Powersat: A Thriller of Technology, Terrorism, and Hope (The Grand Tour Book 13)

Name: Powersat: A Thriller of Technology, Terrorism, and Hope (The Grand Tour Book 13)
Price: 16.87 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4 (167 reviews)
Author: Ben Bova

by Ben Bova

Thriller Science Fiction

4.0 (167)

4.0 stars from 167 reviews

400 pages~6.7 hr readPublished by TorPublished 1998-01-01

$16.87At peak price

Last checked: May 28, 2026

Price history: $2.99 – $17.48

While not the biggest discount we've seen for this book, it's still a great deal and we recommend grabbing it before price returns to its normal range.

Price range: $2.99 – $17.48

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Perfect for you if...

You want hard sci-fi with real physics and engineering details woven into a taut thriller, not hand-waving technobabble.
You enjoy stories where the central conflict stems from disrupting entrenched power structures, not just good versus evil.
You appreciate older science fiction that feels grounded and plausible, written by someone who actually understands space technology.

Maybe not for you if...

You're looking for character-driven literary fiction; this prioritises plot momentum and technical problem-solving over introspection.
You prefer near-future or contemporary settings; the geosynchronous powersat concept may feel dated depending on when you're reading this.
You want explosions and car chases; Bova's style is lean and cerebral rather than cinematic.

About this book

An experimental low-orbit spaceplane called Astro crashes from two hundred thousand feet, leaving a debris trail hundreds of miles long. The disaster threatens entrepreneur Dan Randolph's ambitious plan to solve the world's energy crisis. Randolph envisions an array of geosynchronous powersats—satellites that collect solar energy and transmit it to ground-based generators—to break the dominance of oil cartels. However, the Astro's destruction has pushed his company toward bankruptcy. Randolph soon learns the spaceplane functioned flawlessly until saboteurs deliberately brought it down. Whoever orchestrated the crash is prepared to kill again to prevent the Astro from flying once more. Randolph must pursue what he sees as the most important mission in space history while facing those determined to stop him.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$2.99 – $17.48

Price has dropped 25 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 89 days. Typically stays discounted for 120 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #28K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 26% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.0★ from 167 reviews

Gaining approximately 1 new review per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.0 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 89 days. Next drop estimated in about 12 weeks. Typical discount: 83% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.