Dark Orbit

When a new planet is discovered, 58 light years away from the Twenty Planets, exoethnologist Sara Callicot is one of the scientists sent to explore it. She’s also secretly assigned to protect Thora Lassiter, a mystic who was involved in unrest on the planet Orem. When their ship reaches the planet Iris, they find it surrounded by dark matter. Soon a member of the crew dies, Thora disappears, and the scientists find a civilization in the heart of the planet that challenges their preconceptions. Gilman (The Ice Owl) incorporates intriguing ideas about interplanetary travel, gender roles, mental health, and the senses, but the overall effect is a jumble that doesn’t know what it is trying to say. The story jumps from espionage to murder to first contact to philosophy at dizzying speeds, without resting anywhere long enough to come to any conclusions. The one exception is the charming portrayal of a civilization of the blind, which showcases Gilman’s talent for description and character. Agent: Gary Heidt, Signature Literary. (July)