When the First Call from the Stars Comes, Do We Even Dare to Answer? Life changes for everyone in general-and for physicist Dean Matthews in particular-when astronomers detect a radio signal from a nearby star. First Contact forces humanity to face hard questions, and do it fast. Every answer spawns new questions. Every solution sets in motion a new and more daunting crisis to challenge Dean, his family-and an expanding number of interstellar civilizations-for generations to come. Praise for InterstellarNet: Origins "...in InterstellarNet: Origins...Lerner proves he knows enough real-world, present-day computer science and economics to combine them into a wonderfully thought-provoking story.... "Lerner's world-building and extrapolating are top notch." -SFScope "Lerner mixes physics, computer science, and economics into a series of very intellectually satisfying puzzles. Some of the puzzles involve understanding the alien, and some depend on understanding ourselves ... A very satisfying read, especially for the intellectually inclined." -Mike Brotherton, author of Spider Star "One of the most original, believable, thoroughly thought-out, and utterly fascinating visions ever of what interstellar contact might really be like." -Dr. Stanley Schmidt, Editor, Analog Magazine