Gorgeous detail in an alien environment

From the opening paragraph, author Christopher Paolini reminds the reader why his Eragon tale spent 121 weeks on the New York Times best seller list. Vivid detail -- from the "glittering field of stars" to the "small huddle of buildings" -- help frame Kira's world in To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. While Paolini's name will draw in many readers, it is his writing that will keep readers hooked. Kira, hardworking and pragmatic, has hopes for her new assignment and her relationship with Alan, but life is difficult when fate rests in the hands of a corporation. Readers will root for Kira as she ventures to build her future and save Earth and its colonies.