Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Mulholland Books (2021), 480 pages
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML: From New York Times bestselling author and astronaut Chris Hadfield comes this exceptional thriller and "exciting journey" into the dark heart of the Cold War and the space race (Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary).1973: a final, top-secret mission to the Moon. Three astronauts in a tiny spaceship, a quarter million miles from home. A quarter million miles from help. NASA is about to launch Apollo 18. While the mission has been billed as a scientific one, flight controller Kazimieras "Kaz" Zemeckis knows there is a darker objective. Intelligence has discovered a secret Soviet space station spying on America, and Apollo 18 may be the only chance to stop it. But even as Kaz races to keep the NASA crew one step ahead of their Russian rivals, a deadly accident reveals that not everyone involved is quite who they were thought to be. With political stakes stretched to the breaking point, the White House and the Kremlin can only watch as their astronauts collide on the lunar surface, far beyond the reach of law or rescue. Full of the fascinating technical detail that fans of The Martian loved, and reminiscent of the thrilling claustrophobia, twists, and tension of The Hunt for Red October, The Apollo Murders is a high-stakes thriller unlike any other. Chris Hadfield captures the fierce G-forces of launch, the frozen loneliness of space, and the fear of holding on to the outside of a spacecraft orbiting the Earth at 17,000 miles per hour as only someone who has experienced all of these things in real life can. Strap in and count down for the ride of a lifetime. "Packed with cosmic action�?� Featuring undercover spies, scheming Russians and psychopathic murderers, sometimes all at once, it teems with authoritative details." �??The New York Times �??Nail-biting . . . I couldn�??t put it down.�?� �??James Cameron, writer and director of Avatar and Titanic �??Not to be missed.�?� �??Frederick Forsyth, author of The Day of the Jackal �??An explosive thriller by a writer who has actually been to space . . . Strap in for the ride!�?� �??Gregg Hur… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisCarey
This is a murder mystery that's also an alternate history about the late Apollo program and the Cold War.
We start with an Apollo mission that's a departure from our own history. Apollo 18 was planned, and planned as a fully military mission, but canceled due to both budgetary and political reasons.
First, US intelligence has made the alarming discovery that the Soviets have launched a space station, with the same basic purpose as the (canceled) US Military Orbital Laboratory (MOL)--taking high quality photographs for military intelligence purposes. And as they gather more information about the quality of the photographic and telescopic equipment on this Soviet space station, the plans for Apollo 18 are changed. The intelligence shows that the station won't be manned yet, so there's no reason not to take the opportunity to disable it. Apollo 18 is going to be stripped down as far as possible without completely canceling the original mission, launched at a different angle than planned, and rendezvous with the Soviet MOL-equivalent. At a minimum, they will thoroughly photograph it; if possible, they will disable it.
Then they'll be launched toward the Moon, and the reduced version of their original mission, which is to find out why the Soviet Moon rover is exploring that particular area and what they've found, and if possible disable that, too. This will mean fewer Moon walks, but also a previously unplanned space walk.
The other alarming change is that the Apollo 18 mission commander, Ted, and I'm sorry, listening to the audiobook I didn't retain his last name, is killed in an apparent helicopter accident. But what caused the accident? An intense investigation begins, but meanwhile, the Apollo 18 mission needs a new commander.
The choice falls on the logical person, Chad Miller, the commander of the backup crew. This is deemed to be less disruptive than replacing the entire crew at what is painfully close to the last minute.
Miller is a midwestern farm boy, and it's the early 1970s. He's got more of a temper than Ted had, but he's very capable and gets the job done. We learn, when he and Kaz talk about their backgrounds and Kaz reveals that his family are Lithuanian Jews who escaped just before the Nazis arrived to wipe out most of the Jewish community there, that Miller is a bit of an antisemite. It's no surprise when we also learn, due to the command module commander, Michael (possibly Edshail, but another last name I didn't get reliably due to listening to the audiobook), is the first black astronaut to go into space.. The third member of the crew is Luke Hemming (I'm almost sure of that name), and despite the irritants, they're all going to be professional about it, right?
Once we are into space, we have vomiting, the unpleasant discovery that the Soviet space station is manned after all, brawls in space, deaths, an unexpected rearrangement of the crews (really, I can't say any more than that), and more unexpected discoveries on the Moon.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Kaz is cooperating with local police, NASA, and military authorities in investigating the death of the original mission commander. It's discovered to be sabotage, and they have to look at the people with both opportunity and at least the potential for motives. The more information he gathers, the more Kaz suspects that on of the astronauts on Apollo 18 isn't who he seems to be.
This is a very nicely done murder mystery, spy thriller, and utterly convincing alternate history of the early 1970s space program and Cold War. Hadfield obviously knows the space program, and has done his research on both the space program and world politics of the period. I found the characters interesting and convincing, and the story very solid.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
We start with an Apollo mission that's a departure from our own history. Apollo 18 was planned, and planned as a fully military mission, but canceled due to both budgetary and political reasons.
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In this story, Apollo 18 escapes cancelation, and is focused on checking out the site on the Moon that an unmanned Soviet Moon rover has been investigating. Kazimieras "Kaz" Zemeckis, a test pilot and astronaut eliminated from space launches after an in-flight bird collision costs him an eye, is appointed as flight controller for Apollo 18, responsible for the safety of the crew from Mission Control. But once he thinks he's settled in and well connected with all the crew, several unsettling changes occur.First, US intelligence has made the alarming discovery that the Soviets have launched a space station, with the same basic purpose as the (canceled) US Military Orbital Laboratory (MOL)--taking high quality photographs for military intelligence purposes. And as they gather more information about the quality of the photographic and telescopic equipment on this Soviet space station, the plans for Apollo 18 are changed. The intelligence shows that the station won't be manned yet, so there's no reason not to take the opportunity to disable it. Apollo 18 is going to be stripped down as far as possible without completely canceling the original mission, launched at a different angle than planned, and rendezvous with the Soviet MOL-equivalent. At a minimum, they will thoroughly photograph it; if possible, they will disable it.
Then they'll be launched toward the Moon, and the reduced version of their original mission, which is to find out why the Soviet Moon rover is exploring that particular area and what they've found, and if possible disable that, too. This will mean fewer Moon walks, but also a previously unplanned space walk.
The other alarming change is that the Apollo 18 mission commander, Ted, and I'm sorry, listening to the audiobook I didn't retain his last name, is killed in an apparent helicopter accident. But what caused the accident? An intense investigation begins, but meanwhile, the Apollo 18 mission needs a new commander.
The choice falls on the logical person, Chad Miller, the commander of the backup crew. This is deemed to be less disruptive than replacing the entire crew at what is painfully close to the last minute.
Miller is a midwestern farm boy, and it's the early 1970s. He's got more of a temper than Ted had, but he's very capable and gets the job done. We learn, when he and Kaz talk about their backgrounds and Kaz reveals that his family are Lithuanian Jews who escaped just before the Nazis arrived to wipe out most of the Jewish community there, that Miller is a bit of an antisemite. It's no surprise when we also learn, due to the command module commander, Michael (possibly Edshail, but another last name I didn't get reliably due to listening to the audiobook), is the first black astronaut to go into space.. The third member of the crew is Luke Hemming (I'm almost sure of that name), and despite the irritants, they're all going to be professional about it, right?
Once we are into space, we have vomiting, the unpleasant discovery that the Soviet space station is manned after all, brawls in space, deaths, an unexpected rearrangement of the crews (really, I can't say any more than that), and more unexpected discoveries on the Moon.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Kaz is cooperating with local police, NASA, and military authorities in investigating the death of the original mission commander. It's discovered to be sabotage, and they have to look at the people with both opportunity and at least the potential for motives. The more information he gathers, the more Kaz suspects that on of the astronauts on Apollo 18 isn't who he seems to be.
This is a very nicely done murder mystery, spy thriller, and utterly convincing alternate history of the early 1970s space program and Cold War. Hadfield obviously knows the space program, and has done his research on both the space program and world politics of the period. I found the characters interesting and convincing, and the story very solid.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member Romonko
Chris Hadfield has always been my hero, and so I couldn't wait to read his book. The book is set in the 1970's during the Apollo missions which was also during the Cold War. The rivalry between the US and Russia was never stronger than when they were both trying to be the first to land on the moon.
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For those of you who are space aficionados, Apollo 18 never did come about. The President of the United States cancelled the space missions after Apollo 17 due to budget constraints. Hadfield has done a superb job of fleshing out this thriller by bringing in all the space travel issues that were first and foremost at that time. His extensive knowledge of space and its history comes out clearly on every page. The thriller itself was a good one, My main complaint was that it just took a little long to get there. Because I am a space geek, I didn't mind the extensive descriptions of the gear and the aircraft that were in this book. Others might find it taxing. The last three or four chapters of the book were exciting and thrilling. The cast of characters was extremely believable, and they all fit in with the plot. It was actually frightening seeing the intensity of the animosity between the US and Russia during the Cold War. I don't think that we've gotten past that yet which is very obvious with what is happening on the global stage right now. This was a believable thriller that suited me fine, and only made me more of a Chris Hadfield fan. Show Less
LibraryThing member zot79
Tell me a story about an Apollo mission, even a fictional one, and I'm there for it. This book does that and ups the ante by wrapping it in a murder mystery and international intrigue. I already knew Colonel Hadfield could write. Now I know that he can write a thriller that keeps me turning pages.
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What really shines through for this space geek are all the mission details that made it all seem plausible. Recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member breic
Quite a lot of fun. Some parts of it don't make sense, though. I wish there had been a stronger central thread.
LibraryThing member grandpahobo
A good plot with plenty of tension. The only drawback (from my point of view) was that the extensive technical descriptions of how things worked (Saturn rocket, controls in the capsule and LEM) distracted from the plot.
LibraryThing member Guide2
Somehow it all makes sense, without any major plot holes, even with such a complex setup. Kudos to our Canadian astronaut!
LibraryThing member pierthinker
Chris Hadfield is a master of many trades, not least being an astronaut, and here turns his hand to fiction, producing a mix of crime, spy thriller and science fiction.
Set in an alternate past, the Apollo 18 mission is intended as a military expedition to the Moon. The Russians have a rover on the
As the mission progresses and further technical twists arise it becomes clear that the Russians are influencing the astronauts in some way. On Earth Kaz Zemeckis as a military flight controller tries to resolve the mysteries surrounding who and what is affecting the Apollo crew.
This is an excellent thriller, full of technical detail and feeling realistic throughout.
Set in an alternate past, the Apollo 18 mission is intended as a military expedition to the Moon. The Russians have a rover on the
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Moon, Lunokhod, which appears to have found something extraordinary and have also launched the Almaz spy space station. The Apollo 18 mission is altered to investigate both these craft. Further, after a tragic training accident, the Apollo 18 crew is changed at the last moment.As the mission progresses and further technical twists arise it becomes clear that the Russians are influencing the astronauts in some way. On Earth Kaz Zemeckis as a military flight controller tries to resolve the mysteries surrounding who and what is affecting the Apollo crew.
This is an excellent thriller, full of technical detail and feeling realistic throughout.
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LibraryThing member lee.gabel
The Apollo Murders is a believable, compelling mystery told by one of the world's most accomplished astronauts. After reading, I felt like I knew a bit more about the dangers and complexities of space travel. Adding murder and political intrigue was just the icing on the cake. This book could have
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become bogged down with minutiae, but the science and space operations are described with just enough detail to allow a "regular" Earthbound citizen to easily understand. And even though the Moon is a quarter of a million miles away, Hadfield's story remains accessible; a real page-turner. I'm glad I took the ride. Show Less
LibraryThing member TomDonaghey
The Apollo Murders (2021) by Chris Hadfield. Finally, a murder mystery set in the NASA world of the non-existent Apollo 18 mission to the moon. The parameters of the mission change rapidly when the Russians launch not only what is very possibly an advanced “Spy” satellite but land a rover on
Oh, and someone may have sabotaged the helicopter the Apollo crew commander was flying just days before the launch, leading to his death and alterations to the crew list. And the “Spy” satellite may just have a few Russians aboard to complicate the raid. Can’t go killing innocent Russians just to disable a satellite. No one likes it when you blatantly kill innocent people just to further your own political goals.
The story plays out through the view point of Kaz Zemeckis, formerly in the running for a space mission himself before an accident left him with one eye. Now he is the flight specialist chosen from on high to act as flight controller for this coming flight. This puts him in the middle of everything and lets the reader in on every detail of the mission, the men and the machines involved.
Saying more about who did what, when and why would give away to much of the thin mystery involved, but then you are not going to be reading this as if it were a Christie or McBain novel. This book is all about being behind the scenes of NASA as told by a real astronaut. The details, and there are many, help infuse the story with the kind of “You are there” realism many books skip over. No matter what is happening, I felt as if the details provided a vivid panorama of Mission Control, space flight and being on the moon. And the ending leaves a big hole which is just calling to be filled by a subsequent novel.
Worth the reading.
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the moon. The new mission is to disable, if possible, the big camera and land near the rover to disrupt it’s mission if needed.Oh, and someone may have sabotaged the helicopter the Apollo crew commander was flying just days before the launch, leading to his death and alterations to the crew list. And the “Spy” satellite may just have a few Russians aboard to complicate the raid. Can’t go killing innocent Russians just to disable a satellite. No one likes it when you blatantly kill innocent people just to further your own political goals.
The story plays out through the view point of Kaz Zemeckis, formerly in the running for a space mission himself before an accident left him with one eye. Now he is the flight specialist chosen from on high to act as flight controller for this coming flight. This puts him in the middle of everything and lets the reader in on every detail of the mission, the men and the machines involved.
Saying more about who did what, when and why would give away to much of the thin mystery involved, but then you are not going to be reading this as if it were a Christie or McBain novel. This book is all about being behind the scenes of NASA as told by a real astronaut. The details, and there are many, help infuse the story with the kind of “You are there” realism many books skip over. No matter what is happening, I felt as if the details provided a vivid panorama of Mission Control, space flight and being on the moon. And the ending leaves a big hole which is just calling to be filled by a subsequent novel.
Worth the reading.
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LibraryThing member troymcc
When I first heard that Chris Hadfield had written a novel, I thought it was yet another astronaut using his fame to promote post-spaceflight pursuits. But then a friend told me that he'd read the novel, and it was much like "The Martian" by Andy Weir, that is, a gripping thriller with deep
Now I hope Chris Hadfield will be writing more novels.
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technical credibility. So I thought fine, I will give it a try, and the next thing I knew, I was reading on the edge of my bed in the early hours of the morning, wondering how it would all resolve.Now I hope Chris Hadfield will be writing more novels.
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LibraryThing member lcl999
The technical detail is interesting and judging by the author's CV quite accurate. The plot is improbable and gets more so as the novel progresses. A real mission would have been aborted after the first or at least the second problem. There are much simpler ways to disable a spy satellite, and less
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obvious too. My ability to suspend disbelief collapsed by halfway so I never finished the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
This felt more like a techno thriller than a mystery. We all know about the Space Race and the story hinges on changing just a few facts and it makes for an exciting story. Apollo 18 is prepping for launch and a science mission on the moon when their goals are changed to a military one. They will
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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now meet up with a newly launched Russian satellite to disable it and then head to the moon and disable a Russian rover. It was a fun read, and I can see this becoming something Hollywood would love to make. There is a guide at the end of the book that shows what real people Hadfield based his characters on along with actual historical figures showing up I the book. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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LibraryThing member gothamajp
I really enjoyed Commander Chris Hadfield’s non-fiction work on life as an astronaut, and had the pleasure of hearing him speak a few years ago, so was looking forward to his foray into thriller territory.
Overall I wasn’t disappointed. As expected this tale of the secret Apollo 18 mission is
Characterization is a little thin, but you read tales like this for the action, and of that there was plenty with enough of the requisite twists and turns to keep you guessing where things are going.
Overall I’d summarize this as “Andy Weir meets Alistair McLean.”
Overall I wasn’t disappointed. As expected this tale of the secret Apollo 18 mission is
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full of technical details and procedural information, which does slow the narrative at times, but the space geek in me appreciated.Characterization is a little thin, but you read tales like this for the action, and of that there was plenty with enough of the requisite twists and turns to keep you guessing where things are going.
Overall I’d summarize this as “Andy Weir meets Alistair McLean.”
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LibraryThing member EowynA
This is a fascinating mystery, set in the 1970s. It evokes the American space program with wonderful realism. This follows Apollo 18 towards the moon. Note that in our world, Apollo 17 was the last mission to actually land there. So while I recognized many of the names - Alan Shepherd, Gene Kranz,
One little detail brought home to me how much a particular part of the world has changed since then. At one point, the subject was photos taken in space and how one had to return the film to earth to see those pictures. Photos now are transmitted digitally in a downlink. I think of the James Webb telescope, and how it wouldn't be possible to see those wonders if we'd had to send back physical, exposed film. A small detail, but a telling one. Google tells me that the first digital cameras were in 1975. We know that pictures were transmitted from the moon as Armstrong stepped on, because I watched it. But references here in the book to film, and sending photos and film to the earth with parachutes …. Just brings home how much has changed, even from then.
And yet - today, Sept 24, 2023 - a package parachuted to earth from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, with rubble/regolith dug up from the Bennu Asteroid. As film drops were formerly made from orbit, we are still physically returning items to earth from orbit for analysis here. The book and the event resonated in my mind.
Hadfield does a stunning job evoking what it feels like to train for, and go into, outer space. His experiences as an astronaut help him bring that front and center. He is also a skilled storyteller. Highly recommended, particularly to those who want to be immersed in the experience of spaceflight.
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etc., the crew for this thriller was fictional.One little detail brought home to me how much a particular part of the world has changed since then. At one point, the subject was photos taken in space and how one had to return the film to earth to see those pictures. Photos now are transmitted digitally in a downlink. I think of the James Webb telescope, and how it wouldn't be possible to see those wonders if we'd had to send back physical, exposed film. A small detail, but a telling one. Google tells me that the first digital cameras were in 1975. We know that pictures were transmitted from the moon as Armstrong stepped on, because I watched it. But references here in the book to film, and sending photos and film to the earth with parachutes …. Just brings home how much has changed, even from then.
And yet - today, Sept 24, 2023 - a package parachuted to earth from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, with rubble/regolith dug up from the Bennu Asteroid. As film drops were formerly made from orbit, we are still physically returning items to earth from orbit for analysis here. The book and the event resonated in my mind.
Hadfield does a stunning job evoking what it feels like to train for, and go into, outer space. His experiences as an astronaut help him bring that front and center. He is also a skilled storyteller. Highly recommended, particularly to those who want to be immersed in the experience of spaceflight.
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Awards
Sidewise Award (Finalist — 2021)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
480 p.; 9.55 inches
ISBN
0316264539 / 9780316264532
Local notes
Available in e-book and audiobook at from the Delaware Division of Libraries and through the app Libby with a library card https://libbyapp.com