Grand Tour (novel series)
A series exploring human colonization of the Solar System.
The Grand Tour is a series of hard science fiction novels by American author Ben Bova. Set in the late 21st century, the series centers on humanity’s exploration and colonization of the Solar System, with most individual books focusing on a specific planet or moon.
Recurring themes appear throughout the series. Many of the explored Solar System bodies are depicted as having life, either currently or in the past. Numerous expeditions face serious difficulties. The protagonists often start as weak or lacking confidence, only to become heroic by surviving the challenges they encounter.
Future humanity in the series is divided between Greens (environmentalists) and wealthy industrialists, as well as between secularists/scientists and religious fundamentalists. These conflicts usually form the background and set up each book’s initial tensions. Several novels also address conflicts between wealthy industrialists and small, independent operators seeking to exploit the Solar System’s mineral wealth.
A major theme, central to several books, is the search for extraterrestrial life in the Solar System. Novels such as *Mars*, *Mars Life*, *Jupiter*, *Venus*, *Mercury*, *Saturn*, *Titan*, and *Leviathans of Jupiter* all explore this issue. The discovery of life often sparks conflicts between religious fundamentalists, who see it as contradicting their doctrines, and scientists.
While each novel can be read independently and in any order, distinct story arcs exist within the series. These include the Moonbase arc (which may also encompass the Asteroid Wars arc), the Mars books, and the Saturn books.
According to Ben Bova’s official site, the novels follow an approximate time sequence, with many overlapping.
*Powersat* (2005) – CEO Dan Randolph of Astro Corp. dreams of providing energy to a desperate world via solar satellites in geosynchronous orbit, transferring power wirelessly. Stubborn politicians and oil companies obstruct him, but he builds a space plane to cut transportation costs. When the plane explodes on re-entry, Randolph suspects sabotage, while a shadowy terrorist group threatens to bankrupt or kill him.
*Mars* (1992) – Navajo geologist Jamie Waterman is surprised to be chosen for the first Mars mission’s landing crew.
- Author
- Ben Bova
- Genre
- Hard science fiction
- Nationality
- American
- Setting
- Late 21st century Solar System
- First novel
- Mars (1992)
- Themes
- Exploration, colonization, discovery of life, conflict between Greens and industrialists, religious fundamentalists vs. scientists
Lore & Background
The Grand Tour series includes novels such as Powersat, Mars, Moonrise, Return to Mars, Moonwar, Privateers, Empire Builders, The Precipice, Farside, The Rock Rats, and Jupiter. Many of the books present the explored Solar System bodies as having life, either past or present. Expeditions often run into serious difficulty, and protagonists are initially weak or lacking confidence, becoming heroic through survival.
Reader's Guide
The series is significant for its recurring themes of conflict between Greens and wealthy industrialists, as well as between secularists/scientists and religious fundamentalists. These conflicts form the background and initial conflicts of each book. A major theme is the search for life on other planets, leading to clashes between religious fundamentalists and scientists. While each novel can be read independently, there are distinct story arcs such as the Moonbase arc, the Mars books, and the Saturn books. The series explores the exploitation of Solar System mineral wealth and the tension between industrialists and independent operators.
Did You Know?
- The novels present a theme of exploration and colonization of the Solar System by humans in the late 21st century.
- Most of the books focus on the exploration of one particular planet or planetary moon.
- Several books deal with the discovery of life on other planets, including Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, and Titan.
- The series includes distinct story arcs such as the Moonbase arc and the Asteroid Wars arc.
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