Offworld

Apr 25, 2012 Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was sitting around on Sunday looking at all the books that looked interesting when I bought them at thrift stores or yard sales for practically nothing, wondering how many I would actually read. I gathered a stack of them for review, looked this one over, and started reading. It was definitely a one day read.

A group of four American astronauts on Mars lose contact with NASA (or anyone on Earth, the moon or the International Space Station) and decide to return to Earth to see what's up. They mi...more

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Aug 03, 2011 James Korsmo added it

An elite team of four astronauts returns to earth from a three-year mission to Mars to discover the planet deserted. No people, no animals. They are all alone. An eerie start to this intriguing sci-fi drama. Chris Burke and his team, puzzled by their situation, set out to find some answers. They discover that everyone on the planet appears to have vanished at the same precise moment about two months before their return. And there is a huge beacon of light emanating from near Houston, Texas. Some...more An elite team of four astronauts returns to earth from a three-year mission to Mars to discover the planet deserted. No people, no animals. They are all alone. An eerie start to this intriguing sci-fi drama. Chris Burke and his team, puzzled by their situation, set out to find some answers. They discover that everyone on the planet appears to have vanished at the same precise moment about two months before their return. And there is a huge beacon of light emanating from near Houston, Texas. Something strange is going on. Their journey to Houston to discover the nature of their plight proves to be treacherous, first as they discover one lone survivor, Mae, wandering along the road. But the journey becomes dangerous as they begin to experience disasters that are both natural and that seem orchestrated to slow them down. Finally, as they head through Louisiana, they are cornered by what appears to be a group of elite military troopers, who are set on preventing Chris and his group from reaching Houston or interfering with whatever is happening. But Chris, Trish, Terry, and Owen are able to narrowly escape, driven by the knowledge that they may be humanity's only chance of survival. They finally discover the source of the light, a monstrous and experimental computer powered by a mysterious box. This cutting edge machine appears to have developed the capability of not only knowing the future but of manipulating it, allowing Colonel Roston and his team to program in a future where all of humanity is absent from the planet, allowing them ostensibly to force the world into a situation where peace is possible, as they try to dismantle the instruments of war around the globe. But this seeminly altruistic motive has with it some huge dangers, the biggest being that the machine may fall apart before a new future that includes all of humanity back on Earth is programmed in. And Chris and his team hurry to prevent that disastrous future from coming about, with the knowledge that even despite Roston's designs, some force has kept them in the game.

Parrish's Offworld brings the reader into an interesting mystery, with good action and believable characters. In some ways it is a playful and fun challenge to think beyond the bounds of the everyday to a world where greater powers are at work. A fun read.

Thanks to Bethany House for the review copy through their blogger reviewer program.
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Aug 02, 2011 Truly Bookish rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you have not watched the new shows on the Syfy Channel, you really should check it out. Their old movies and series were cheesy, but the new shows are really entertaining and well done. Offworld reads very much like one of the newer shows on SyFy. Its action packed and the mystery behind the disappearances keeps you reading.

I did find the characters a bit underdeveloped. Since the astronauts are trained soldiers, they handled coming back to an empty world well on the outside, internalizing t...more

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Sep 20, 2010 Alan rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Not sure, really...

Recommended to Alan by: Not sure, really... something of a theme

Off-kilter.

There's something off-kilter about this book, and I'm not sure I can put my finger directly on it. It's not as simple and petty as the author's unbalanced name (shouldn't it be Robbin Parrish, or Robin Parish?); nor is it the cinematic implausibility of the scrapes the protagonists get into, and even more implausibly out of. Nor is it the denouement, which wraps up and ties off pretty much every thread.

Maybe it was the prose itself, which—while workmanlike—occasionally became difficul...more Off-kilter.

There's something off-kilter about this book, and I'm not sure I can put my finger directly on it. It's not as simple and petty as the author's unbalanced name (shouldn't it be Robbin Parrish, or Robin Parish?); nor is it the cinematic implausibility of the scrapes the protagonists get into, and even more implausibly out of. Nor is it the denouement, which wraps up and ties off pretty much every thread.

Maybe it was the prose itself, which—while workmanlike—occasionally became difficult to parse. From late in the book, for one specific example, this description: "it was a man-made construct; it was random and imprecise in the extreme, entirely function over form." Which does not really say what the author seems to intend it to say... "function over form" indicates neither randomness nor imprecision, though it does mean that the elegance of the construct might have been lacking. This isn't really wrong, as a description, but it does take a little more effort to work through than is desirable.

Offworld's setup is simple enough: four astronauts on a months-long mission to Mars lose contact with Earth, and when they get back home, they discover that every human being—indeed, every animal, including insects—has vanished, leaving behind no widespread destruction and no obvious explanation for their disappearance.

Uh-oh... here we go again. This is basically the same setup as in Thomas Glavinic's Night Work, which I reviewed awhile ago—the astronauts find similarly functional unattended systems, and do have to deal with the shock and distress of losing their loved ones, though their self-discipline keeps them from going quite so much off the rails as Glavinic's singular protagonist. The astronauts have more clues to work with, too, especially including a bizarre bright light emanating from the area of Houston, Texas...

There are good points to this book: it definitely keeps moving, and it does resolve the issues it raises, for the most part. And it kept me guessing; I did not really anticipate the ending, though it was in keeping with what went before. But, still, this book did not really impress me. Maybe it was that there didn't seem to be much here that was new or original; we've seen this stuff before—the almost-empty Earth, and the massive property damage that occurs as Our Heroes make their way towards a rather arbitrary goal. Maybe it was the rushed and cavalier ending, which was something of a let-down despite its consistency with the plot and the characters.

Offworld is, in the end, a serviceable diversion; I just wish I could offer it more praise than that.
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Mar 18, 2010 Fred Warren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

In Robin Parrish’s Offworld, four NASA astronauts–poster-boy mission commander Chris, multi-talented second-in-command Trisha, steely-nerved mission specialist Owen, and brash, impulsive pilot Terry–are enroute to Earth following an historic two-and-a-half-year mission to Mars.

67 days to landing, they abruptly lose contact with Mission Control. As they get closer to Earth, they realize that all electronic evidence of human activity on Earth has ceased. No radio, no television, no e-mail, no bars...more In Robin Parrish’s Offworld, four NASA astronauts–poster-boy mission commander Chris, multi-talented second-in-command Trisha, steely-nerved mission specialist Owen, and brash, impulsive pilot Terry–are enroute to Earth following an historic two-and-a-half-year mission to Mars.

67 days to landing, they abruptly lose contact with Mission Control. As they get closer to Earth, they realize that all electronic evidence of human activity on Earth has ceased. No radio, no television, no e-mail, no bars on the cell phone.

Then, their spacecraft loses power on re-entry and plunges Earthward, out of control. The End.

Just kidding. The astronauts awaken, battered and bruised, but otherwise intact, on the runway at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and their worst fears are confirmed: nobody’s home. Even the animals have disappeared. They access a reconnaissance satellite feed and discover a brilliant light shooting skyward from the vicinity of Houston, Texas. Commandeering a couple of abandoned vehicles, they start traveling toward Houston in search of answers.

Eventually, they discover they’re not quite alone–they find Mae, an odd, homeless girl with an attitude, who might be connected to the mass-vanishing, but she seems as clueless as the astronauts. As they continue their journey, strange incidents multiply–weird storms, creepy “voids,” and shadowy followers. On top of that, Craig Chris is experiencing a series of flashbacks to an incident on Mars when he went missing and returned to base with several hours unaccounted for, and he’s beginning to remember what happened.

The very fabric of reality seems to be unraveling, or perhaps our heroes are trapped in some bizarre hallucination–or worse.

Offworld was quick-paced and full of action. It was a fun ride, and once it started rolling, it barely paused to let me catch a breath. I was familiar with a lot of the places Parrish described in the story, and I thought he did a pretty good job giving us the nickel tour of points of interest along Interstate-10.

The characters were likable, though a bit stereotypical. I thought girl-enigma Mae, however, was very unique and interesting, though I wished Parrish would have let her open up a little more, especially when the mystery surrounding her was resolved.

The story showcased lots of positive values, including loyalty, courage, self-sacrifice, integrity, and the importance of trust and honesty (or the problems that multiply from distrust and deception). Reference was made several times to Someone watching over our heroes, and judging by the number of hair-breadth escapes and miraculous survivals, I had to agree.

My biggest complaint was that Offworld shut down my willing suspension of disbelief at several points, and that takes some doing in a story I like. There was the characters’ Wile E. Coyote-like resistance to injury, a few car stunts that would make Hollywood filmmakers blush, and a key element of the story that gave me a whole new perspective on deus ex machina. It was distracting, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the story. Like I said, it was a fun ride.

Bottom line, I think anybody who’s a fan of sci-fi actioners laced with a little mystery will enjoy Offworld.(less)

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Sep 23, 2009 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had never heard of Robin Parish prior to reading the review blurb for Offworld in Publisher’s Weekly. The idea behind the novel, the first astronauts to visit Mars return home only to find Earth abandoned, all people and animals having suddenly disappeared, sounded intriguing. Bethany House, for those that don’t know, is indeed a publisher of Christian fiction not necessarily known for its stirring sci-fi/fantasy catalog and faith certainly colors both the plot and characters of Parish’s book...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Rachel Thomson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Six months out, six months back, two years on the surface of Mars. For dedicated astronauts, scientists, and adventurers, three years is just enough time to accomplish the greatest expedition in the history of mankind — but it’s also a long time away from home.

Christopher Burke shares his teammates’ eagerness to get home, home to a hero’s welcome, to family, to real food. When their ship, the Ares, loses contact with Houston several months before the return voyage ends, they figure it’s just a c...more Six months out, six months back, two years on the surface of Mars. For dedicated astronauts, scientists, and adventurers, three years is just enough time to accomplish the greatest expedition in the history of mankind — but it’s also a long time away from home.

Christopher Burke shares his teammates’ eagerness to get home, home to a hero’s welcome, to family, to real food. When their ship, the Ares, loses contact with Houston several months before the return voyage ends, they figure it’s just a computer glitch onboard. Then comes the swirling black void spotted just before entering orbit, the system failure, the plummeting death of the Ares with its astronauts saved against all odds by an automated landing program at the Cape.

Then the emptiness.

Every man, woman, child, and animal on earth has disappeared.

Determined to find out what has happened, Chris and his team borrow a couple of offroad vehicles and hit the freeways of the southern U.S., dodging pile-ups of empty cars as they journey toward Houston — source of a brilliant beam of light, and, they hope, of the answers they need. On the way they rescue a homeless girl (”Who do you think I am?” she asks; “You’re the fly in the ointment,” Owen answers), battle a ferocious storm, discover the enemy, and come to terms with secrets of their own.

Action-packed, exciting, a veritable comic book in all prose, Offworld left me feeling like I’d just watched an action flick. Its characters make a great team, real people and likable, with definite foibles and follies. Parrish reveals his characters more through action and dialogue than through interior monologue, adding to the summer-blockbuster feel. His prose can be clunky (”Trisha piled out of the SUV” was a howler), and I couldn’t help feeling as though some editor somewhere had fallen asleep on the job — one doesn’t “withdraw” a gun for a fight, one draws it. But the writing does what it sets out to do, which is tell a whopping story and tell it well. For all their occasional bad verbs, Parrish’s action scenes are detailed, vivid, and adrenaline-pumping. There isn’t a single gory or otherwise objectionable scene from a moral standpoint, which makes the book particularly suited to young action fans.

Readers looking for a strong Christian message won’t exactly find one here — the characters’ moment of epiphany, led up to by Chris’s habit of asking someone vague for “a little help here,” is that they’re not alone in the universe. Who else is with them and what that means to their personal lives is never really explored. The climax involves a spiritual element which I found a little out of place; had the rest of the book possessed a more mystical feel, I might have found it more fitting.

All in all, Offworld is a good read, an exciting story, a fine alternative to sitting in another theatre for two more hours taking in action mixed with the world’s un-clean fun.(less)

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Sep 11, 2009 Amydeanne rated it 1 of 5 stars

I finished “Offworld” by Robin Parrish. Parrish’s writing style was very smooth and easy to read. I liked how action packed it was. The characters were interesting, and the storyline kept you guessing right until the end. I love that the book dabbles with different realities and the people disappearance. I was thinking it was going to a “Left behind” type book, but it was not.

What’s the book about:

“Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared.” Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humani...more I finished “Offworld” by Robin Parrish. Parrish’s writing style was very smooth and easy to read. I liked how action packed it was. The characters were interesting, and the storyline kept you guessing right until the end. I love that the book dabbles with different realities and the people disappearance. I was thinking it was going to a “Left behind” type book, but it was not.

What’s the book about:

“Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared.” Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity’s greatest explorers. They’ve finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth. Everyone…everywhere…is gone. It’s not a dream. It’s not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission:find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.”

My favorite line ins the book is:

“Life is poetry,” said Mae. “Stop. Watch. Listen. There’s poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It don’t write itself.”

But.. here’s my but.

I have no clue why this would even be considered a Christian book. Sure there a few flighty moments of talk about faith and it does a weak attempt of saying that faith is something we should seek over fact (re. a bunch of scientists and astronauts- I mean read Lee Strobel than talk about faith and facts okay?)… it was just “off” to me. The whole sci-fi thing it worked, but as a Christian it did not work for me. If they would have left it as a shard of something alien it would have been fine, but because they hinted it was God I have an issue with it. I don’t think there is enough of any depth of Christianity even on the surface to classify this as Christian, so as Christian fiction I’m totally disappointed.

As a sci-fi book, I enjoyed it and wouldn’t have thought twice about it as anything but an action/thriller story if it classified as such. I think Parrish is talented and though I’ve never read any of his other books, I’d probably pick one up if I was looking for a thriller that wasn’t overtly mainstream gore/junk, but I’m mostly disappointed that this is under the category of Christianity… I just don’t see it…I hate to be so harsh, but I don’t like books that are posers… the few parts that were almost Christian fell short of any actually biblical truth and it could have been any religion, not necessarily Christian. While the concept that someone else is in control was submitted I don’t feel like it was every really presented enough for anyone to take it seriously.

I’m not sure how others found this book, and I hate to be so critical, but it actually made me mad. I am left wondering why this is called a Christian sci-fi ? Sorry (less)

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Aug 30, 2009 Janna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have not read Robin Parrish's other series of books (Relentless, Fearless, Merciless) but have heard such good things about them (and they are on my TBR list) that I was thrilled to see he had a stand alone book coming out that I could get my hands on. So "Offworld" comes in and I start reading and by the end of chapter 1, I can not put it down! The style is intense and pressing and I just kept turning the pages... 2:00 in the morning - who cares! I'm reading "Offworld" here people! I wasn't...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Charlie Kravetz rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young adults and other readers of science fiction

This review is for the Kindle edition ebook.

An epic story of near disaster that keeps the reader guessing what is coming.

The first manned mission to Mars. It is exciting, astronauts now on their home again. It has been a very long time since they saw earth. Upon crashing the rocket they are in, the crew discovers that every man, woman, child and animal has been removed from the planet. Their mission changes, to discover where all living creatures disappeared to.

This was a very good story. It kep...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Lianne Burwell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, sf, ebooks, library

The crew of the first manned mission to Mars are on their way home, and something has happened. Something strange happened on Mars to the commander, which he cannot remember, and now Mission Control has stopped answering. In fact, they aren't picking up anything from Earth.

After a crash landing, they find the world apparently empty of all life, human or animal, and there is a strange beacon of light centered on Houston. After a couple of stops to check on family homes, they head for Houston in t...more

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Aug 13, 2009 Emily Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Summary: Commander Christopher Burke is the first man to walk on Mars, and the mission is a success despite the unexplained 18 hours he went missing. But when his crew returns to Earth, something's wrong.
Everyone is gone.

Review: Offworld is an adult novel set in the future. The action is intense (as anyone could guess from the summary). In fact, even though this is an adult novel, Offworld could quite easily overlap into the YA section. The writing is simplistic, the dialogue clever, the premise...more

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Nov 17, 2009 Elisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun-novels

My sister recommended this book. Here we go...

I enjoyed it. Story really keeps you going. Almost nonstop action. Definitely fast paced. I also enjoyed the encouragement for faith in God that as the characters eventually realize that they are not TRULY alone, even if the other living inhabitants on Earth have all been removed.

My criticism was more about the writing style than anything else. I thought the characters were a little bit predictable and there were several holes in the plot that just...more

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Aug 07, 2009 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Off World by author Robin Parrish is a thrilling, can't put it down until I'm finished kind of novel! It's good. It's so good the back cover had me riveted! My first assumption was that this book would have something to do with the rapture. After all, it's a Christian book...but nope...that's not it and I'm not telling either. Let's just say you know it's not about the rapture when ALL the people on earth are gone - even the animals. So now I'm really intrigued. All the people and animals are go...more

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Jul 27, 2009 Michael Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

OffWorld by Robin Parrish is a sci-fi fiction book that melds fiction with the real world. It is one of the best Sci-fi books I have read in a long time.

The basic premise of the book is the first manned mission to Mars is headed back and when they get back to Earth… no one is there to welcome them home. In fact, they are the only people left on earth. So they set off to find out what happened, why it happened, and if they can fix it.

I don’t want to say anymore less I ruin the story for you. If y...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Tal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book, sf-fantasy

The return of NASA's first manned mission to Mars was supposed to be a momentous day. But when the crew loses touch with ground control before entry, things look bleak. Safe after a treacherous landing, the crew emerges to discover the unthinkable--every man, woman, child, and animal has vanished without a trace. Alone now on their home planet, the crew sets out to discover where everyone has gone--and how to get them back--only to discover they may not be as alone as they thought.

an interesting...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm a bit torn about this book. I like the style of the author, the writing is very good. I liked the way that their was depth to the characters. The problem is I didn't care all that much for the story itself, not that there is specifically anything wrong with it, he explains the why when where and how adequately. I guess, it's just a matter of personal taste. In the end, I would have to say that my first Robin Parrish book experience was positive and that the book is good, though not great. It...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Darkmorning rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 29, 2009 Clockstein Lockstein rated it 5 of 5 stars

Offworld by Robin Parrish is a mind-bending sci-fi thriller that simply begs for big screen treatment. A group of four astronauts: Chris, Trisha, Terry, and Owen have been on a mission to Mars for the past twenty-nine months. Two months before they are due to return home, they lose contact with NASA, and end up returning home blind, hoping that it is simply a problem with their equipment. They are shocked by what they find on the return home: the earth is empty, all humans and animals are gone a...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Patrick Nichol rated it 3 of 5 stars

Offworld is an Ok time-waster perfect for a lazy summer.

The premise of a Mars mission returning home to an empty Earth is intriguing.

But the action is stilted and the characters too wooden to add any depth.

There are moments of inspiration, though.

The team of astronauts finds a waif survivor in a deserted city. The young woman is apparently homeless but undisturbed about the disaster.

What does she know and does she hold the key to the mystery?

Ok story.

Not fabulous, though.

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Dec 29, 2012 TJ rated it 3 of 5 stars

"Offworld" is a solid, not great, novel about Mars astronauts who return to Earth and find it devoid of all human and animal life. Chris Burke and his three teammates begin to feel that's something's wrong once they lose contact with Houston control, but don't realize how bad things are until they step foot again on the terra firma near Cape Canaveral.

A brilliant light reaching to the top of the night sky is the only difference in the world that they return to (except for a complete absence of...more

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Jul 25, 2010 Krista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Okay, so yesterday I was reading this book and told Brian what a great book it was. He asked me what it was about. I told him it was about these 4 astronauts that went on a 2 1/2 year mission to Mars and when they came back EVERYONE in the world was gone. I happened about 2 months before their return~ the same time they lost contact with NASA. So as they are traveling to this bright light in Houston from Florida, they find a homeless gal (about 19 or so)~ the only person alive. Not knowing what...more

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Mar 05, 2010 Victor Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had the privilege of interviewing Robin Parrish, on our radio show "Kingdom Highlights", for his new book, "Offworld", published by Bethany House. Offworld is a book that keeps you guessing from page to page. Offworld asks the question how much trouble can four individuals get into when they are the only four individuals on the planet? Get ready Mr. Parrish has crafted a thrill ride filled with lots of action and suspense. Don't start this book late at night because it will be very difficult t...more I had the privilege of interviewing Robin Parrish, on our radio show "Kingdom Highlights", for his new book, "Offworld", published by Bethany House. Offworld is a book that keeps you guessing from page to page. Offworld asks the question how much trouble can four individuals get into when they are the only four individuals on the planet? Get ready Mr. Parrish has crafted a thrill ride filled with lots of action and suspense. Don't start this book late at night because it will be very difficult to put it down or stop thinking about it.

For trivia buffs the first Twilight Zone had to do with an astronaut who returns to Earth and finds it empty and the beginning of the original Planet of the Apes practically begins with the crash that maroons the astronauts on the planet. Mr. Parrish has taken these elements and built his novel, Offworld. Returning from their mission to Mars Christopher Burke and his team crash land back on Earth to find it empty and that they are the last of humanity. Having landed in Florida they see a strange light in Texas and are drawn to it thinking that this light might solve the mystery of the missing mankind. So the intrepid foursome begin their journey across America

Offworld is a wonderful blend of Science Fiction and Mystery but at its heart it is a thriller. This foursome is in real trouble from page one and their danger grows from page to page. Like the cliffhanger serials they keep getting into trouble practically every five pages or so. The question the reader constantly will ask is "what is going on?"

If I tell you anything more I will spoil the dynamics of this book. Offworld is so perfectly crafted that it is designed to be devoured and enjoyed by the reader so when you reach the end there is a very satisfied sigh of enjoyment and relief.

Considering that this book is jam packed with thrills, suspense, deadly situations that you think there is no chance of escape you would wonder if there is room for God. I assure you Robin Parrish left room for Him in a very appealing manner; not overt, not too subtle but in a manner where the reader has to make a decision.

I recommend this book highly. It delivers lots of action, suspense and thrills and brings you to a very satisfying conclusion.

If you missed the interview for "Offworld" and would like to listen to it please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where it is available On Demand.

To listen to 24 Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”(less)

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Oct 02, 2009 Shana rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed each of Parrish's four novels: "Relentless", "Fearless", "Merciless" (trilogy) and most recently, "Offworld." One word for his writing: ADDICTED.

I love the way Parrish blends deeply rooted emotions alongside pulse-pumping action sequences involving characters who reveal so much while saying so little....every word necessary, every scene critical, every nuance a treasure. I'm typically a contemporary romance type of gal, but after reading reviews on Goodreads.com for "Relent...more I thoroughly enjoyed each of Parrish's four novels: "Relentless", "Fearless", "Merciless" (trilogy) and most recently, "Offworld." One word for his writing: ADDICTED.

I love the way Parrish blends deeply rooted emotions alongside pulse-pumping action sequences involving characters who reveal so much while saying so little....every word necessary, every scene critical, every nuance a treasure. I'm typically a contemporary romance type of gal, but after reading reviews on Goodreads.com for "Relentless," I became intrigued and Parrish does not disappoint in "Offworld" - far from it. As the relationships of each of the characters develop, both old and new, the intensity of the storyline creates a welcome thirst for more and the resulting reverberations of their decisions confirm that not only was the journey assertable, it was downright breathtaking. Perhaps people disappearing and a few lone astronauts left to solve a world gone wild may not be untouched storyline territory, but it's the interplay of man's quest to find his destiny - live for yourself? for others? It's this quest that can either ruin or make a life worth living and the essence of what captured me from page one.

Although it's hugely tempting to see any one of Parrish's works made into a movie, it almost sickens me to think how "Hollywood" (so to speak) could potentially butcher his writing....often times, characters become watered down and their relationships lacking any depth...while action sequences take main stage bereft of any insight. I'm yet to read anything quite like Parrish where the pages fervidly leap to vivid pictures in my head so if movies are in the future for Parrish, I'll pray for authenticity. :)

It's somewhat disheartening when readers are some how put off and/or form predetermined opinions simply knowing that his books are sold under the "Christian fiction/sci-fi/mystery" category. Read a novel for what it is....when an author of any other faith writes fiction, no one seems quick to form stereotypes and force a story into some circumscribed view of religion. The underlying message comes through loud and clear, life worth living is in no way a result of our own doing...it's the divine force at work in our lives and whether or not each person chooses to reject it or embrace it. No matter what your personal beliefs, I don't think anyone can argue with one of my favorite quotes from "Offworld" as stated by the character named Mae: "Life is poetry. Stop. Watch. Listen. There's poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It don't write itself."(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: personal-copy

Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/RNNUS0RM...

I have not read a Robin Parrish book that I did not enjoy, so I was very much looking forward to Offworld and it definitely met my expectations!

The story was very good and interesting throughout, although it wasn't until Chris and his team got back to earth that my attention was really grabbed. :)

I was surprised by how things turned out at the end of Offworld - it was NOT what I was expecting - and while I did find a few things really wei...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Mark A Powell rated it 3 of 5 stars

NASA sends four astronauts to Mars but when they return, every single person and animal on Earth has disappeared. As the crew unravels this mystery they realize that something else is happening, and perhaps they aren’t as alone as they first thought. Parrish has devised a good concept, but relies too heavily on exposition to tell his story, and the execution falls a bit flat. An enjoyable read, but Parrish hasn’t hit his stride quite yet.

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Sep 15, 2009 Rebornbutterfly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review

THIS is an awesome book, I've always been one of those people who enjoys an "end of the world" movie. The Day After Tomorrow (an adventure type film about the coming of the second ice age) is one of my favorite movies.

It starts out INTENSE, this is not a book you want to start right before going to bed, you will want to keep reading until the rooster crows! The first expedition to Mars arrives back on earth only to find.... absolutely no one there to greet them. Every man, woman, child and even...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Bailey Olfert rated it 3 of 5 stars

Christian fiction that doesn't whack you over the head! While I was reading this book, I was dreading the arrival of the preachy part that makes it Christian fiction, but I was delighted that it never came. Instead, it is simply some science fiction from a writer who happens (I assume) to be a believer. The writing is pretty good; I may look for more books from Parrish.

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Nov 20, 2010 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It was a fast-paced sci-fi tale about the first astronauts to set foot on Mars. They had some anomalies occur during their time on Mars and then on their return trip -- resulting in their ship crashing at Kennedy Space Center. There are lots of twists and turns, and the book comes to a very satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the quantum physics aspect of the book.

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Oct 14, 2009 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-books

This was a decent read, but a little uneven. Parrish is at his best when he's writing action sequences - he knows how to keep the pages turning! My problem was with the odd details that pulled me out of the story. For example, the main characters have returned to an abandoned world. It is mentioned quite a few times that there is no power in most places. But in one scene, they're in a house for the night. The author even mentions that all of the food in the refrigerator has spoiled because the p...more

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title link	preview: Offworld
avg rating	preview: Offworld Goodreads rating: 3.63 (354 ratings)
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Offworld

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