Mayflower II

Xeelee Sequence #8

by Stephen Baxter

The sixth millennium: An alien occupation of Earth has been thrown off. Now a ferocious new government called the Coalition is sweeping through the solar system, seeking out those who collaborated with the hated enemy. A handful of immortals, once collaborators, live on an ice moon called Port Sol, far from the sun. They govern a community of thousands of short-lived adherents. The Coalition's grasp will soon reach this remote place. The immortals must flee the solar system on vast starships - but they can take with them only a few of their followers. A young man called Rusel must choose between his lover, and his life; he chooses to flee. But Rusel faces a long journey, a journey that will last tens of millennia before the great ships reach their destination. Generations will live out their lives knowing nothing but the journey. Rusel agrees to accept an immortality of his own, to guide the ship and its evanescent crew across this desert of time. But as the years stretch to centuries and to millennia, the origins of the journey are lost in legend - and then the cruel scalpel of evolution begins to work on the crew. And Rusel lies on and on. This new story is set in Stephen Baxter's acclaimed future history The Xeelee Sequence, as were RIDING THE ROCK (PS Publishing 2002) and REALITY DUST (PS Publishing 2000), whose events precede this new story.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction

100 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Stephen Baxter is a trained engineer with degrees from Cambridge (mathematics) and Southampton Universities (doctorate in aeroengineering research). Baxter is the winner of the British Science Fiction Award and the Locus Award, as well as being a nominee for an Arthur C. Clarke Award, most recently for Manifold: Time. His novel Voyage won the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History Novel of the Year; he also won the John W. Campbell Award and the Philip K. Dick Award for his novel The Time Ships. He is currently working on his next novel, a collaboration with Sir Arthur C. Clarke. Mr. Baxter lives in Prestwood, England.

Reviews

[Murgatroyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a Darwinist lottery to ensure the survival of a fraction of a space colony's inhabitants. A young man's unexpected chance to survive, his mix of hope, regret and apathy. An isolated society evolves and devolves over millenia as it drifts powerlessly on autopilot throughout a galaxy. A memorable story.

[Gerrold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with Stephen Baxter and led me to seek out his other works. Mayflower II is an exceptional generation spaceship story. The narrative technique is sophisticated; it moves from close and personal near the beginning to a more detached view, one that captures the changing sense of time of the protagonist.

[Eric Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most incredible sci-fi stories I've ever read (found it in the 22nd edition of Dozois' annual anthology).