Poor Man’s Sky

McCarthy writes an exciting near-future science fiction novel with a hint of mystery and danger, a sequel to Rich Man’s Sky. The story begins with a man falling to the surface of the moon, strapped inside a cargo container seeking to escape the slavery of working in space. The book’s dramatic opening leads to a deeper mystery after a person is found murdered on the moon. Enter Raimy, a former cop, who is looking to spin his social media savvy into winning a chance to escape Earth and travel to the stars. Raimy is sent to investigate the death, tangling with monks on the moon, massive corporations, and the very real challenge of space itself. He struggles to balance his investigative instincts with his social media-minded ambition to make his own way to the moon. The story is told through a collection of materials, including transcripts, letters, and traditional narratives. The book’s scrapbook style lends an extra air of believability to the book’s hard science fiction, with its concern about airlocks and rockets.