Product Description

Humans settled the Moon and satellites orbiting the Earth were a common sight, but with the abolition of NASA, humans had no desire to go further and space exploration died. Then, a technician from the Very Large Array, a radio telescope in New Mexico, discovers powerful particles orbiting Saturn’s moon, Titan, which could be a new energy source. Strangely enough, following the discovery’s announcement, whales around the Earth changed their songs overnight. As scion of the powerful Quinn Corporation, Thomas Quinn builds a solar sail—a vessel pushed by sunlight itself—to find the source of these particles in Titan’s orbit. He gathers the best and brightest team to pilot his craft: Jonathan Jefferson, an aging astronaut known as the last man on Mars; Natalie Freeman, a distinguished Navy captain; Myra Lee, a biologist, specializing in whale communication; and John O’Connell, the technician who first discovered the particles. All together they make a grand tour of the solar system and discover not only wonders but dangers beyond their imagination. Drawing on his experience as an astronomer, David Lee Summers has created a story that is both exciting and plausible, one that can be enjoyed by both the young and young-at-heart who enjoy looking at the planets on a clear night and dreaming of what could be.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2302541 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 268 pages

About the Author
David Lee Summers is an author, editor and astronomer living somewhere between the western and final frontiers in Southern New Mexico. His other novels are The Pirates of Sufiro, Children of the Old Stars, Heirs of the New Earth and Vampires of the Scarlet Order. His short stories and poems have appeared in such magazines as Realms of Fantasy, Cemetery Dance, Star*Line, The Martian Wave, and The Santa Clara Review. David is also the founding editor of Tales of the Talisman Magazine. When he’s not writing, David is paving the way for ships like the Aristarchus, by operating telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. Learn more about David and his writing at www.davidleesummers.com.

Customer Reviews

Sailing in sunlight to the planets
Have you ever dreamed of being on a mission to explore the solar system? Me too. My dreams began in the sixties and seventies, watching Apollo. We haven't sent anyone to the moon in more than thirty years. If you are as disillusioned by the decline of space exploration since then as I've become, you'll love The Solar Sea.

So many authors write about space from the viewpoint of hundreds of years in the future. All of Earth's problems and politics have been left behind as humankind spreads out over the galaxy. That's nice, but I want to know how we get going in my lifetime. How can we solve those problems now? The Solar Sea shows us what our near future could look like if we have the courage and will to make it happen.

David Lee Summers gives us a front row seat on an amazing space craft. He describes close up contact with the planets as only an astronomer could. Reach out and touch the sands of Mars. Drift through Jupiter's upper atmosphere and marvel at the cloud formations. I want to be there, and Summers delivers my golden ticket.

It may be too late for my generation. I hope not. But if every school child read this book and started wondering what's out there, we would have to go see.

Science Fictions at its Purest
David Lee Summers', THE SOLAR SEA, is an entertaining read young adults and hardcore science fiction fans alike will enjoy. With its blend of science and nature with the thrill ride of space exploration mixed in, THE SOLAR SEA will not disappoint. David Lee Summers uses the great unknown of space along with mysteries closer to home including the vast uncharted depths of the oceans and the whales who make their homes there to weave a truely masterful tale.

David Lee Summers, an astronomer himself, really shines with this novel. His passion for astronomy and the science fiction genre are clearly evident. After reading THE SOLAR SEA I was not only thoroughly entertained, but I walked away feeling as if I had learned something about science and space travel. It is a true master craftsman who can wield his magic in such a way that his audience will be left completely satisfied with the journey and walk away with the gift of knowledge. David Lee Summers is that craftsman and his novel THE SOLAR SEA will take you on just such a journey.

Read in 1 day! Did not put the book down.
First off- I am a pretty quick reader. Not everyone will finish it in a day. The book is just the right length. I just was not feeling too great and could indulge in reading most of the day.

I know that sometimes it is risky to try out a new author. This book came highly recommended to me, so I took the risk and purchased this novel. It was so enjoyable to read. I wish we could do the things portrayed in Solar Sea to find out what the other planets right here in our solar system really are like. The images he gave us were fascinating. I wish they were real... or maybe they are and we just do not know it yet.

I highly recommend this for avid science-fiction readers. If you would like to try to turn someone into a science-fiction reader, you might want to buy them this book.