters, and men. As their partnership develops, deeper feelings emerge. This narrative weaves together the worlds of Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, offering a thrilling exploration of feminine power. Readers have praised it as a captivating blend of murder mystery, gothic horror, fantasy, and historical fiction, highlighting its strong female characters and dark atmosphere.