We’re pleased to announce that Percival’s Planet, the most recent novel by FWR Contributor Michael Byers, was released today. The book was inspired by the true story of the discovery of Pluto and takes place during the late 1920s. Told from multiple perspectives–a farm boy in Kansas who grinds his own telescope lenses, a young woman losing her grip on reality, a Harvard-educated scientist trying to work through Percival Lowell’s mathematical equations to find Planet X, and the heir of a chemical company fortune who’s decided to become a paleontologist in the hopes of establishing his own reputation–the novel explores the very human desire to understand the universe beyond our senses.
Byers is the author of two previous books, both of which were New York Times Notable Books: The Coast of Good Intentions (a story collection) and Long For This World (a novel). To read more on the background of this book, to find links to Michael’s essays and stories, or to check his tour schedule, visit his website.
