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The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown
It is two hundred million years into the future, and Earth is devastated by a dying sun whose expanding photosphere has melted the surface of the planet and driven humans underground. In this world, humankind is doomed to extinction. But Marcus Fincus thinks he can secure the survival of the human species. He selects a small crew of brave voyagers from the insignificant but determined planet Earth to set out in search of a new home. Their ship, the Destiny Unknown, is designed to take care of everything. Every meal is regulated to the ounce. Every mile is charted and mapped. Everybody has his or her own unique role in this doctor, teacher, electrician, engineer. Then the inevitable the passengers start to behave as people. The captain seduces half the women on the ship, his wife develops a neurological disorder, their sixteen-year-old son runs away in the escape pod, and the doctor dies in a freak scalpel accident. The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown is a dark parable about the nature of human existence. Told from the perspective of an alien observer who follows our heroes like an unsympathetic reporter from National Geographic—he refuses to intervene when our heroes come face-to-face with deadly meteor showers, alien cannibals, and other crises that threaten to destroy them all. Funny and philosophical in its treatment of human nature, The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown not only seeks to understand the place of humans in the universe—it also seeks to address the looming What makes us so special?
- GenresScience Fiction
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2016
7 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Ponticello
10 books40 followersNicholas Ponticello is an educator and writer in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from University of California, Berkeley with degrees in mathematics and astrophysics and later earned his masters in education from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Ponticello is interested in exploring the intersection of science, sustainability, mental health, and education, and hopes to encourage more systems thinking and sustainability-themed curricula at the secondary school level.
Mr. Ponticello is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. In 2020, he was awarded the Sue Alexander Grant for his work on a YA novel provisionally titled WHAT IF I DID? What If I Did? is based on his experience coping with debilitating OCD and his struggle to overcome it through years of cognitive behavioral therapy. Mr. Ponticello completed the six-week intensive outpatient clinic at UCLA and went on to become an advocate for the International OCD Foundation. He has written for the IOCDF blog and has spoken on a panel about relationships and OCD at the annual IOCDF Conference.
Mr. Ponticello grew up in Northern California and began his career as the operations manager at KOMENAR Publishing in Oakland, CA. He is a longtime runner, and has coached champion cross-country and track & field teams at the high school level. Mr. Ponticello is also the author of Do Not Resuscitate, a fictional biography that considers transhumanism and the intersection of technology and sustainability. He has studied writing under Kim Krizan (Before Sunrise, Zombie Tales 2061) and Bruce Miller (Handmaid's Tale, ER). Do Not Resuscitate won a Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award, an INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award, and a CIPA EVVY Award. His second novel, The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown, also won a Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award and was listed as one of 100 Notable Books from the Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition.
Mr. Ponticello is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. In 2020, he was awarded the Sue Alexander Grant for his work on a YA novel provisionally titled WHAT IF I DID? What If I Did? is based on his experience coping with debilitating OCD and his struggle to overcome it through years of cognitive behavioral therapy. Mr. Ponticello completed the six-week intensive outpatient clinic at UCLA and went on to become an advocate for the International OCD Foundation. He has written for the IOCDF blog and has spoken on a panel about relationships and OCD at the annual IOCDF Conference.
Mr. Ponticello grew up in Northern California and began his career as the operations manager at KOMENAR Publishing in Oakland, CA. He is a longtime runner, and has coached champion cross-country and track & field teams at the high school level. Mr. Ponticello is also the author of Do Not Resuscitate, a fictional biography that considers transhumanism and the intersection of technology and sustainability. He has studied writing under Kim Krizan (Before Sunrise, Zombie Tales 2061) and Bruce Miller (Handmaid's Tale, ER). Do Not Resuscitate won a Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award, an INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award, and a CIPA EVVY Award. His second novel, The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown, also won a Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award and was listed as one of 100 Notable Books from the Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 25, 2016
THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS
14th Jan, 2016
TITLE: The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown
AUTHOR: Nicholas Ponticello
Star Rating: 3.5
‘Very funny and often just a little whacky! Perfect for any fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’
REVIEW
This novel is, for the most part, very odd. In fact, it’s not really a novel. It’s a report. Well, the first part is anyway. Basically it follows a crew of forty-seven humans (and a chimp, a parrot and a dog) who are attempting to travel to a far-off planet called Nissan Sentra. Why? Well, the story is set a long, long, looooong way into the future and the sun is dying taking the rest of the solar system with it.
Now, I liked the premise. And, after reading only a page or two, I quickly understood that ‘comedy’ was going to have a big part to play. In fact, the author’s pretty good at the funny stuff. He has a dry sense of humor which flows freely from his pen. The book in many ways is similar to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The same zany humor, the same oddly named characters – Bartholomew Barbate who can’t stop farting – the same way of going off on a tangent before finally, eventually, hopefully returning to the plot.
For the most part, I enjoyed this sci-fi romp. The characters were well-developed, the plot had plenty of twists and the ending was fulfilling – for me and the ship’s crew. The comic element worked (most of the time) and the plot, well, there was one, but it often felt as if it was a byproduct of the satire, and the plot was merely a vehicle for the author to exercise his comic skills.
The biggest problem with the story – for me, anyway – was the info. dump in the first two chapters. Here, we discover, who is who, how they were chosen for the trip, what the newspapers think, who discovered the planet they are travelling to and why it’s called Nissan Sentra. The author tells us how fast the ship can go, why it can’t travel any faster and how long it will take to get there. He even tells us which character can access which level of the ship and the cafeteria’s opening hours: The cafeteria on level three was open from six to eight in the morning, from noon to two in the afternoon, and from five to seven in the evening.
There are two problems with this. Firstly, no reader can remember so many facts particularly when they are piled up so high! Secondly, so much ‘telling’ and no ‘showing’ is, to be blunt, a bit boring.
Thankfully, things liven up half way through Chapter Three when we finally get to meet the characters. In fact, from Chapter Three onwards, I thought the story was very enjoyable. But why did I have to swallow so many facts – often not relevant to the story – first?
Who would I recommend this story to? Simple! If you enjoyed The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, you’ll enjoy this. I just discovered on Google that Douglas Adams’ novel sold over 14 million. So, I guess, comparing it to that is a big thumbs up.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
14th Jan, 2016
TITLE: The Maiden Voyage of the Destiny Unknown
AUTHOR: Nicholas Ponticello
Star Rating: 3.5
‘Very funny and often just a little whacky! Perfect for any fan of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.’
REVIEW
This novel is, for the most part, very odd. In fact, it’s not really a novel. It’s a report. Well, the first part is anyway. Basically it follows a crew of forty-seven humans (and a chimp, a parrot and a dog) who are attempting to travel to a far-off planet called Nissan Sentra. Why? Well, the story is set a long, long, looooong way into the future and the sun is dying taking the rest of the solar system with it.
Now, I liked the premise. And, after reading only a page or two, I quickly understood that ‘comedy’ was going to have a big part to play. In fact, the author’s pretty good at the funny stuff. He has a dry sense of humor which flows freely from his pen. The book in many ways is similar to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The same zany humor, the same oddly named characters – Bartholomew Barbate who can’t stop farting – the same way of going off on a tangent before finally, eventually, hopefully returning to the plot.
For the most part, I enjoyed this sci-fi romp. The characters were well-developed, the plot had plenty of twists and the ending was fulfilling – for me and the ship’s crew. The comic element worked (most of the time) and the plot, well, there was one, but it often felt as if it was a byproduct of the satire, and the plot was merely a vehicle for the author to exercise his comic skills.
The biggest problem with the story – for me, anyway – was the info. dump in the first two chapters. Here, we discover, who is who, how they were chosen for the trip, what the newspapers think, who discovered the planet they are travelling to and why it’s called Nissan Sentra. The author tells us how fast the ship can go, why it can’t travel any faster and how long it will take to get there. He even tells us which character can access which level of the ship and the cafeteria’s opening hours: The cafeteria on level three was open from six to eight in the morning, from noon to two in the afternoon, and from five to seven in the evening.
There are two problems with this. Firstly, no reader can remember so many facts particularly when they are piled up so high! Secondly, so much ‘telling’ and no ‘showing’ is, to be blunt, a bit boring.
Thankfully, things liven up half way through Chapter Three when we finally get to meet the characters. In fact, from Chapter Three onwards, I thought the story was very enjoyable. But why did I have to swallow so many facts – often not relevant to the story – first?
Who would I recommend this story to? Simple! If you enjoyed The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, you’ll enjoy this. I just discovered on Google that Douglas Adams’ novel sold over 14 million. So, I guess, comparing it to that is a big thumbs up.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
October 1, 2016
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (09/16)
“The Maiden Voyage of The Destiny Unknown” by Nicholas Ponticello takes place 200 million years into the future. The inhabitants of Earth have had to resort to living underground because the planet is so burned up from the dying sun. Knowing that the situation will only get worse, the New World Population Project is created. The goal of this project is to send fifty space travelers, including a dog, a parrot, and a chimp to inhabit Nissan Sentra, an earth-like planet that is twelve years away. Each of the human travelers is genetically selected with the intent that they will help repopulate the new planet. Well, everyone except for the captain’s son that is, who has an IQ of only 80.
Fortunately, for the travelers, they bring along a supply of food that will feed fifty people for fifty years. When their twelve-year journey doesn’t turn out quite like expected, the group soon finds themselves continuing on in search of another planet that will support human life. Shortly into the next phase of their travels, they find that humans are not the only inhabitants of the universe. They also learn that they can’t be friends with everybody that sends out an alien signal seeking contact. Back on to the next part of their journey, the group experiences many more misadventures that will eventually lead them to the perfect planet, many, many years later.
I absolutely loved reading this laugh-out-loud, intelligently written, science fiction adventure. As a huge Douglas Adams Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fan, I was happy to find this author, and plan on becoming a huge Nicholas Ponticello fan. His application of what appears to be real science made the story seem more plausible, and the eccentric characters really brought the story to life.
The best part of all is that the author has ideas so creative I was thrown off guard several times. An example of this would be the source of nutrition that the aliens holding them captive came up with for the group. Other times I was laughing out loud, even though in reality some things would be tragic, like the ball game played with the dog on Nissan Sentra. You have to read “The Maiden Voyage of The Destiny Unknown” by Nicholas Ponticello for yourself to know what I am talking about because I am not going to spoil it!
“The Maiden Voyage of The Destiny Unknown” by Nicholas Ponticello takes place 200 million years into the future. The inhabitants of Earth have had to resort to living underground because the planet is so burned up from the dying sun. Knowing that the situation will only get worse, the New World Population Project is created. The goal of this project is to send fifty space travelers, including a dog, a parrot, and a chimp to inhabit Nissan Sentra, an earth-like planet that is twelve years away. Each of the human travelers is genetically selected with the intent that they will help repopulate the new planet. Well, everyone except for the captain’s son that is, who has an IQ of only 80.
Fortunately, for the travelers, they bring along a supply of food that will feed fifty people for fifty years. When their twelve-year journey doesn’t turn out quite like expected, the group soon finds themselves continuing on in search of another planet that will support human life. Shortly into the next phase of their travels, they find that humans are not the only inhabitants of the universe. They also learn that they can’t be friends with everybody that sends out an alien signal seeking contact. Back on to the next part of their journey, the group experiences many more misadventures that will eventually lead them to the perfect planet, many, many years later.
I absolutely loved reading this laugh-out-loud, intelligently written, science fiction adventure. As a huge Douglas Adams Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fan, I was happy to find this author, and plan on becoming a huge Nicholas Ponticello fan. His application of what appears to be real science made the story seem more plausible, and the eccentric characters really brought the story to life.
The best part of all is that the author has ideas so creative I was thrown off guard several times. An example of this would be the source of nutrition that the aliens holding them captive came up with for the group. Other times I was laughing out loud, even though in reality some things would be tragic, like the ball game played with the dog on Nissan Sentra. You have to read “The Maiden Voyage of The Destiny Unknown” by Nicholas Ponticello for yourself to know what I am talking about because I am not going to spoil it!
June 3, 2016
Too funny
This story was too funny. Each chapter had me laughing. It was a story about what happens when fifty crazy people live together and can't get away from each other. The most hilarious part about this story is that I could see that it could possibly happen. My favorite part of the story was when the rats saved the humans from becoming a permanent zoo exhibit.
This story was too funny. Each chapter had me laughing. It was a story about what happens when fifty crazy people live together and can't get away from each other. The most hilarious part about this story is that I could see that it could possibly happen. My favorite part of the story was when the rats saved the humans from becoming a permanent zoo exhibit.
May 16, 2016
Excellent Read
To the author, Nicholas Monticello. I enjoyed this book, very much. The only reason, I dislike posting here is the forced fact of someone telling me to do as they say..
To the author, Nicholas Monticello. I enjoyed this book, very much. The only reason, I dislike posting here is the forced fact of someone telling me to do as they say..
August 7, 2016
Fun!
It reminded me of the writing style of Vonnegut. There was a lot of foreshadowing that let you know exactly where you were going, but also enough intrigue to keep you interested in the journey. I look forward to reading more from this author.
It reminded me of the writing style of Vonnegut. There was a lot of foreshadowing that let you know exactly where you were going, but also enough intrigue to keep you interested in the journey. I look forward to reading more from this author.
December 22, 2016
It's a fun book that was told in vaguely familiar humor style of Douglas Adams. It's not a thought provoking story but a mere comical tale that made me laugh out loud many times. It was just what my brain needed after the past two month of political news.
January 15, 2016
An exciting and hilarious romp through space and time!
August 10, 2022
Destiny Unknown is set in the ridiculously far future, but don’t let it bother you, everything about human society is pretty much the same as today. It’s the story of an ill-fated starship with a mixed nuts crew of flawed people and just a few animals. The tone is light, the story sprinkled with playful humor.
It explores themes of naturally differing desires, opinions, and anxieties creating friction within families, yet it’s approached through a lighthearted and humorous lens.
It explores themes of naturally differing desires, opinions, and anxieties creating friction within families, yet it’s approached through a lighthearted and humorous lens.
December 24, 2022
Fun little book, but 200 million years?
I really liked the book, but it bothered me all the time that the author sets the book 200 million years in the future, but all the characters, name, culture, etc, are like americans from the 21th century. It seemed like author "laziness" not to even make up some reason to give this a whif of verosimility.
I really liked the book, but it bothered me all the time that the author sets the book 200 million years in the future, but all the characters, name, culture, etc, are like americans from the 21th century. It seemed like author "laziness" not to even make up some reason to give this a whif of verosimility.
August 21, 2020
I see others comparing this to Hitchikers Guide...but it reminds me more of Catch-22. Certainly not in the same league as either. It has it’s high points, but it almost feels like it is trying too hard to be ludicrous. Very mediocre.
December 14, 2019
If the cast characters from A Confederacy of Dunces were included on a deep space voyage to save the human race, hijinks would ensue. This book is scifi meets sitcom with wry twists thrown in. Would definitely recommend.
May 27, 2016
An interesting futuristic read
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews