Book excerpt: The first adventure in the Nebula Award–winning author’s “masterful SF trilogy” about the attempted colonization and terraforming of the planet Venus (Publishers Weekly). Iris Angharads, a determined, independent woman, sets herself one massive goal: to make the poison‐filled atmosphere of Venus hospitable to humans. She works day and night to realize her dream, with only one person sharing her passion, Liang Chen. It seems impossible to make Venus, with its intolerable air and waterless environment, into a paradise, but Iris succeeds. And in doing so, she also creates a powerful dynasty, beginning with her first born, Benzi Liangharad.