We expected Mars to be an escape, not a trap.A crimson, blasted, frigid trap. Maybe humans were lucky to leave Earth as cowards…or maybe they should have died trying to save it from the aliens. Because what’s now arrived on this red rock may be worse than death.Aliens destroyed humanity and seized Earth. Now they have sent a terrible, unstoppable disease to the last human outposts on Mars.The … disease to the last human outposts on Mars.
The doomsday clock is ticking and only criminal archaeologist Ozzy Mack can decipher the clues buried in the ancient Martian ruins…clues to the cure and the salvation of humankind.
Unless it’s already too late.
“A spine-tingling space thriller that combines elements of Indiana Jones and War of the Worlds into a must-read sci-fi adventure.”
Warning: This book contains secret ancient Martian information and a lot of kick-butt action. If you’re ready, grab a copy today!
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Human settlements on Mars are run by authoritarians while people are dying of a plague – 3.5 stars
This book seems like it had been written with 1950s scientific knowledge and beliefs. Space ships are heavy, use steam, have wings, run on mumbo-jumbo technology (“Quadruple Engine Electrohydrodynamic Ionic Thrusters”) and hardly ever left the red planet. The design felt like Flash Gordon comic books.
Our hero is Ozzy Mach. Ozzy is quite knowledgeable in translating Coptic writing. There are some ancient tablets written in Coptic that u206fidentify the locations of many antiquities. Ozzi is a trained historian. He only wants to be reunited with his daughter with enough money to escape to one of Jupiter’s moons.
Ozzy works for High Judge Robert Baldwin under unusual give and take. Baldwin orders Ozzy to find antiques. The judge takes possession and Ozzi accepts his fate. The Judge keeps Ozzy imprisoned when he is not out plundering antiques. High Judge Baldwin sets up Ozzi to work with a young woman, Jozi Ryan. Jozi turns out to be an undercover agent for the MMP – The Mars Ministry Police.
A voracious alien group known as the Dunrakee has already taken over Earth centuries ago and is starting to take over Mars now that the humans have terraformed parts of it. The Dunrakee enjoy killing virtually every human that they encounter. There are a few Dunrakee dissenters who operate like Templar Knights to uphold morality and oppose destroying other civilizations.
There is plenty of murder, a major plague, infighting and attempts to rest money from well-connected leaders.
The roles are clearly defined and the playing field is anything but level.
Ok. Just: wow. Aliens take over Earth. Humanity’s remnants flew to Mars but a plague is sent to wipe them out … but archeological ruins might lead to a cure … but time is running out (a doomsday clock indeed) … but … Oh. Freakin’. God. Brain is exploding here, but in a good way (?!), as somehow Brandon Ellis manages to pull this all off in Martian Plague (Mars Colony Chronicles, Book 1), and amazingly its all done in a way that totally makes sense and is easy to follow, and is total fun. Highly recommended.
Martian Plague is a good book! I couldn’t put it down!
While others might not find the plot similarities between Martian Plague (Mars Colony Chronicles Book 1) and Ellis’ earlier book Project Atlantis (Ascendants Colony Book 1) an issue – I did.
In Martian Plague, I was looking forward to a fresh and unexplored plot but instead discovered a story that seemed to recycle different aspects of Project Atlantis.
Perhaps recycling stories in this way is normal for the sci-fi genre? I know from experience there is a specific writing formula used by Cozy Mystery authors and perhaps there is a similiar sci-fi specific formula used by sci-fi writers as well?
Ellis’ descriptive writing, of which I am a huge admirer, easily catapults the reader into his narrative but having previously read his book Project Atlantis I found the similarities between Matian Plaque and Project Atlantis to be a major distraction and stumbling block for keeping me glued to my seat.
Yes, Martian Plague was a good book but my overall reaction when I finished the book was one you would expect to have when reading your favorite book for a second time – been there done that. The “wow hurry and pass me book 2” factor was missing, if that makes sense.
Ellis’ plot offers numerous possibilities to explore which – fingers crossed – could provide fans with fresh never before seen plots and subplots in future releases for the series.
I would be remiss not to mention that while I was a bit disappointed to find a few too many similarities between Martian Plague and Ellis’ Project Atlantis, Martian Plague is entertaining and has great characters for continuing the story in future books. Sci-fi fans should grab a copy.
Enjoyed this book very much , soon to be one of my favorite authors.