Happy Friday, dear SciFi Month crew! As we head into the weekend, I have got a juicy little exclusive for you! Feast your eyes upon the UK cover for the upcoming fourth book in Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut Universe!

Now, before we get to the goods I just want to take a moment to big up this series, because it might be one of my favourite SF series of recent years. If a period setting, vintage vibes and a modern sensibility sounds like your jam, you might love it too!

All right, that’s enough talking from me. LOOK AT THIS.

Years after a meteorite strike obliterated Washington, D.C. — triggering an extinction-level global warming event — Earth’s survivors have started an international effort to establish homes on space stations and the Moon. The next step – Mars.

Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, lands on the Red Planet, optimistic about preparing for the first true wave of inhabitants. The mission objective is more than just building the infrastructure of a habitat – they are trying to preserve the many cultures and nuances of life on Earth without importing the hate.

But from the moment she arrives, something is off.

Disturbing signs hint at a hidden disaster during the First Mars Expedition that never made it into the official transcript. As Elma and her crew try to investigate, they face a wall of silence and obfuscation. Their attempts to build a thriving Martian community grind to a halt.

What you don’t know CAN harm you. And if the truth doesn’t come to light, the ripple effects could leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth…

The Martian Contingency will be released in paperback, ebook and audio on 27th March, 2025 from Solaris Books.

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of The Spare Man, Ghost Talkers, The Glamourist Histories series, and the Lady Astronaut Universe. She is part of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses and a four-time Hugo Award winner. Her short fiction appears in Uncanny, Tor.com, and Asimov’s. Mary Robinette, a professional puppeteer, lives in Tennessee. Visit at maryrobinettekowal.com.