Out of all the books I’ve read and loved, this is the only one I would describe as “miserable.” It’s like Baxter thought “what would be the most utterly depressing and cynical way that a manned mission to Titan could be achieved,” and you know what? He nailed it! As much of a bummer as this book is, it’s also really damn good. Baxter can be hit or miss but his books are never forgettable, and despite how long this book is, I absolutely devoured it in a few days. The characters are surprisingly well-written for Baxter and there are some events in this book that are weirdly accurate to what would later occur in real life (the Columbia space shuttle disaster, for example). Though most of the story is indeed a miserable time for pretty much all of humanity, the final conclusion is actually quite hopeful and beautiful. While I can understand why some people probably do not like the ending and find it unnecessary, I found it quite satisfying and it made me like the book even more.