I really enjoyed Rocket Religion. The author has an acute eye for character and place that, combined with a disdain for genre, leads to a story that is involving and takes unexpected turns. And at the center of this story is Russell, an earnest and goofily likeable man whose desire to build rockets and be a part of humanity's journey into space is matched only by his desire to connect to the humans that surround him. It's hard not to root for him as he travels across the globe in pursuit of the stars, all the while struggling to make sense of soldiers, engineers, rockets and relationships.Especially impressive for a first novel, hopefully more to follow...