JUPITER

Ben Bova writes excellent science fiction--with an emphasis on the science. JUPITER is set in a scary future in which Christian fundamentalists have secured all political power in the United States, and everything, including science, is viewed through a biblical lens. When scientists find evidence of alien life in the seas of the gas giant Jupiter, it threatens to undermine biblical doctrine. The unabridged edition lists several narrators, though Christian Noble carries the lion's share. It falls on his shoulders to give the story the necessary punch to drive it through sections thick with scientific jargon. He's so good that we barely notice we're getting astronomy lessons amid the action. M.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]