Rescue Mode
Prolific sf author Bova joins author and NASA physicist Johnson to create a suspenseful and compelling narrative of the first human spaceflight to Mars. Set 20 years into the future, an international crew of eight astronauts and scientists takes off for the Red Planet amid a fierce political debate in Washington on the merits and necessity of human space exploration. Their goal is to find evidence of microscopic life beneath the planet’s surface. As the title suggests, much goes wrong, both technically (a rock hits the ship, causing near-catastrophic damage to its water and power supply) and interpersonally. Even so, the narrative highlights many positive aspects of human nature, including the wonders of innovation in stressful situations and the fierce will to survive despite impossible odds. While perhaps light on character development, the novel is strong on fascinating hard science, without being overly technical for the average reader. This is sure to please fans of Mars tales and Bova’s Grand Tour series. --Kerri Price