The Asterist
$32.30
- Paperback
272 pages
- Release Date
3 December 2026
Summary
Otherworldly yet grounded, ominous yet tender, The Asterist is a captivating first contact story that will appeal to readers of Andy Weir and John Scalzi.
Dull days drift by at the dead end of the galaxy for misanthrope Bill Jeffries fulfilling his mundane duties as an Asteroid Station Commander, or “Asterist.” But everything changes when his only companion, the monotone computer he has nicknamed “Nag,” alerts him to an unknown spacecraft that has crashed near the station. Thus…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9798895151990 |
|---|---|
| Author: | A.T. Sayre |
| Publisher: | Diversion Books |
| Imprint: | Diversion Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 272 |
| Release Date: | 3 December 2026 |
| Weight: | 288g |
| Dimensions: | 152mm x 229mm |
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Critics Review
Praise for The Asterist
“The Asterist is both a rapidly evolving sci-fi puzzle and something more intimate. Wry, relatable, but heartfelt and urgent, Sayre’s The Asterist is classic character-driven sci-fi at its best.”
—Thomas Ha, Nebula Award-winner and 2x Locus Award-winning author of Uncertain Sons and Other Stories
“This first contact story is touching and rare. The kind of book you will think about long after you finish reading it.”
—Ann VanderMeer, Editor/anthologist of The Big Book of Science Fiction
“A relentless first-contact thriller about an average guy who never expected to accomplish much and a shipwrecked alien whose life he intends to save at any cost. I had a lump in my throat by the end.”
—Adam-Troy Castro, eight-time Nebula-nominated author of Emissaries from the Dead
“What a hero’s journey: to watch a grumpy curmudgeon strip off decades of bleak ennui to reveal complex layers of competence, scientific curiosity, excitement, and affection, as he learns to communicate with this wanderer in his midst. Fans of Murderbot’s blistering sarcasm and Project Hail Mary’s last-ditch problem solving will thrum to the themes of The Asterist. Pretty damned satisfying.”
—C. S. E. Cooney, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Saint Death’s Daughter
“A.T. Sayre has firmly established himself as a master of contemporary hard science-fiction. The Asterist is clever and funny by turns, and what I loved most was its deeply human and empathic core. This is the first-contact story we need right now, and one of the best hard SF books I’ve read in a long while.”
—Matthew Kressel, multiple Nebula Award-nominated author of The Rainseekers
“The Asterist is as meticulously detailed in its observations as any hard science fiction fan could want, as nail-biting in its mysteries and twists as any connoisseur of suspense could ask for, and packs an emotional wallop to boot.”
—Mike Allen, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of Trail of Shadows
“A rollicking, nail-biting, Andy Weir-style adventure that never leaves an asteroid, yet underscores how humanity is the most precious commodity in the universe.”
—Randee Dawn, author of Leave No Trace
“Sayre delivers a refreshing 21st century take on a classic tale of first contact.”
—Lawrence M. Schoen, author of Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard
“I put off reading the last ten pages for a day because I didn’t want this story to end. The whole novel flowed with tension, with a mounting desire to learn more. This story is about decisions, the drive for communication, and a very humane desire to do the best you can when confronted with the unknown.”
—Karen Heuler, author of The Splendid City
A.T. Sayre
A. T. Sayre is a two-time Analog AnLab Award finalist. His writings have been published in numerous science fiction magazines, including Analog Magazine, StarShipSofa, Andromeda Spaceways, and Utopia Science Fiction. He is the author of The Last Days of Good People, and The Asterist is his second novel. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, and enjoys reading in coffeehouses.
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