Books like The Exiles Trilogy by Ben Bova

Lou Christopher, a seasoned computer engineer, finds his life spiraling after the World Government declares his cutting‑edge project too hazardous to sustain. Sentenced to permanent exile with thousands of scientists and their families, Lou is confined to a sprawling space station orbiting Earth. Surrounded by like‑minded innovators, Lou confronts the grim reality of isolation while gaining surprisingly valuable bonds with others forced into a new frontier. Together, they devise a bold plan: to repurpose the station into a self‑contained starship capable of escape from the Earth's orbit. The narrative follows their complex struggle against bureaucratic oppression, technical obstacles, and the psychological toll of exile, ultimately questioning the limits of human ingenuity when survival depends on collective effort in the void of space.

First publish date: June 1, 1980