Imagine The Six Million Dollar Man as written by an internationally-recognized expert in neuroscience and bionics, and you have The Moon and the Desert.
As you might guess from the title, itself a reference to the first episode of the show, the Six Million Dollar Man played no small part in inspiring author Robert E. Hampson to enter said fields in the first place, and his love of the original concept and his present work shines here.
The ultimate questions of this novel are “What would it take to build a bionic man? What’s involved in adapting to a bionic body? What are its limits and practical uses? How, especially, can it help humans function in the very non-human-friendly environment of space?”
It’s equal parts hard sci-fi and medical thriller with enough detail on both fronts to make a science-loving reader happy, but what makes it succeed is its human element.
Despite his extraordinary circumstances, astronaut and flight surgeon Glenn Armstrong Shepard reads like a regular, determined guy who’s eager to turn the disaster of losing most of his body into an opportunity to test the limits of bionics. He’s no stereotypical action hero, though he is admirable: Even though he volunteered for his bionics, he struggles with adapting to his complex prosthetics with the same frustration of any person who suddenly finds themselves with metal and plastic where there was formerly flesh. This sets him up as a relatable character, which makes the reader even more eager to follow him when he volunteers himself for a mission in outer space that tests the limits of his bionic capabilities.
The first part of the novel is all human; the second is all thrilling medical mystery as he faces the dual challenges of handling a crew-sweeping medical emergency on a returning space shuttle, while also pushing his physical and technological limits.
Though there’s a lot of science and medical talk, it’s all conveyed so naturally and in such manageable bits that, combined with the relatable cast, it becomes an easy, fast-paced read, especially once the space action starts.
Overall, it’s highly recommended for anyone with an interest in bionics, medical technology, the future of humans in space, or just a solid story about a determined man facing an incredible situation.
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