The Calculating Stars
by Mary Robinette Kowal · first published 2018
57% recommend29% neutral14% critical
Why HN recommends it
Alternate-history science fiction set after a meteorite strikes the US East Coast, grounded in strong historical detail. Its realistic detail and an appendix showing how much rests on real events stand out.
Common criticism: One critic found it weak and said the Hugo winner did not match their taste.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a compute
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2021–2026The Goblin Emperor
Sarah Monette
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 108 recommend · 10 mention8 recommend · 108 recommend
2021–2026A Memory Called Empire
Arkady Martine
Recommended by 25 · mentioned by 3225 recommend · 32 mention25 recommend · 3225 recommend
2021–2026A Desolation Called Peace
Arkady Martine
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 128 recommend · 12 mention8 recommend · 128 recommend
2017–2026Ninefox Gambit
Yoon Ha Lee
Recommended by 10 · mentioned by 1310 recommend · 13 mention10 recommend · 1310 recommend
Broken Earth
N. K. Jemisin
Recommended by 18 · mentioned by 2618 recommend · 26 mention18 recommend · 2618 recommend
2016–2026The Fifth Season
N. K. Jemisin
Recommended by 15 · mentioned by 3115 recommend · 31 mention15 recommend · 3115 recommend
Murderbot Diaries
Martha Wells
Recommended by 42 · mentioned by 5042 recommend · 50 mention42 recommend · 5042 recommend
2013–2026Ancillary Justice
Ann Leckie
Recommended by 45 · mentioned by 6645 recommend · 66 mention45 recommend · 6645 recommend
Try cranking up the replay speed. I usually listen at 1.5x - 2x. Every now and then I'll hit a great book with a good narrator and slow down to listen. A recent favourite was The Calculating Stars written and narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal, a former puppeteer and long-time podcaster. Her performance was enthralling and fast-paced, so I listed at 1.0x.
on “We can't get enough of audiobooks” ↗I'm mostly finished with the "Lady Astronaut" duology (The Calculating Stars/The Fated Sky) from Mary Robinette Kowal. Highly recommended. She started with predecessor works to these Shuttle-era dreams (such as Wernher von Braun's original treatise on colonizing Mars, most of…
on “Space Transportation System” ↗I just finished The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. It is a fantastic piece of alternate history science fiction that I highly recommend. I mention it because the premise is that a meteorite hits the earth off the east coast…
on “Bezos donates $100M each to CNN contributor Van Jones and chef Jose Andres” ↗…Earth (N. K. Jemisin), Locked Tomb (Tamsyn Muir), A Memory Called Empire (Arkady Martine), Murderbot (Martha Wells), The Light Brigade (Kameron Hurley), The Wayfarers series (Becky Chambers), and The Calculating Stars (Mary Robinette Kowal) are some of my favorites. Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series is also worth a read.
on “Nobody Wants to Buy the Future: Why Science Fiction Literature Is Vanishing” ↗If there ever was a good time for a book recommendation, check out "The Calculating Stars." Probably the most impactful part of the book is the appendix, where it's made abundantly clear how much of it was based in reality.
on “Heinlein and Clarke discuss the Moon landings as they happen (2016)” ↗If you're interested about that, the "The Calculating Stars" book talks a bit about it. It's really nice to read !
on “Blue Origin first human flight” ↗I loved The Calculating Stars. Books do exist that are objectively bad, but consider that maybe this time - and other times - this is just a matter of taste. (And it's entirely possible that the folks who pick out Hugo winners don't…
on “Science fiction authors were excluded from awards for fear of offending China” ↗…excellent book otherwise. I thought both the Ancillary Justice trilogy and the A Memory Called Empire trilogy were amazing works. I disagreed with the hectoring pro-Human Spaceflight messaging of The Calculating Stars, but as a book, I again thought it was good. I was a fan of Anathem, Ninefox Gambit, and The Goblin Emperor (which was my preference to win that year) as well; could not get into Too Like the Lightning…
on “Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards Statement – 22 July, 2024” ↗I haven't read The Calculating Stars (yet), but from the description it sounds like the climate change in the story is caused by a meteor colliding with the Earth, rather than being caused by humans. That seems like an effective way to take…
on “Is the Political Novel Dead?” ↗I haven't yet read the last few ones because I found the Aztec ones underwhelming. The Calculating Stars to A Desolation Called Peace was when I started feeling they were not so strong and decided I'd go read prior years instead. But I suppose the vagaries of 'winner' vs. shortlist probably take this. It…
on “Book Prizes Don't Work How You Think” ↗How can the Political Novel be dead? Isn't the 2019 Hugo Award Winner for best novel precisely a political novel? (The Calculating Stars is a novel about a woman attempting to become a female astronaut during 1952 America, in a setting where the earth is quickly becoming uninhabitable due to runway global warming.)
on “Is the Political Novel Dead?” ↗I just started reading the Lady Astronaut sci-fi series last night, starting with "The Calculating Stars", and its main character is a female "computer". Really interesting perspective I haven't seen in sci-fi before.
on “Top Secret Rosies: The Female “Computers” of WWII” ↗I wouldn't care if this wouldn't impact winner quality. Presumably there are a lot of authors which need discovering (or perhaps not, idk). But a book like "The Calculating Stars" is just so bad, I'll never trust the Hugo award again.
on “Science fiction authors were excluded from awards for fear of offending China” ↗I don't think any of Blackout/All Clear, Ancillary Justice, Three-Body Problem, A Memory Called Empire or A Desolation Called Peace live up to Hugo standards (and I didn't read The Calculating Stars because I didn't think The Lady Astronaut of Mars did either). Looking at the post-2009 shortlists I think at least Anathem, Ninefox Gambit (and, frankly, both its sequels), The Goblin Emperor and Too…
on “Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards Statement – 22 July, 2024” ↗