The Cassandra Project



As some of you might be aware, my favorite science-fiction author is Jack McDevitt.  I have found almost all of his books to be extremely entertaining and well written.  His stories typically have an element of mystery to them.  He has a knack for solving just enough of the mysteries to be satisfied, however I can always seem to come up with at least one alternative that seems plausible to me.

The book entitled The Cassandra Project is centered around a mystery surrounding the Apollo program which occurred in the United States in the late sixties and early seventies.  The book centers around a few characters but mainly around a Jerry Culpepper who works in public relations for NASA. In the beginning of the book we learn that NASA is being slowly losing funding as the years go on (the novel takes place in the near future) and many believe the agency will be shut down.  NASA opens an exhibit to show off the achievements of the many astronauts in the program and released a large amount of data and recordings of the Apollo program to generate interest in the exhibit.

Unknown the agency however a tape is released that calls in to question the reported history of the program and its goals.  The world and Jerry become interested in determining what really happened in the early Apollo flights...

The book is filled with all sorts of mystery and conspiracy themes which in the end all mesh together to create a novel that is hard (if not impossible) to put down.  If you are a fan of alternative history, science fiction, mystery, or all the above I suggest picking up this book.  The ending will make you think, it is almost ironic in a sense.

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