The Martian Contingency
A Lady Astronaut Novel
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Profile Books Ltd
Published:27th Mar '25
Should be back in stock very soon

Years after a meteorite strike obliterated Washington, D.C. — triggering an extinction-level global warming event — Earth’s survivors have started an international effort to establish homes on space stations and the Moon.
The next step – Mars.
Mary Robinette Kowal returns to Mars in this latest entry to the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Lady Astronaut series. 'Kowal masters both science and historical accuracy in this alternate history adventure' - Andy Weir, author of The Martian, on The Calculating Stars An instant USA Today bestseller! 'The Lady Astronaut series absolutely captivated me... a great piece of fiction' - Andy Weir, bestselling author of The Martian Years after a meteorite strike obliterated Washington, D.C.-triggering an extinction-level global warming event-Earth's survivors have started an international effort to establish homes on space stations and the Moon. The next step - Mars. Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, lands on the Red Planet, optimistic about preparing for the first true wave of inhabitants. The mission objective is more than just building the infrastructure of a habitat - they are trying to preserve the many cultures and nuances of life on Earth without importing the hate. But from the moment she arrives, something is off. Disturbing signs hint at a hidden disaster during the First Mars Expedition that never made it into the official transcript. As Elma and her crew try to investigate, they face a wall of silence and obfuscation. Their attempts to build a thriving Martian community grind to a halt. What you don't know CAN harm you. And if the truth doesn't come to light, the ripple effects could leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth... Lady Astronaut The Calculating Stars The Fated Sky The Relentless Moon The Martian ContingI... find myself completely sucked in... For all your smart-people-figuring-out-problems-smartly needs, The Martian Contingency delivers * Locus *
The Lady Astronaut series is beloved for the way it focuses on brilliant women solving hard problems and navigating delicate social and political situations to win opportunities for those who had previously been locked out of important positions. And from that perspective, The Martian Contingency plays the hits * Tar Val on *
The plot is engrossing, the pacing is very good, and as always, Kowal excels at storytelling, characterization, and worldbuilding. * The Bookwyrm's Hoard *
The story wraps up with a satisfying ending, and while there could definitely be more stories to tell in the world of the Lady Astronaut, The Martian Contingency provides us with a conclusion to the book itself that resolves the key storylines, makes sense overall, and provides hope for the future. * Bookshelf Fantasies *
This series brings back the "sensawunda" of classic science fiction, while providing a stark warning of what we're doing to our planet in this timeline. It is one of the best ongoing series of recent years and well worth reading. * Red Headed Femme *
This is accessible science fiction for non science fiction readers and there's a lot to like here for everyone * nerds of a feather, flock together *
ISBN: 9781837864430
Dimensions: 198mm x 128mm x 28mm
Weight: 280g
400 pages
Main