Book 1 of the Hope Series In the year 2128, humankind suffers from the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels, devastating weather, droughts, wildfires, and severe food shortages. Over the past century, changes in the atmosphere have triggered irreversible ecosystem effects. Ocean life is dying, crops have been devastated, and crime is rampant. Everywhere, nations are on the verge of anarchy, and societies are in decline. The United Nations commissions Project Hope to build a starship that will journey to Alpha Centauri to colonize an Earth-like planet, and able nations have joined in the effort. Vincent Senn, an aeronautical engineer, teams up with Jeremiah Jasper, a master project manager, to design and build rockets to launch components and systems into orbit where they will be assembled. However, they face many challenges including angry, violent mobs and climatic effects that threaten to bring Project Hope to a halt.