Seeking a better future for humanity, five astronauts encounter danger and deception on the treacherous journey to a new planet in Laura Lam's feminist science-fiction thriller Goldilocks.
The future of Earth is bleak: sea levels have risen, women's rights are being steadily repealed and climate refugees are dying around the world. With the discovery of Cavendish, an Earth-like planet 10 and a half light years away, comes a chance for humanity to start anew. After being abruptly replaced by an all-male crew, the original all-female crew slated for the first mission to Cavendish takes matters into their own hands, launching in secret in a race to start the new world on their own terms: "The women were stealing a planet. They were stealing their future." But when ship systems begin to fail and secret plots are revealed, the entire mission is in jeopardy as the crew divides over life-and-death choices that will decide humanity's fate.
Combining hard science and an emotionally complex cast, Goldilocks is a thrilling, character-driven space opera infused with conversations about social injustice and environmental stewardship. Motivated by the future utopia they hope to build on Cavendish, the five women grapple with the potential sacrifices needed to make their dream a reality and whether the price of their dream can be justified. Lam (False Hearts; the Micah Grey Trilogy) has created a balanced narrative with equal focus on personal and scientific journeys, resulting in an intellectually and technically thrilling science fiction saga. --Jennifer Oleinik, freelance writer and editor