This is the fourth novel in the Planetfall universe. Even though the four novels are genuine stand-alones, I do recommend that you have read After Atlas before this one, as it does follow on six months after the end of that novel with several of the characters featured in it. You could read Atlas Alone first, but I think you’ll enjoy it more if you have read After Atlas beforehand.

Here is the blurb for Atlas Alone – though please note this contains spoilers for After Atlas and Before Mars.

Hugo Award winner Emma Newman returns to the captivating Planetfall universe with a novel about vengeance and the lengths to which one will go to save the future of humanity.

Six months after she left, Dee is struggling to manage her rage toward the people who ordered the nuclear strike that destroyed Earth. She’s trying to find those responsible, but she’s not getting very far alone.

A dedicated gamer, Dee is endeavoring to discover a mersive good enough to enable her to escape her trauma. When she is approached by a designer who asks her to play test his new game, she hopes it will be what she needs—but it isn’t like any mersive she’s played before. When a man suddenly dies in the real world, she realizes that at the same time in the game, she killed a character who bears a striking resemblance to the dead man—a man she discovers was one of those responsible for the death of millions on Earth.

Disturbed, but thinking it must be a coincidence, Dee continues the hunt for information. But when she finds out the plans for the future colony, she realizes that to save what is left of humanity, she might have to do something that risks what remains of her own.

Early reviews include:
A starred review from Publisher’s Weekly: “This winning combination of intriguing mystery and inventive SF richly rewards Newman’s longtime readers and will lure others to the series.”

Liz Loves Books: “I loved every minute of it. I still have one Planetfall novel to go, not sure how I missed it but am suddenly pleased I did. These are the books I love because they are different, vibrant and give you a different perspective on just about everything. Emma Newman is a huge talent indeed. Highly Recommended.”

Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews: ” this is a story which takes excellent characterisation with an interesting world and an intriguing plot that blends mystery and personal discovery, and combines them into a sterling piece of top notch science fiction.”

Blue Book Balloon:”For the duration of the book you are Dee, you feel what she feels, suffer as she suffers and as her certainties begin to crumble, so do yours, until finally, well… you’ll have to read the book to find out. Simply outstanding. You have to read this.”

Here’s where you can buy Atlas Alone

Please note the audiobook edition can be bought in CD format or through Audible and other streaming services.

US edition

Barnes and Noble, paperback
Nook ebook
US Paperback, Amazon
US Kindle Edition

UK edition

UK Paperback edition at Books on the Hill (Independent bookshop)
UK Paperback edition on Wordery
Amazon Kindle UK
Amazon UK Paperback
UK Paperback, Book Depository
UK Paperback, Waterstones