Part of Series
the third volume in a series of science-fiction thrillers evolving from the works of arthur c. clarke, grandmaster of science fiction and author of 2001: a space odyssey. Her code name is Sparta. Her beauty veils a mysterious past and abilities far surpassing those of a normal human?the first product of advanced biotech engineering. At long last, evidence of extraterrestrial life has been found: a plaque discovered on the edge of the north polar icecap on Mars. And when the theft of that alien artifact leads to two murders in the Labyrinth City, Sparta must risk her life?and her identity?to solve the case. As the mystery unravels, the investigation becomes a race across the stars to retrieve the plaque?a quest which will ultimately uncover even more evidence than Earth's scientists have ever discovered This star-spanning adventure brings together the genius of Arthur C. Clarke and the talents of distinguished science- fiction writer Paul Preuss. Introduction by Arthur C. Clarke.
Author
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke was one of the most important and influential figures in 20th century science fiction. He spent the first half of his life in England, where he served in World War Two as a radar operator, before emigrating to Ceylon in 1956. He is best known for the novel and movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he co-created with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick. Clarke was a graduate of King's College, London where he obtained First Class Honours in Physics and Mathematics. He is past Chairman of the British Interplanetary Society, a member of the Academy of Astronautics, the Royal Astronomical Society, and many other scientific organizations. Author of over fifty books, his numerous awards include the 1961 Kalinga Prize, the AAAS-Westinghouse science writing prize, the Bradford Washburn Award, and the John W. Campbell Award for his novel Rendezvous With Rama. Clarke also won the Nebula Award of the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo Award of the World Science Fiction Convention in 1974 and 1980, and in 1986 became Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He was awarded the CBE in 1989.
