51.The Engines of God

By: Jack McDevitt

Its been a long time since I've reread a book, but when I found out that McDevitt has written a number of 'sequels' to The Engines of God, I wanted to start from the beginning again. I first read EoG when it first came out about 10 years ago, and was riveted by its portrayal of archeology in the future. McDevitt creates a captivating story around aliens who have been dead for thousands of years- a pretty challenging feat, as most sci-fi goes straight for the excitement of contact.

Engines of God follows a team of Archaeologists who are investigating the history of a race which they refer to as "The Monument Makers", a culture which have left inexplicable monuments on various worlds. The most bizarre of these is a giant city of solid blocks, that indicates no functionality.

With the archaeologists is pilot Priscilla Hutchins, who becomes caught up in their expedition as the mystery of the monument makers grows more and more complex. The group is in a race against time however, as their key site for exploration is also scheduled for tera-forming because of its earth-like habitat. Time is of the essence because earth is becoming more and more uninhabitable. However, the mystery of the Monument Makers may reveal the key to a puzzle that is just as crucial to the survival of the human race.

Stephen King's quote on the book cover claims McDevitt as the logical heir to Asimov and Heinlin. It is an appropriate title to bestow upon him, as his books delve into the human aspect of a believable future with an eye towards scientific advancement and human fallibility.

10 out of 10- I started digging into the first sequel, Deep Six as soon soon as I put down the first.