Book excerpt: Mary Robinette Kowal continues the grand sweep of alternate history begun in The Calculating Stars, The Fated Sky looks forward to 1961, when mankind is well-established on the moon and looking forward to its next step: journeying to, and eventually colonizing, Mars. The Verge—Best SFF Books for August 2018 io9 —Best SFF Books for August 2018 Unbound Worlds —Best SFF Books for August 2018 Tor.com —Best SFF Books for August 2018 Kirkus Online —Best SFF Books for August 2018 Nerdmuch —Best SFF Books for August 2018 Of course the noted Lady Astronaut Elma York would like to go, but there’s a lot riding on whoever the International Aerospace Coalition decides to send on this historic—but potentially very dangerous—mission? Could Elma really leave behind her husband and the chance to start a family to spend several years traveling to Mars? And with the Civil Rights movement taking hold all over Earth, will the astronaut pool ever be allowed to catch up, and will these brave men and women of all races be treated equitably when they get there? This gripping look at the real conflicts behind a fantastical space race will put a new spin on our visions of what might have been. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.