I got this UK-edition softcover from Better World Books. (Its very-long-lived-humanity aspect reminded me of another book, Marrow by Robert Reed.)

The story unfolds in three parts, the first set in 2248 and consisting of the found-document journal of one Emma Weil, who finds herself caught up in a mutiny by the crew of a space-mining ship out in the asteroid belt. The mutineers have an unusual goal - they want to construct a starship to leave the solar system and go exploring, and they hope that Emma will join them as her expertise in sustainable life-support would be invaluable. But she's not convinced that their goal is workable, and is conflicted about defying the Committee...

Then we get the viewpoint of Hjalmar Nederland in 2547, an archaeologist who has discovered Emma's journal and who suspects that the official Committee version of the mutiny is a coverup. (He also tells us some things about the longevity treatment - he's "only" three hundred at this point, of a projected lifespan of a thousand years, but has already noticed that his earlier memories have faded, with only a few snapshots still available. (This sounds like a reasonable side effect of long life; I've noticed similar patterns in my own memory, and if that were to stretch over centuries I expect a lot of things would fade away.) The world he lives in features long-lived people whose goals and relationships have changed due to this; he has grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom he seldom or never sees, and with populations spread among the planets and moons of the Solar System it seems that there's even less cohesion. But he's ardent about his work - and when he hears of a strange discovery on Pluto by what everyone thought was the first ship to reach that far out, a strange circle of white blocks of ice forming a Stonehenge-like formation, he's fascinated. Who erected it, and when? He suspects that Emma's journal about the mutineers may be the clue; perhaps they succeeded in reaching Pluto on their way out of the Solar System. Or was it from some other source - or even a hoax? Professional reputations and political currency are at stake here.

Finally, in 2610, we get Edmond Doya's view of events - which may tie in to the centuries-past conspiracies. He's a descendant of Hjalmar, though they aren't close, and he is among the crew of a ship that is sent to Pluto to investigate the "Icehenge" once again - with new evidence about its possible creation. We also learn that the longevity treatments don't seem to last as long as originally stated; instead of a thousand years of life, most people only make it to 500 or so before they just... wear out. Some lose interest in life and intentionally end it; others seek more and more intense experiences, having become weary of simpler things, to the point where they finally suffer fatal accidents. Not the sweetest view of humanity's future, though it seems that some people find a way around the challenges - including one enigmatic woman, who may have the answers Edmond is seeking.

Strange tale, with lots of questions left unresolved (though sometimes with answers strongly hinted at), and an unusual view of a possible space-faring culture.

[There's a TV Tropes page on Robinson and his works.]

I plan to leave this book in or near the brewery this afternoon, while stopping by to sample their beers. Hope the finder enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2019 Wine+Food release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2019 Four Elements release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2019 Science Fiction release challenge. ***