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In the future, more than three centuries away, many of the modern issues we face regarding overpopulation, climate change, and economic disparity continue to exist. What has changed, however, is the science of intergalactic travel via wormholes, creating a host of new solutions in place that will take time. People are able to buy land cheaply and ascend to positions of power if they agree to relocate to a new world, and it is the efforts of people like Captain Hanlow shipping various supplies and seeds needed to cultivate these Earth-like planets that make such solutions possible. Hanlow and his crew travel from world to world in this story that combines science fiction rooted in the latest developments and planned advancements explored in science fact.
This book is divided into two sections that inform each other while remaining entirely separate. The first half of the book is the fictional story of Captain Hanlow and his crew in the year 2394, traveling in their ship through wormholes and visiting strange, habitable worlds. The second half of the book contains notes, diagrams, and musings from the author about the technological changes that must be developed in order to allow for faster-than-light voyages to the stars. Some of these notes contain mathematical formulas or schematics for equipment that will be instrumental in making this new age of exploration a reality, while others are simple paragraphs of isolated thought, recorded for their necessity toward the final frontier. With the principles of hard science fiction, this short story reads easily and with a strong sense of character, saving much of the academics for the book’s closing. This makes for a read that entertains without being fluffy or unsatisfying for those who want the gritty details that go into every engine and computer.