As a senior sales rep for TOR for 17 years, I’ve read more than a thousand manuscripts. The Astral Imperative is, by far, the best. My first reaction was that his novel was better than some of the stuff that I sell. Dresner was bringing a component of general fiction into a science fiction story. That’s what made Dune great. His characters were developed and you cared about the people.

The setting, the mission and even the plot fade into the background as the complexity of human relations move to the fore.  By the time I finished reading I was stunned by how compelling a vision Dresner had created!

Outstanding Sci-Fi read, highly recommended! Fortunately this book has an intriguing cover image. I had been randomly browsing the Boulder Bookstore recently and came across this gem. I am a fan of both sci-fi and non-fiction science. I also like a good story! Without a doubt, this book had me hooked from the beginning. Perhaps my own selfish desire to explore space one day was taken advantage of; the author puts together a very compelling narrative of modern space exploration, yet includes enough fantasy to make it enjoyable. The cast is phenomenal; without spoiling anything, I must say I became quite emotionally attached to this crew and their Earthbound compatriots, especially in the latter half of the novel.

Everyone Agrees Robert Dresner's Sci-fi Novel is Great  ... Robert Dresner, with his short, tough-guy haircut, Bronx accent and agitated mannerisms seems an unlikely person to write an emotionally resonant and thought-provoking novel. Words flow easily from him in conversation as he anticipates questions and speaks extemporaneously on just about any subject. Words aren’t the problem. It’s just hard to imagine him sitting still long enough to compose much more than a paragraph.

Perhaps even more surprising is that Dresner’s self-published Astral Imperative begins as a simple science fiction narrative about the first manned mission to Mars before revealing itself as an insightful meditation on relationships, heroism and human foibles. Writing in a direct, unadorned prose style, Dresner creates a space ship that is large enough to carry not only his diverse group of astronauts but also the reader’s imagination.

The quest is as large as they come: To 'penetrate the mind of God.'The Astral Imperative, Volume I: The Dream – Presented as the first volume in a philosophically focused science-fiction trilogy.

In the year 2037, when the earth has been savaged by violence, the starship Aelita is headed into the void, the first human voyage to Mars, captained by Adam Sietzer, who has notions of bringing the world back together in harmony.