Transcendent

About “Transcendent”

Stephen Baxter's Transcendent, the final volume of his Destiny's Children trilogy, follows two intertwined stories. In 2047, nuclear engineer Michael Poole grieves the death of his wife, Morag, and their child. He experiences strange visions of her, which grow more intense as he tries to reconnect with his estranged son and prevent a catastrophe caused by melting ice releasing toxic gases. In the distant future, Alia, born on a starship 500,000 years after Michael's death, is assigned to Witness his life using time-travel technology. As a Transcendent, she is part of a collective mind guiding humanity toward evolution. However, she uncovers a dangerous secret in the Transcendents' plans. To save the future, Alia must travel to the past and rely on Michael's fate. The novel explores themes of grief, time, and humanity's survival.