title: If the Stars are Gods
text: # If the Stars are Gods
  
  If the Stars are Gods is a science fiction novel by American writers Gregory Benford and Gordon Eklund, published in 1977. It is an expansion of the Nebula Award-winning short story, first published in Universe 4 (1974).
  
  ## Plot summary
  
  If the Stars are Gods is a collection of stories about space explorer Bradley Reynolds, involving standalone two stories of Mars exploration and alien encounters, and interconnected sections about life systems on Jupiter.
  
  ## Reception
  
  C. Ben Ostrander reviewed If the Stars are Gods in The Space Gamer No. 12. Ostrander said:
  
     This book is for those who like their s-f sprinkled with logical, rational people, heavy on the theory with beginning, middle, and end. You can find all this and more. Serious fiction-recommended.
  
  ## Reviews
  
  * Review by Douglas Barbour (1977) in Vector 81
  * Review by Richard Lupoff (1977) in Algol, #29, Summer-Fall 1977
  * Review by Brian M. Stableford (1978) in Foundation, #14 September 1978
  