A History of What Comes Next
A novel about women manipulating history to accelerate the space race.
A History of What Comes Next is a 2021 science fiction alternate history novel by Canadian author Sylvain Neuvel. It was released in the United States in February 2021 by Tor Books and in the United Kingdom the following month by Michael Joseph. This book opens the Take Them to the Stars trilogy, which continues with *Until the Last of Me* (2022) and *For the First Time, Again* (2023). The story takes place from 1945 to 1961, spanning the end of World War II and the early Cold War, and centers on a secret society of women who have been steering historical events for centuries.
The plot follows the Kibsu, a mysterious lineage of powerful women who have secretly shaped human history for three thousand years, aiming to save humanity and propel it into space. The narrative begins in Germany in 1945, near the war’s end, with Sara and her nineteen-year-old daughter Mia—the 98th and 99th generations of their clan. Sara instructs Mia to infiltrate the German rocket facility at Peenemünde and convince scientist Wernher von Braun to surrender to the Americans rather than the Soviets. After von Braun joins the U.S. space program, the pair moves to Moscow, where Mia persuades Soviet rocket scientist Sergei Korolev to recruit German specialists to boost Russia’s missile and space efforts. The Kibsu’s goal is to spark a space race between the superpowers, accelerating research on both sides. This manipulation leads to the Soviet launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957, followed by the U.S. Explorer 1 four months later. The novel’s chapters are titled after songs from the era in which they occur.
Critical reception was mixed. *Kirkus Reviews* compared the book’s tone to an episode of *The X-Files*, praising Mia’s “painful and revelatory journey of self-discovery” but noting an “abrupt and unsatisfying” conclusion. *Publishers Weekly* gave a starred review, calling it “deeply gratifying reading” and highlighting its blend of “wry narration, wired action, and delicate worldbuilding” as appealing to fans of alternate history and intelligent sci-fi. Mark Yon of *SFFWorld* described the novel as “a lot of fun,” with a “brilliant premise” and a protagonist who is “bright, lively, fiercely intelligent” yet fallible, comparing Mia to the heroine of Robert Heinlein’s *Friday*.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Sylvain Neuvel
- Country
- Canada
- Language
- English
- Series
- Take Them to the Stars
- Genre
- Alternate history / Science fiction
- Publisher
- Tor Books
- Pub Date
- February 2021
- Media Type
- Hardback
- Pages
- 302
- Followed By
- Until the Last of Me
- Isbn
- 978-1-250-26206-6
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The novel centers on the Kibsu, a mysterious society of powerful women who have been manipulating history for three thousand years to save humanity and ultimately get them into space. The story begins in Germany in 1945, near the end of World War II, with Sara and her nineteen-year-old daughter Mia, the 98th and 99th generations of the clan. Mia is instructed by her mother to infiltrate Germany's rocket research facility at Peenemünde and persuade rocket scientist Wernher von Braun to surrender to the advancing Americans rather than the Russians. Satisfied that von Braun is working for the Americans in their space program, Sara and Mia move to Moscow, where Mia coaxes Russian rocket scientist Sergei Korolev to recruit German specialists to jumpstart Russia's own missile and space program. The Kibsu's aim is to create a space race between the Americans and Soviets that will accelerate research and development on both sides, resulting in the Soviet Union launching Sputnik 1 in October 1957, followed by Explorer 1 four months later by the United States.
Reader's Guide
A History of What Comes Next is significant as the opening volume of Neuvel's Take Them to the Stars series, blending alternate history with science fiction. The novel's premise—a secret society of women manipulating history to drive humanity into space—offers a fresh perspective on the Cold War space race. Critical reception was mixed: Kirkus Reviews compared its tone to an X-Files episode and praised Mia's character development but found the conclusion abrupt and unsatisfying. Publishers Weekly gave a starred review, praising the balance of wry narration, wired action, and delicate worldbuilding. SFFWorld's Mark Yon called it a lot of fun with a brilliant premise, while Fantasy Literature reviewers offered more cautious assessments, with Bill Capossere giving 2.5 stars and Tadiana Jones 3 stars, both noting issues with execution and an unresolved ending. The novel's chapter titles are songs from the period in which the chapters take place.
Did You Know?
- The novel's chapter titles are titles of songs from the period in which the chapters take place.
- The Kibsu have been manipulating history for three thousand years to get humanity into space.
- The story covers historical events including Operation Paperclip and Operation Osoaviakhim.
- The novel is the first of three books in the Take Them to the Stars series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote A History of What Comes Next?
Sylvain Neuvel, a Canadian author, wrote this 2021 science fiction novel. Tor Books released it in the US in February 2021, with Michael Joseph following in the UK the next month.
What is A History of What Comes Next about?
The novel centers on a centuries-old secret society of women who have been quietly steering world events to accelerate humanity's push into space. Against the backdrop of the early Cold War, the story shows how these women manipulate both the American and Soviet space programs.
What series does A History of What Comes Next belong to?
It is the first installment of the Take Them to the Stars trilogy. The second book, Until the Last of Me, came out in 2022, and the trilogy concludes with For the First Time, Again in 2023.
What time period does A History of What Comes Next cover?
The narrative runs from 1945 to 1961, spanning the closing days of World War II into the opening years of the Cold War. Real figures such as Wernher von Braun and Sergei Korolev appear within the novel's alternate-history framework.
Why is A History of What Comes Next notable in Canadian science fiction?
It offers a distinctly Canadian-authored alternate history that reframes the space race through a hidden women's collective rather than the usual male-dominated narrative. Its 2021 release drew strong fan attention and set up Neuvel's broader trilogy exploring how the twentieth century might have unfolded differently.
More in Canadian science fiction novels 1-24
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