Readers who are familiar with Sylvain Neuvel’s trilogy of novels known as The Themis Files were privileged to have experienced an award-winning combination of science fiction and thriller in a series that seemed to transcend both genres. Now he has returned with A HISTORY OF WHAT COMES NEXT, a stand-alone title that appears to be the first in a new series, Take Them to the Stars.

We are met at the beginning with a quote from the legendary Dr. Carl Sagan: “All civilizations become either spacefaring or extinct.” The story you are about to delve into is historical fiction with a blend of sci-fi/fantasy elements that make it seem both very familiar and otherworldly. Imagine, if you will, that there is a family who for generations has been built on the premise that they would one day fulfill their grand purpose of taking mankind to the stars. Each generation has been referred to by a number. Therefore, after 99 generations of existence as the Kibsu, Sarah and her daughter, Mia, are now “the 100,” and they have in their hands the task of being the very Kibsu who will fulfill their prophecy.

"The narrative reads like a high-octane history book with space, the final frontier, as the ultimate destination.... The plot is left wide open for a continuation of this saga, and I truly hope that Neuvel follows through with a sequel."

The story will take us through time, but the present narrative is set in the period between World War I and World War II, specifically during the creation of the Nazi empire under Adolf Hitler. Even though Sarah and Mia are in Germany, Sarah is employed by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), an ancestor of the CIA. Her purpose is to infiltrate the scientists working with the Nazis to bring them over to the Allied side and thereby control the creation of the potential nuclear bombs that not only could bring an end to the war, but also could shift the balance of world power. The Russians are very much involved as they recognize that once the dust settles upon the defeat of the Nazis and Axis powers, the battle will then be between the US and the Soviet Union for possible world dominance.

The target for Sarah and Mia is Wernher von Braun, a rocket scientist that the US needs to get their hands on before the Russians do. As time goes by and Mia gets older, she becomes the primary operative, especially since Sarah is now well known from her decades of work in Europe. Mia is to join up with an OSS contact within the German ranks, Walter Dornberger, who can assist with the apprehension and safe transfer of von Braun to the US. The novel plays out like an expert series of spy games that rivals some of the best works in that genre, with a bit of Kibsu legend thrown in to keep things feeling magical.

Since it has been made evident that the path of the Kibsu is to the stars, the focus of Sarah and Mia’s mission will deflect away from nuclear weapons and jump fully into the realm of the space race between the US and the Soviet Union --- especially after Fat Man and Little Boy do a number on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, effectively ending the second World War. Mia does not hesitate to take care of anyone standing in the way of her mission and Kibsu destiny, even those who were once considered friends and allies. It keeps the story moving along with enough thrills and mystery to please fans who might not normally go for hardcore sci-fi.

The narrative reads like a high-octane history book with space, the final frontier, as the ultimate destination. It is thrilling to read about Sputnik and how the Soviets beat the US to space --- even putting a dog into the outer limits before the US had their first astronaut suited up for take-off! Each chapter is named after a particular song or song lyric, and Neuvel not only lists all the song titles at the end but also provides info for the Apple Music playlist where you can enjoy them all in one place. The plot is left wide open for a continuation of this saga, and I truly hope that Neuvel follows through with a sequel.