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Colony Mars #1
Colony One Mars
All contact is lost with the first human colony on Mars during a long and destructive sandstorm. Satellite imagery of the aftermath shows extensive damage to the facility. The fifty-four colonists who called it home are presumed dead.
Three years later, a new mission sets down on the planet surface to investigate what remains of the derelict site. But, it’s not long before they realise the colony is not as lifeless as everyone thought. Someone is still alive -- hiding out somewhere.
Yet, before they can find the elusive colonist a strange illness starts to affect the crew. Pressure now mounts on Biologist, Dr. Jann Malbec, to locate the source and find a way to fight it. However, as she investigates she begins to suspect a dark and deadly secret lurking within the colony. A secret that threatens not just the crew but the entire population of Earth.
With limited resources and time running out, she must find some answers and find them fast. Because if she doesn't, none of them will be going home.
Three years later, a new mission sets down on the planet surface to investigate what remains of the derelict site. But, it’s not long before they realise the colony is not as lifeless as everyone thought. Someone is still alive -- hiding out somewhere.
Yet, before they can find the elusive colonist a strange illness starts to affect the crew. Pressure now mounts on Biologist, Dr. Jann Malbec, to locate the source and find a way to fight it. However, as she investigates she begins to suspect a dark and deadly secret lurking within the colony. A secret that threatens not just the crew but the entire population of Earth.
With limited resources and time running out, she must find some answers and find them fast. Because if she doesn't, none of them will be going home.
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2016
4130 people are currently reading
5873 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews
November 21, 2017
Humans traveling to Mars hardly seems like science fiction anymore. It seems within the realm of possibility, just a matter of time. Probably, and I think that is why these stories are so interesting, so entertaining. I was surprised at how good this book was. Much like Andy Weir’s The Martian in the sense that it was well written, and with enough technical description to make it believable. But this one comes with a little more intrigue, mystery, and action. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.
August 24, 2017
So... In fairness, I didn't realize this was horror/sci-fi, and expected a more straight up sci-fi.
That said, it's very possible to create a horror sci-fi work that features an intelligent plot and characters. This book features neither of those things.
The basic plot makes a few leaps here and there, but I guess in retrospect that's kind of forgivable - it serves the story. Take the illness that's central to the story - it infects one crew member immediately, while the others experience no issues. And the eventual attempt at explanation is lousy and nonsensical.
But the characters... They're dumb as stumps. From the first officer who just wants to murder everyone who shows any signs of illness - even before they realize that there IS an illness. Or the doctor whose only unique identifier is that he's Italian and loves espresso. The characters just stumble from one stupid decision to the next - and yes, a story can be based on reasonable characters making dumb choices. But stupid characters (especially ones who are highly educated, highly trained astronauts) just doing stupid things is just lousy and lazy writing.
On the plus side, the audiobook was only about 5 hours, so I didn't exactly waste a TON of time on this...
That said, it's very possible to create a horror sci-fi work that features an intelligent plot and characters. This book features neither of those things.
The basic plot makes a few leaps here and there, but I guess in retrospect that's kind of forgivable - it serves the story. Take the illness that's central to the story - it infects one crew member immediately, while the others experience no issues. And the eventual attempt at explanation is lousy and nonsensical.
But the characters... They're dumb as stumps. From the first officer who just wants to murder everyone who shows any signs of illness - even before they realize that there IS an illness. Or the doctor whose only unique identifier is that he's Italian and loves espresso. The characters just stumble from one stupid decision to the next - and yes, a story can be based on reasonable characters making dumb choices. But stupid characters (especially ones who are highly educated, highly trained astronauts) just doing stupid things is just lousy and lazy writing.
On the plus side, the audiobook was only about 5 hours, so I didn't exactly waste a TON of time on this...
January 31, 2022
It's suppose to be a sci-fi suspense type of novel. The storyline seemed like a great thing, however, after reading it it's not as remarkable as I hoped. Still a decent slow burn read, but not many exciting twists or turns to keep you completely interested the whole time. Decent, at best, is the word I would use for this book. Majority of this book was pretty slow. Story started picking up around chapter 23. The last few chapters made the book worth reading, in my opinion.
November 12, 2016
Great great idea, terribly executed. Horrible prose and dialogues.
April 14, 2018
3.0 Stars
The premise was fantastic, but unfortunately the actual story was lackluster with flat, forgettable characters.
The premise was fantastic, but unfortunately the actual story was lackluster with flat, forgettable characters.
July 19, 2020
Review for the whole series.
It's more like 1.5. As I always say in reviews of longer series, the world-building is usually not the problem. I enjoy delving into a new world and discovering whatever it has to give the reader. It's most likely you will find fault with the dialogue, the characters or the plot. The dialogue in this series is absolutely horrendous. It feels like the product of incest between B-rated action movie lines and those self-indulging thoughts you have when you think you're the greatest thing to be born on Earth since sliced bread. The characters are not particularly well developed and having to constantly be served narrator interjections on behalf of the character - to explain to me, the reader, what the character is/believes/feels/wants - instead of letting the character subtly give off these things, is very tiring. In any case, if you need a fast, unproblematic read to fill in time, this serves well enough.
It's more like 1.5. As I always say in reviews of longer series, the world-building is usually not the problem. I enjoy delving into a new world and discovering whatever it has to give the reader. It's most likely you will find fault with the dialogue, the characters or the plot. The dialogue in this series is absolutely horrendous. It feels like the product of incest between B-rated action movie lines and those self-indulging thoughts you have when you think you're the greatest thing to be born on Earth since sliced bread. The characters are not particularly well developed and having to constantly be served narrator interjections on behalf of the character - to explain to me, the reader, what the character is/believes/feels/wants - instead of letting the character subtly give off these things, is very tiring. In any case, if you need a fast, unproblematic read to fill in time, this serves well enough.
June 17, 2018
poor
some very unlikely stuff mixed in with bad science. Little chatacterisation and lots of cliche. typical much hyped sf kindle rubbish. better than some, but still not very good. I read the plot - in better books - before.
some very unlikely stuff mixed in with bad science. Little chatacterisation and lots of cliche. typical much hyped sf kindle rubbish. better than some, but still not very good. I read the plot - in better books - before.
May 12, 2024
Writing style is like it's written by a middle schooler.
June 30, 2022
There is something about stories that focus on colonizing the solar system that always excite me. Mars has been an interest of mine since I first picked up Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars and I’ve enjoyed a wide range of other Mars-based stories over the years from Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars, to Ian Douglas’ Semper Mars, to more recently, S.J. Morden’s One Way. Gerald Kilby’s Colony One Mars has a lot in common with the best of these tales. There’s a mystery at the heart of the story, serious threats to the survival of the astronauts, and some decent characterization to ground the story around people we quickly come to like.
The mystery is what happened to the previous colony—that is, the Colony One of the title. A private corporation (COM) had set up the colony and then in one of Mars horrendous sandstorms, all contact was lost and everyone was presumed dead. Except, maybe they aren’t all dead and the colony infrastructure is not in nearly as bad a shape as the astronaut expected.
The astronauts, by the way, are not part of COM—except for one unidentified traitor whom we learn early on is actually on COM’s payroll as a double agent. So, the astronaut’s don’t know that the colony was actually set up to run illegal experiments on humans. This is unfortunate, because the results of those experiments still exist in the colony and cause much of the drama in the book. One of the astronauts is quickly infected with something and the results are…bad.
Overall, this is a tense story about survival that I enjoyed very much. I do have a couple of quibbles. The main character, Jann, is constantly referred to as undertrained for the mission with some astronauts outright saying she doesn’t belong. I thought this was both unrealistic and unnecessary. Why on earth send an untrained person to Mars? There would have been plenty of backup people ready to fill in if a slot unexpectedly opened due to illness or accident.
Also, Jann especially, doesn’t think about communications very much and it’s unrealistic. She’s attacked by the infected crewmember and just runs away never thinking to warn people about what she’s just experienced. And when she does finally reach the others, they choose to believe that she is the one having the break down, not the person who was made ill during the search of Colony One. I just didn’t think that made sense, but once we get past that part of the story, things pick up nicely again.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
The mystery is what happened to the previous colony—that is, the Colony One of the title. A private corporation (COM) had set up the colony and then in one of Mars horrendous sandstorms, all contact was lost and everyone was presumed dead. Except, maybe they aren’t all dead and the colony infrastructure is not in nearly as bad a shape as the astronaut expected.
The astronauts, by the way, are not part of COM—except for one unidentified traitor whom we learn early on is actually on COM’s payroll as a double agent. So, the astronaut’s don’t know that the colony was actually set up to run illegal experiments on humans. This is unfortunate, because the results of those experiments still exist in the colony and cause much of the drama in the book. One of the astronauts is quickly infected with something and the results are…bad.
Overall, this is a tense story about survival that I enjoyed very much. I do have a couple of quibbles. The main character, Jann, is constantly referred to as undertrained for the mission with some astronauts outright saying she doesn’t belong. I thought this was both unrealistic and unnecessary. Why on earth send an untrained person to Mars? There would have been plenty of backup people ready to fill in if a slot unexpectedly opened due to illness or accident.
Also, Jann especially, doesn’t think about communications very much and it’s unrealistic. She’s attacked by the infected crewmember and just runs away never thinking to warn people about what she’s just experienced. And when she does finally reach the others, they choose to believe that she is the one having the break down, not the person who was made ill during the search of Colony One. I just didn’t think that made sense, but once we get past that part of the story, things pick up nicely again.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
September 27, 2022
Colony One Mars was a surprisingly entertaining read/listen. A friend send me a link to the official YouTube channel and there i found whole series of well written, and well narrated books to listen for free!. Nice. And it's good. I ploughed through book one and am already an hour into Colony Two Mars.
There is action and drama aplenty. The characters aren't particularly deep and the neither is their development, but good enough to get lost int eh story. The plot takes some very interesting turns, ESP by the second book.
I foresee myself reading all of Mr Kilby's books before too long.
There is action and drama aplenty. The characters aren't particularly deep and the neither is their development, but good enough to get lost int eh story. The plot takes some very interesting turns, ESP by the second book.
I foresee myself reading all of Mr Kilby's books before too long.
March 3, 2019
This is a jaunt into the future of Martian exploration in which the plot hinges around the time it takes to get from one planet to another, and the cost of sending expeditions. The plot would be in the space between where The Martian ends and Red Mars begins with a healthy dose of Silent Running (for those of you who read/ watch lots of SF). A first colony was sent but some mysterious malady overtook them and the transmissions went dark.
A new team has been sent to find out what happened and whether any research data is salvageable. The senders are a mix of private enterprise and state bodies, the requisite spy is aboard and we mainly follow a young woman botanist who isn't sure she's up to the job.
I was fine with the story until it turned into a haunted house tale, with the tiny team willingly making themselves vulnerable and fragmented, infected and careless. I'm just not into horror and others may enjoy it better for that reason. However, I kept reading and agreed that further stupidities might be the result of a lurking infection that runs people down just enough that their brains don't work as well as they should. Just having low blood sugar is quite enough for that to occur.
Not all questions are answered, but this may be because it's the first in a series. I would read more of the series, provided it was thriller rather than horror. This is an unbiased review.
A new team has been sent to find out what happened and whether any research data is salvageable. The senders are a mix of private enterprise and state bodies, the requisite spy is aboard and we mainly follow a young woman botanist who isn't sure she's up to the job.
I was fine with the story until it turned into a haunted house tale, with the tiny team willingly making themselves vulnerable and fragmented, infected and careless. I'm just not into horror and others may enjoy it better for that reason. However, I kept reading and agreed that further stupidities might be the result of a lurking infection that runs people down just enough that their brains don't work as well as they should. Just having low blood sugar is quite enough for that to occur.
Not all questions are answered, but this may be because it's the first in a series. I would read more of the series, provided it was thriller rather than horror. This is an unbiased review.
December 19, 2018
I want to finish this because I don't want another dnf. But yeah no. I'm stopping 70% in because I Really don't care what happens next. Flat characters, boring story, terrible science, poorly executed throughout. The only thing it got going for it was that it was short. But even that wasn't enough
June 29, 2025
Self published and poorly written. There are spelling mistakes and incorrect punctuation. The characters are flat and the author often brushes over things that require more detail and lingers on things that don’t. Fortunately it’s a short book.
March 7, 2017
Original and entertaining
Really good story, enjoyed Gizmo. Getting ready to read the second in the series. Will definitely follow this author in the future.
Really good story, enjoyed Gizmo. Getting ready to read the second in the series. Will definitely follow this author in the future.
Read
January 24, 2026Rating: minus 11 on a scale of minus 15 to plus five.
A stop at the YouTube is required. This was made possible by Doctor Who/Be Kind, Joe's Sleepy History, Russian Media Monitor, NotSophieSilva, Kait, Tabletop Times, Willow Talks Books, AllShorts, Miniature War, Cindy's Villa, Anark, National Centre for Military Intelligence, North of MAGA, Welcome to Ukraine, Miniminuteman, Central Crossing, Amie's Literary Empire, Mr Zod, Sam's Trains, FAFO, JohnTheDuncan,
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A stuffed pepper breakfast and Irish breakfast tea have fortified me.
I saw a Village Idiot who whilst insulting an essayist I mention, complain to her that I list other trans creators. The antics of the Snowflake (self-important, ugly in mind and body, poorly educated US male) does not surprise. A trigger warning then.
The channels I mention include the botanist, primatologist, queer, fashion historian, farmer, architect, Kenyan, intersex, tall, van lifestyle, cosplayer, ginger, lawyer, lesbian, boater, miniatures painter, astrophysicist, het, Finnish, married, marine biologist, musician, librarian, military boardgamer, asexual, modeller, building restorer, sewist, Canadian, trans, writer, autist, WOC, physically challenged, theoretical physicist, language historian, cis, psychologist, Indian, red haired, computer scientist and others known as Women.
Other creators almost as threatening to limited worldview are the archaeologist, chemist, Australian, miniatures warganer, paleontologist, science historian, reenactor, wood worker, tailor, bookseller, archaeologist, Irish, other BIPOC, painter, miniatures landscape builder, miniatures, other LGBTQI+, boat restorer, zoologist, science fiction commentator, anthropologist, anarchist, biologist, Ugandan, other neurodivergent, engineer and others known (outside the US) as Human Beings.
Should the voices persist, seek emergency pastoral counselling and/or develop a new skill, such as reading and/or repeat daily "Today I must not be a bellend".
I have long passed surprise, shock or disbelief at the type of comments directed to myself and others with negative reviews of poorly conceived and written science fiction in the Unlimited loan library.
When feeling overwhelm at this chore, I remember the stoicism of a Ukrainian infantryman captured by Russian animals, whose last words before being murdered on camera. They were "Slava Ukraini". Outside the US, that is considered a war crime.
Once more, unto the book, dear friends. The story has so many plot holes that it is more hole than plot. The writer has a great premise but seems not clear in his own mind about the background universe. The descriptions of organisations and original colonists are thin.
The Mars missions do not seem to have a clear purpose. There is not a timeline to put any story element into perspective.
The characters are flat as one review pointed out. The characters do have real flaws, which makes the story just readable. Some of the characters are awful but all of the characters are either over eager amateurs or just incompetent. Even then, their lack of caution is hard to believe. The end game of the corporate sponsors is not explained.
The corporation want their agent to return to Earth with a supremely contagious infection to what end. At time of rewrite a frightening plausible purpose has been floated by a number of US billionaires.
They would see the global population reduced to mere millions, as only the planet's wealthiest are worthy of continued existence. This remnant would provide them personal service, entertainment possibly. No other function is envisioned for them as the billionaire is now the polymath.
The COM failing because of lack of audience share is simplistic and ludicrous. The only real cost to maintain the colony would be resupply flights but it is not clear that more were done. The secret research that corporations paid a very hefty price to carry on, should have paid for them.
If these corporations wanted the use of colony facilities but were unwilling to pay the going rate, the COM just would not have launched those scientists (if no profit, then no ride).
If a movie sells twice as many billions from licensing as the hefty profits generated by the movie itself (Star Wars), tell me that they at least sold model landers, spaceships or action figures of the expedition officers, had novels, movies or series made.
The language use, action descriptions and dialogue are not bad but the story has no substance. No characters to develop, no plot to keep much interest and a background too simplistic to fire the imagination.
Get a good beach umbrella, put on the sun lotion, watch your significant other or beach hard bodies and read until you doze off. It is not an unpleasant read and will not cause guilt that you did not finish "War and Peace".
A stepaway to YouTube earned. This next made possible by Doctor Who\Never Cruel or Cowardly, Alex Fleev, Yanis Varoufakis, Tod Maffin, Cold Fusion, Outlaw Bookseller, Sci-fi Scavenger, Luke Sherlock, Heather Cox Richardson, Farm to Taber, Tara Farms, Cruising, Cruising the Cut, The Mindful Narrowboat, Minimal List, Kathy's Flog from France, Kirkpattiecake, Dina Belenkaya, Inside Archaeology, The Dark Side of Russia,
Jen the Librarian, Your True Shelf, Tale Foundry, Seizure Girl, TheJuiceMedia,
Phoebeisginger, Seizure Girl, Vibewithmommy, Cambrian Chronicles, ThatDaneshGuy, Wes O'Donnell, Cappy Army, Zilla Blitz, Stephen Woodford, Friendly Atheist, Hawk's Podcasts, Claus Kellerman POV, Preston Stewart, Red Viburnam Song, Canadian WW2 Tales, Mind Mirror, Queen Penguin, NYTN, Crow Caller, Stephanie's Story,
Verilybitchie, Candlelit Tales, Celebrating Vintage Model Kits, fig tree, Autistic Jenny, Nordic Perspective, Activist Witch, Liz Webster, No Justice, Professor Tim Wilson, Graham Norton Show, Kat Abughazaleh, Anka Daily News, Blooms and Greens by Chloe, Tom Nicholas, Philosophy Tube, Lore Reloaded, Eckharts Ladder, Strange Aeons, ScaredKetchup, Aid Thompsin, OrangeRiver, Lily Simpson, Prime of Midlife.
Consider treating this as a hostile site. 🤔
Goodreads discourse does not exist. As example, I wrote a short negative review of Powers of the Earth by Travis Corcoran. The story originally blurbed as similar to a Heinlein classic is a sloppily written rehash of "Atlas Shrugged" set on the moon. That a Goodreads employee would write such a blurb, suggests that illiteracy is the Amazon norm.
The book is the story of heroic efforts by a rich twat in attempt to overthrow the US government with aid of the military in order that he not pay taxes. Besides sad writing, I found that and similarly themed books of which Unlimited includes many, to be dangerous, unhealthy and now prophetic.
Travis self-described as libertarian (now anarcho capitalist without millions), veteran, advocate for the return of chattel slavery (popular stance in the US with prison labour to be supplemented by the homeless, permanent van and RV residents held in new forced labour prisons. This is with no outcry from the Democratic Party or online "Lefties". Given US history and unopposed Republican pronouncements, generational enslavement is certainly on the cards.), employee of an unnamed US agency, admirer of Putin and his state (popular US position in the US government and among many citizens.).
Travis and six fellow patriots were incensed. There followed a year long stream of ugly comments, none of which addressed the book.
I was gifted important insights into the narcissism exhibited by my lack of response, my lack of intelligence, the intellectual limits of woman readers of science fiction and more of the usual Goodreads comments.
I had entertained the possibility that their largess would extend to learned conclusions regarding the Younger Dryas and humanity but was disappointed.
As a communist, oft called socialist by reader members, the layers of irony were almost painful.
The final comment was delivered by Claes Rees Jr aka cgr710 now ka Clayton R Jesse Jr.
After referencing the contents of my last message exchange with a Goodreads friend, he grandly declared that They had "won" (?).
I discovered that They and friends had launched a flood of vile sexual, racist and similar comments against apparently every female creator of channels which I mention. It continues still.
The midteen boater and her mother, physicist, pensioner, primatologist and other creators were not won over by this US charm offensive.
Despite that failure, They did successfully increase the world's overabundance of ugliness and deliver a splendid self-portrait of the Snowflake (self-important, poorly socialised US baby-man) to a multinational audience.
This surely is a Victory. The Goodreads experience is a wonder. Should the behaviour above not be to your taste, there are BookTubers to direct the reader to safer, saner, more useful reader forums.
This last made possible by channels - Doctor Who\Without Reward, Anna Kallschmidt, Vidya Mitra, DamiLee, Terrible Writing Advice, Answer in Progress, Irish Pagan School,
Tale Tinkerer, Garron, Cheeky Celt, JimmyTheGiant, Let's TurnItupworld, Clouds and Sky, Tachyon Pulse, Karen Puzzles, Life Take Two, Joel Mugisha, Anti-Social Studies,
Unlearning Economics, Mr Newberger's AI Funnies, Bahamian Gyal, N S Miniverse, Mythical Wukong, Boardgame Bollocks, Legendary Tactics, Jill Bearup, Myocore, Upon Reflection, Maggie Mae Fish, SoulHikers, The Scale Modeller, The Dangerous Ones, Autistic Jenny, Tabletop Minions, Storm of Steel, Allison Talks Books, Emily Millard.
Ominous music begins. 😊 The comment stream I described was normal across my experience on the site, except for its duration until the Australian Intervention. I have seen similar streams launched against negative reviews by other members, who were dissatisfied with US ethno-supremacist themed drivel, lacking any other merit.
The comment gang is a feature not flaw of a site imbued with the core US values of cruelty, white supremacy, cowardice, patriarchal demand, denial of same and other anti-human gems. Amazon acknowledge none of the incidents, though criticism of books promoting them are labelled "Hate Speech" and may be deleted.
It seems that Kindle/Goodreads do not discipline the deranged member, punish writers who organise them or dismiss the employees who enable both. Many BookTubers ignore or deny the dangers of the mental doing the doxxing, stalking, threatening, hacking attempt and other.
My own limited message history was given over to these thugs after my review of Powers. There followed a request through Pine Gap Centre that Australian Security services interrogate the one friend whom I occasionally messaged. The attempt at my personal history failed.
Amazon was unconcerned until I and my friend shared our bizarre exposure to American free speech. At that point no explanation or apology was given. Instead, I received a message stating that Kindle no longer support Goodreads and the icon removed.
In addition page format and options were restored to normal, comments were masked, all lurkers whom I had not been Allowed to remove were disappeared, I was suddenly Allowed to see other reviews and KIndle interruption to my service magically ended.
An interesting customer service protocol.
Reads with Rachel often criticises anti-human elements of books as well as poor structure, prose etc. She wrote a Goodreads review once. Her review was deemed Hate Speech, deleted and a message sent threatening her membership.
She made a typical video on her channel instead. She then received her first member attack from a typical Goodreads incel not satisfied with the Goodreads action. It suggested that she "should die". US culture is what all peoples should strive to emulate. Britain at least, have made great progress in that worthy goal.
Fit Danielle Reads reported an obvious double billing to Amazon but was treated badly. She contacted Amex and they resolved the issue. Amazon were not happy. Access to her entire cloud library was blocked, Kindle functionality withdrawn unless she paid the second billing through another source.
A seventh ex-employee of EBay was sentenced for harassment of a couple whose small ecommerce site was deemed unkind to EBay. The couple were awarded millions and the ex-employee had been the EBay Chief of Global Security or something like.
With the protections afforded them by successive governments, US data firms will no doubt behave more appropriately in future.
I suggest precautions. Remove all personal information from profile and avoid messaging. Use care in accepting friend requests. Remove the lurker, those who never post. They are likely monitors for gangs or employee dummies, not admirers.
With the Goodreads penchant for altering Customer pages, the screenshot of the odd, ugly and threatening are invaluable. For Goodreads, these should suffice.
Kindle is the more serious. Do Not use Kindle Files, Contacts, Calendar or Email. Employees Sign Into customer Email without permission or notice. Make of that what you will.
Do Not purchase Kindle books. You do not own downloads, only your device and if a Kindle that seems conditional. If purchased, download immediately. I made that mistake. There are BookTubers to direct the reader to alternative e-book and device vendors or alternatives to e-book purchase altogether.
Silk searches should obviously be innocuous and non-critical.
To implement the above cost nothing, to not might well do. Consider that certain members and employees lack self-restraint or recognisable morality but are US patriots with all that implies. Ominous music ends. 😊
Be safe and may we all find good reading. 🤗
Some favourite channels.
National Centre for Military Intelligence, Bobbing Along, British WW2 Tales, Dark docs, Dark skies, Dark seas, Oceanliner Designs, Samantha Lux, AllShorts, ATP Geopolitics, The Gaze, IMY2, Fundie Fridays, NerdForge, Gary's Stuff, DamiLee, Scallydandling About the Books, A Very Casual Librarian, Riverboat Jack, Jenny Mustard, I've Had It,
Channel 100 News with Evie, Honest Government Ads, Sarah Spaceman, Professor James Ker-Lindsay, David Reddish Show, Lindsay Ellis, The First Dawn, Battlefield ambience, The Enemy from Within, Nope Brigade, Underthedesknews, Child Free Cat Lady Jade, Fraser Cain, Liminal Space, Science Insanity, Lore Reloaded, Benn Jordan,
Vintage SF, Hardy's Books, Emilie's Literary Corner, Agro Squirrel Narrates, Strange Lucidity, The Pioneer, Kat Blacque, Dig it with Raven, Delamer, Roughest Drafts, History of Everything, Miniminuteman, Fall of Civilisations, Rachel Oates, Cheri Jacobus, Dr Julia McCoy, Biracial Voices, Bryony Claire, Dr Fatima,
Knotted by Sam, Guard the Leaf, V Birchwood, Biz, Crow Caller, Kath Clarke, Honest2Betsy, Vintage Dolls house, According to Alina, Dr Becky.
I wish you a splendid morning, an exciting afternoon, a pleasant evening, a wonderful night and may we all continue to learn.
To ignore Evil is to be Complicit.
A reminder to self
A stop at the YouTube is required. This was made possible by Doctor Who/Be Kind, Joe's Sleepy History, Russian Media Monitor, NotSophieSilva, Kait, Tabletop Times, Willow Talks Books, AllShorts, Miniature War, Cindy's Villa, Anark, National Centre for Military Intelligence, North of MAGA, Welcome to Ukraine, Miniminuteman, Central Crossing, Amie's Literary Empire, Mr Zod, Sam's Trains, FAFO, JohnTheDuncan,
Fran Blanche, The Discriminating Gamer, Harry Sisson, Graham Norton Show, Brigitte Empire, The Vanguard, Happy Pancake, Daily, Subha Reads, For Bricks and Giggles, Dungeons and Discourse, Just in Time Worldbuilding, Canada Today, House of El, Anark, Biz, TallGirl6234, Anna Cramling, Dr Julia McCoy, Daisy X Machina Speculative Detective, EU made simple,
Let's Talk Religion, Blue Faun, Purple Sweater, JohnTheDuncan, Peccheroni TV, Politics Joe, Central Crossing, Loren Piretra, Reads With Rachel, Roisin's Reading, Hear Me Out On This, No Justice, The Military Show, Kozak Muzon, Knitting Cult Lady, Biracial Voices, Knotted By Sam, Maky Abugu, The Vintage Space, Gary's Economics, Nerdy Kathi,
Feral Historian, Science Fiction with Damien Walter, The BookNookCorner, August Reacts, ScaredKetchup, SciFi Odyssey, Insider PhD, Carissa Codel, Jewel Staite, Captured in Words, Bitchuation Room, Interesting Times, Tia Weston, Literary Archaeology, Bowler Hat Man, Cheri Jacobus, Laura High, Pinsent Tailoring, Eckharts Ladder, Quinn's Ideas, Munecat,
Bella Duenas, Refashioned Hippie, Peachy Tips, Ukraine:The Latest, Katie Phang, Ms Modeller, Man Cave Models UK, Phoebeisginger, Lady Izdihar, Chloe Daniels, Dana Howl, Miniac, Rogue Hobbies, Combat Veteran News, Brush with Bekah, Vintage Dolls House, Shades of Orange, RevolutionarythOt, aidan knight,
Ukraine Today, The Enemy from Within, Solarpunk Alana, Science Insanity, Chem Thug, ExtinctZoo, Lindsey Nicole, AllShorts, Leeanne Morgan, Lucy Darling, Lore Saga AI, Dark Brandon, Dreamloop Cinema, Portable Orange, Benn Jordan, Renee Yoxon, Betty on a Boat, Caroline Konstnar.
A stuffed pepper breakfast and Irish breakfast tea have fortified me.
I saw a Village Idiot who whilst insulting an essayist I mention, complain to her that I list other trans creators. The antics of the Snowflake (self-important, ugly in mind and body, poorly educated US male) does not surprise. A trigger warning then.
The channels I mention include the botanist, primatologist, queer, fashion historian, farmer, architect, Kenyan, intersex, tall, van lifestyle, cosplayer, ginger, lawyer, lesbian, boater, miniatures painter, astrophysicist, het, Finnish, married, marine biologist, musician, librarian, military boardgamer, asexual, modeller, building restorer, sewist, Canadian, trans, writer, autist, WOC, physically challenged, theoretical physicist, language historian, cis, psychologist, Indian, red haired, computer scientist and others known as Women.
Other creators almost as threatening to limited worldview are the archaeologist, chemist, Australian, miniatures warganer, paleontologist, science historian, reenactor, wood worker, tailor, bookseller, archaeologist, Irish, other BIPOC, painter, miniatures landscape builder, miniatures, other LGBTQI+, boat restorer, zoologist, science fiction commentator, anthropologist, anarchist, biologist, Ugandan, other neurodivergent, engineer and others known (outside the US) as Human Beings.
Should the voices persist, seek emergency pastoral counselling and/or develop a new skill, such as reading and/or repeat daily "Today I must not be a bellend".
I have long passed surprise, shock or disbelief at the type of comments directed to myself and others with negative reviews of poorly conceived and written science fiction in the Unlimited loan library.
When feeling overwhelm at this chore, I remember the stoicism of a Ukrainian infantryman captured by Russian animals, whose last words before being murdered on camera. They were "Slava Ukraini". Outside the US, that is considered a war crime.
Once more, unto the book, dear friends. The story has so many plot holes that it is more hole than plot. The writer has a great premise but seems not clear in his own mind about the background universe. The descriptions of organisations and original colonists are thin.
The Mars missions do not seem to have a clear purpose. There is not a timeline to put any story element into perspective.
The characters are flat as one review pointed out. The characters do have real flaws, which makes the story just readable. Some of the characters are awful but all of the characters are either over eager amateurs or just incompetent. Even then, their lack of caution is hard to believe. The end game of the corporate sponsors is not explained.
The corporation want their agent to return to Earth with a supremely contagious infection to what end. At time of rewrite a frightening plausible purpose has been floated by a number of US billionaires.
They would see the global population reduced to mere millions, as only the planet's wealthiest are worthy of continued existence. This remnant would provide them personal service, entertainment possibly. No other function is envisioned for them as the billionaire is now the polymath.
The COM failing because of lack of audience share is simplistic and ludicrous. The only real cost to maintain the colony would be resupply flights but it is not clear that more were done. The secret research that corporations paid a very hefty price to carry on, should have paid for them.
If these corporations wanted the use of colony facilities but were unwilling to pay the going rate, the COM just would not have launched those scientists (if no profit, then no ride).
If a movie sells twice as many billions from licensing as the hefty profits generated by the movie itself (Star Wars), tell me that they at least sold model landers, spaceships or action figures of the expedition officers, had novels, movies or series made.
The language use, action descriptions and dialogue are not bad but the story has no substance. No characters to develop, no plot to keep much interest and a background too simplistic to fire the imagination.
Get a good beach umbrella, put on the sun lotion, watch your significant other or beach hard bodies and read until you doze off. It is not an unpleasant read and will not cause guilt that you did not finish "War and Peace".
A stepaway to YouTube earned. This next made possible by Doctor Who\Never Cruel or Cowardly, Alex Fleev, Yanis Varoufakis, Tod Maffin, Cold Fusion, Outlaw Bookseller, Sci-fi Scavenger, Luke Sherlock, Heather Cox Richardson, Farm to Taber, Tara Farms, Cruising, Cruising the Cut, The Mindful Narrowboat, Minimal List, Kathy's Flog from France, Kirkpattiecake, Dina Belenkaya, Inside Archaeology, The Dark Side of Russia,
Jen the Librarian, Your True Shelf, Tale Foundry, Seizure Girl, TheJuiceMedia,
Phoebeisginger, Seizure Girl, Vibewithmommy, Cambrian Chronicles, ThatDaneshGuy, Wes O'Donnell, Cappy Army, Zilla Blitz, Stephen Woodford, Friendly Atheist, Hawk's Podcasts, Claus Kellerman POV, Preston Stewart, Red Viburnam Song, Canadian WW2 Tales, Mind Mirror, Queen Penguin, NYTN, Crow Caller, Stephanie's Story,
Verilybitchie, Candlelit Tales, Celebrating Vintage Model Kits, fig tree, Autistic Jenny, Nordic Perspective, Activist Witch, Liz Webster, No Justice, Professor Tim Wilson, Graham Norton Show, Kat Abughazaleh, Anka Daily News, Blooms and Greens by Chloe, Tom Nicholas, Philosophy Tube, Lore Reloaded, Eckharts Ladder, Strange Aeons, ScaredKetchup, Aid Thompsin, OrangeRiver, Lily Simpson, Prime of Midlife.
Consider treating this as a hostile site. 🤔
Goodreads discourse does not exist. As example, I wrote a short negative review of Powers of the Earth by Travis Corcoran. The story originally blurbed as similar to a Heinlein classic is a sloppily written rehash of "Atlas Shrugged" set on the moon. That a Goodreads employee would write such a blurb, suggests that illiteracy is the Amazon norm.
The book is the story of heroic efforts by a rich twat in attempt to overthrow the US government with aid of the military in order that he not pay taxes. Besides sad writing, I found that and similarly themed books of which Unlimited includes many, to be dangerous, unhealthy and now prophetic.
Travis self-described as libertarian (now anarcho capitalist without millions), veteran, advocate for the return of chattel slavery (popular stance in the US with prison labour to be supplemented by the homeless, permanent van and RV residents held in new forced labour prisons. This is with no outcry from the Democratic Party or online "Lefties". Given US history and unopposed Republican pronouncements, generational enslavement is certainly on the cards.), employee of an unnamed US agency, admirer of Putin and his state (popular US position in the US government and among many citizens.).
Travis and six fellow patriots were incensed. There followed a year long stream of ugly comments, none of which addressed the book.
I was gifted important insights into the narcissism exhibited by my lack of response, my lack of intelligence, the intellectual limits of woman readers of science fiction and more of the usual Goodreads comments.
I had entertained the possibility that their largess would extend to learned conclusions regarding the Younger Dryas and humanity but was disappointed.
As a communist, oft called socialist by reader members, the layers of irony were almost painful.
The final comment was delivered by Claes Rees Jr aka cgr710 now ka Clayton R Jesse Jr.
After referencing the contents of my last message exchange with a Goodreads friend, he grandly declared that They had "won" (?).
I discovered that They and friends had launched a flood of vile sexual, racist and similar comments against apparently every female creator of channels which I mention. It continues still.
The midteen boater and her mother, physicist, pensioner, primatologist and other creators were not won over by this US charm offensive.
Despite that failure, They did successfully increase the world's overabundance of ugliness and deliver a splendid self-portrait of the Snowflake (self-important, poorly socialised US baby-man) to a multinational audience.
This surely is a Victory. The Goodreads experience is a wonder. Should the behaviour above not be to your taste, there are BookTubers to direct the reader to safer, saner, more useful reader forums.
This last made possible by channels - Doctor Who\Without Reward, Anna Kallschmidt, Vidya Mitra, DamiLee, Terrible Writing Advice, Answer in Progress, Irish Pagan School,
Tale Tinkerer, Garron, Cheeky Celt, JimmyTheGiant, Let's TurnItupworld, Clouds and Sky, Tachyon Pulse, Karen Puzzles, Life Take Two, Joel Mugisha, Anti-Social Studies,
Unlearning Economics, Mr Newberger's AI Funnies, Bahamian Gyal, N S Miniverse, Mythical Wukong, Boardgame Bollocks, Legendary Tactics, Jill Bearup, Myocore, Upon Reflection, Maggie Mae Fish, SoulHikers, The Scale Modeller, The Dangerous Ones, Autistic Jenny, Tabletop Minions, Storm of Steel, Allison Talks Books, Emily Millard.
Ominous music begins. 😊 The comment stream I described was normal across my experience on the site, except for its duration until the Australian Intervention. I have seen similar streams launched against negative reviews by other members, who were dissatisfied with US ethno-supremacist themed drivel, lacking any other merit.
The comment gang is a feature not flaw of a site imbued with the core US values of cruelty, white supremacy, cowardice, patriarchal demand, denial of same and other anti-human gems. Amazon acknowledge none of the incidents, though criticism of books promoting them are labelled "Hate Speech" and may be deleted.
It seems that Kindle/Goodreads do not discipline the deranged member, punish writers who organise them or dismiss the employees who enable both. Many BookTubers ignore or deny the dangers of the mental doing the doxxing, stalking, threatening, hacking attempt and other.
My own limited message history was given over to these thugs after my review of Powers. There followed a request through Pine Gap Centre that Australian Security services interrogate the one friend whom I occasionally messaged. The attempt at my personal history failed.
Amazon was unconcerned until I and my friend shared our bizarre exposure to American free speech. At that point no explanation or apology was given. Instead, I received a message stating that Kindle no longer support Goodreads and the icon removed.
In addition page format and options were restored to normal, comments were masked, all lurkers whom I had not been Allowed to remove were disappeared, I was suddenly Allowed to see other reviews and KIndle interruption to my service magically ended.
An interesting customer service protocol.
Reads with Rachel often criticises anti-human elements of books as well as poor structure, prose etc. She wrote a Goodreads review once. Her review was deemed Hate Speech, deleted and a message sent threatening her membership.
She made a typical video on her channel instead. She then received her first member attack from a typical Goodreads incel not satisfied with the Goodreads action. It suggested that she "should die". US culture is what all peoples should strive to emulate. Britain at least, have made great progress in that worthy goal.
Fit Danielle Reads reported an obvious double billing to Amazon but was treated badly. She contacted Amex and they resolved the issue. Amazon were not happy. Access to her entire cloud library was blocked, Kindle functionality withdrawn unless she paid the second billing through another source.
A seventh ex-employee of EBay was sentenced for harassment of a couple whose small ecommerce site was deemed unkind to EBay. The couple were awarded millions and the ex-employee had been the EBay Chief of Global Security or something like.
With the protections afforded them by successive governments, US data firms will no doubt behave more appropriately in future.
I suggest precautions. Remove all personal information from profile and avoid messaging. Use care in accepting friend requests. Remove the lurker, those who never post. They are likely monitors for gangs or employee dummies, not admirers.
With the Goodreads penchant for altering Customer pages, the screenshot of the odd, ugly and threatening are invaluable. For Goodreads, these should suffice.
Kindle is the more serious. Do Not use Kindle Files, Contacts, Calendar or Email. Employees Sign Into customer Email without permission or notice. Make of that what you will.
Do Not purchase Kindle books. You do not own downloads, only your device and if a Kindle that seems conditional. If purchased, download immediately. I made that mistake. There are BookTubers to direct the reader to alternative e-book and device vendors or alternatives to e-book purchase altogether.
Silk searches should obviously be innocuous and non-critical.
To implement the above cost nothing, to not might well do. Consider that certain members and employees lack self-restraint or recognisable morality but are US patriots with all that implies. Ominous music ends. 😊
Be safe and may we all find good reading. 🤗
Some favourite channels.
National Centre for Military Intelligence, Bobbing Along, British WW2 Tales, Dark docs, Dark skies, Dark seas, Oceanliner Designs, Samantha Lux, AllShorts, ATP Geopolitics, The Gaze, IMY2, Fundie Fridays, NerdForge, Gary's Stuff, DamiLee, Scallydandling About the Books, A Very Casual Librarian, Riverboat Jack, Jenny Mustard, I've Had It,
Channel 100 News with Evie, Honest Government Ads, Sarah Spaceman, Professor James Ker-Lindsay, David Reddish Show, Lindsay Ellis, The First Dawn, Battlefield ambience, The Enemy from Within, Nope Brigade, Underthedesknews, Child Free Cat Lady Jade, Fraser Cain, Liminal Space, Science Insanity, Lore Reloaded, Benn Jordan,
Vintage SF, Hardy's Books, Emilie's Literary Corner, Agro Squirrel Narrates, Strange Lucidity, The Pioneer, Kat Blacque, Dig it with Raven, Delamer, Roughest Drafts, History of Everything, Miniminuteman, Fall of Civilisations, Rachel Oates, Cheri Jacobus, Dr Julia McCoy, Biracial Voices, Bryony Claire, Dr Fatima,
Knotted by Sam, Guard the Leaf, V Birchwood, Biz, Crow Caller, Kath Clarke, Honest2Betsy, Vintage Dolls house, According to Alina, Dr Becky.
I wish you a splendid morning, an exciting afternoon, a pleasant evening, a wonderful night and may we all continue to learn.
To ignore Evil is to be Complicit.
A reminder to self
March 6, 2025
Entertaining science fiction/adventure novel. Just enough to keep me interested and to move on to the next in the series.
August 4, 2021
This is the start of very good SF series with Shit Hits the Fan elements, clear, uncomplicated and interesting plot. Some indearing characters too, both biological and mechanical, that you keep losing and getting back - kinda. Not wanting to spoil anything, you need to read the book to know what I mean. Excellent balance between interesting, convincing story on the one side and amount of details, number of characters and depth of complications on the other.
August 25, 2024
**minor spoilers**
The writing is pretty god awful. I’m not sure how it gets so many good reviews. It feels like it was written by a high school student. Or maybe it was written by a high school student? In which case, it’s as good as you’d expect.
There are things about the book that I enjoyed, I guess, but everything plays out exactly as you expect it to. The characters are all doctors and engineers and scientists, yet they continuously do dumb shit that no person would ever do in their situation. Like when a psychotic person is trying to kill them and they… sit down to eat lunch. Or they finally capture him and have him restrained and then they CONTINUE TO LEAVE HIM COMPLETELY UNATTENDED.
Also, the writer continuously reminds you of things he’s told you earlier, as if he doesn’t trust you to remember something from a page or two prior - and when he does it, it’s almost verbatim. The dialogue between some of the characters back on earth is some of the worst I’ve read. It’s stiff and wooden and they say things to leave you, the reader, in suspense that they would never actually say in a private conversation with a co-conspirator.
Somewhere around the halfway mark, I was pretty sure I was going to throw in the towel but decided to push through. Now that I’m writing this, the more I think about it, the more annoyed I am about it. Anyway, you probably shouldn’t waste your time on this book. But who knows, maybe the series gets better? I don’t think I’ll bother finding out.
The writing is pretty god awful. I’m not sure how it gets so many good reviews. It feels like it was written by a high school student. Or maybe it was written by a high school student? In which case, it’s as good as you’d expect.
There are things about the book that I enjoyed, I guess, but everything plays out exactly as you expect it to. The characters are all doctors and engineers and scientists, yet they continuously do dumb shit that no person would ever do in their situation. Like when a psychotic person is trying to kill them and they… sit down to eat lunch. Or they finally capture him and have him restrained and then they CONTINUE TO LEAVE HIM COMPLETELY UNATTENDED.
Also, the writer continuously reminds you of things he’s told you earlier, as if he doesn’t trust you to remember something from a page or two prior - and when he does it, it’s almost verbatim. The dialogue between some of the characters back on earth is some of the worst I’ve read. It’s stiff and wooden and they say things to leave you, the reader, in suspense that they would never actually say in a private conversation with a co-conspirator.
Somewhere around the halfway mark, I was pretty sure I was going to throw in the towel but decided to push through. Now that I’m writing this, the more I think about it, the more annoyed I am about it. Anyway, you probably shouldn’t waste your time on this book. But who knows, maybe the series gets better? I don’t think I’ll bother finding out.
March 1, 2019
Colony One Mars is about a human mission to check what happened to the first human colony on Mars after it lost contact with Earth. Apart from the Hard SF bits it contains little of interest. It starts off as excellent Hard SF but the hard classification seems more and more questionable as the story develops. Kilby just manages to rescue it all at the end, an end that comes very quickly after some 3 hours reading.
A good work of hard SF for the first half but dropping to 4 stars or lower after that. Clearly Colony One Mars is a nice read for anyone liking hard SF but it's hard to see anything of general interest in the book.
A good work of hard SF for the first half but dropping to 4 stars or lower after that. Clearly Colony One Mars is a nice read for anyone liking hard SF but it's hard to see anything of general interest in the book.
June 22, 2018
An interesting and engaging book. It went along at a good pace, some of it was slightly predictable but I didn't mind that, I thoroughly enjoyed it, just wish it was a longer book and a bit more in-depth, it made for an easy read. I think I'm going to have to read the second one now. (and the third and the fourth I expect!)
September 16, 2017
2.5 Stars
I thought the book was interesting enough and I paid full attention to about 75%. I don't know why, but I lost interest towards the end. I love watching scifi thriller movies but maybe a book isn't for me.
I thought the book was interesting enough and I paid full attention to about 75%. I don't know why, but I lost interest towards the end. I love watching scifi thriller movies but maybe a book isn't for me.
September 25, 2024
Just what I needed...a fun thriller! Though this was on the shorter side at 242 pages, it packed a big punch. I flew through it. Not as in depth as say a Michael Crichton or James Rollins, but the elements that I enjoy about both of those authors were there. A colony on Mars - wiped out. A new mission. Possible mass extinction. Intrigue. Thrills. Just in a shorter package. I am curious as to where the other books might take us. Book one wrapped things up enough to not be a cliffhanger, however, I have suspicions about where it left us. My biggest complaint, as with most of these types of books, is the "humans destroying the Earth" propaganda. It would be nice if we could all get past these tropes and come up with a more imaginative premise. Thankfully, I can roll my eyes and continue on, and this book didn't have it smashed in your face like others I've read.
February 17, 2023
Poveste clasică: în urma unei furtuni de nisip, Pământul pierde legătura cu singura colonie marțiană, așa că trimite un echipaj care să stabilească ce s-a întâmplat. Oare acești șase membri ISA vor sfârși înghițiți de tăcerea radio ca restul coloniei sau vor reuși să dezgroape la propriu secretele guvernamentale ale cercetărilor genetice care se petreceau pe Planeta Roșie în secret? pam-paaam-PAAAAM
Despre Gerald Kilby, care se auto-descie ca scriitor de science fiction, nu se știu prea multe, în afara faptului că este un avid fan SF și că locuiește în Dublin. A scris deja mai multe opere și are vreo trei serii SF începute (Colony Mars având deja 6 romane). Se pare că s-a auto-publicat, dar la scurt timp a fost preluat de Audible (lucru oarecum ciudat, deoarece majoritatea audio-cărților sale pot fi accesate gratis pe canalul său de youtube) și a ajuns best-seller certificat pe Amazon. În orice caz, efortul său literar cu această primă carte din seria Marte este unul industrial, opera fiind alcătuită din clișeele tipice unui film SF prost, cu personaje din carton (atât ca profunzime dar și caracterizare), capitole stilizate, tăiate parcă la șablon, descrieri statice, dialoguri neinspirate și o intrigă care chiar dacă se desfășoară rapid, nu poate susține atenția cititorilor pe o perioadă prea îndelungată, esența însăși a cărții find inexistentă. Dar, probabil există și o nișă pentru ce oferă autorul, dovadă fiind numeroasele recenzii și aprecieri pozitive. Cu toate că dacă te concentrezi puțin, cartea ar putea la fel de bine să fie scrisă de ceva AI.
Despre Gerald Kilby, care se auto-descie ca scriitor de science fiction, nu se știu prea multe, în afara faptului că este un avid fan SF și că locuiește în Dublin. A scris deja mai multe opere și are vreo trei serii SF începute (Colony Mars având deja 6 romane). Se pare că s-a auto-publicat, dar la scurt timp a fost preluat de Audible (lucru oarecum ciudat, deoarece majoritatea audio-cărților sale pot fi accesate gratis pe canalul său de youtube) și a ajuns best-seller certificat pe Amazon. În orice caz, efortul său literar cu această primă carte din seria Marte este unul industrial, opera fiind alcătuită din clișeele tipice unui film SF prost, cu personaje din carton (atât ca profunzime dar și caracterizare), capitole stilizate, tăiate parcă la șablon, descrieri statice, dialoguri neinspirate și o intrigă care chiar dacă se desfășoară rapid, nu poate susține atenția cititorilor pe o perioadă prea îndelungată, esența însăși a cărții find inexistentă. Dar, probabil există și o nișă pentru ce oferă autorul, dovadă fiind numeroasele recenzii și aprecieri pozitive. Cu toate că dacă te concentrezi puțin, cartea ar putea la fel de bine să fie scrisă de ceva AI.
March 20, 2018
Weak Story, Low Brow Plot, and Poor Writing Skill Set
“Colony One Mars (Colony Mars Book 1),” authored by Mr. Gerald M. Kilby, has a weak story, very low brow plot lines, and poor writing skill set in execution.
The story takes place in the near future, where 3 1/2 years after a Mars colony of 50 or so colonists have been lost, a survey crew of six are sent to investigate. Satellite imagery during breaks in prolonged sandstorms, had shown bodies strewn outside the facilities, damage to habitats, and some modules missing. A cryptic transmission sent before full loss of contact, indicated a pathogen was causing violent, homicidal rages, and abruptly broke off. Following landing, the six (6) survey crew members, march off to the colony, enter the main dome, take off their EVA suits and investigate.
The kernel of a story - Mars colony, total wipeout of colonists,
undisclosed info on a corporate genetic research project - may have been pedestrian and formulaic, but with some intelligence, imagination, creativity, and decent writing, doable. The author was not up to the heavy lifting required. A few examples follow:
[Spoilers Ahead]
Highly probable, indeed likely, as laid out prior to the landing, that the colony was infected by a pathogen - virus, bacteria, or environmental. Bodies, some missing limbs, are spotted and examined outside of the habitat. The crew enter the dome, visors go up, breathing atmosphere, while shortly later, EVA suits off because they’re getting too hot inside them. Ridiculous or dumb, each reader can make their own call. Some members begin to exhibit strange behavior, but no real concern. Movement is detected, possibly a survivor, but only lackadaisical interest. Feelings, emotions, are all important to the characters, not survival and reason. Smoking some primo, Mars “weed,” will even out their uneasiness. Compound fractures, broken ribs, collar bones no hindrance in Mars reduced gravity.
The author writes much of the narrative as if it took place in the past, Edwardian times, as opposed to the present or near future. “Nevertheless...,” “Nonetheless...,” “At least...,” “Of course...,” are a few of the incessant repetition of bad phrasing.
Overall, “Colony One Mars...,” is an example of a hobbyist author, striking out too soon into the commercial sphere. “Entanglement,” written by Mr. Kilby a few years after “Colony One Mars...,” is marginally better.
“Colony One Mars...(Book 1),” is not recommended and was fully read via Kindle Unlimited.
“Colony One Mars (Colony Mars Book 1),” authored by Mr. Gerald M. Kilby, has a weak story, very low brow plot lines, and poor writing skill set in execution.
The story takes place in the near future, where 3 1/2 years after a Mars colony of 50 or so colonists have been lost, a survey crew of six are sent to investigate. Satellite imagery during breaks in prolonged sandstorms, had shown bodies strewn outside the facilities, damage to habitats, and some modules missing. A cryptic transmission sent before full loss of contact, indicated a pathogen was causing violent, homicidal rages, and abruptly broke off. Following landing, the six (6) survey crew members, march off to the colony, enter the main dome, take off their EVA suits and investigate.
The kernel of a story - Mars colony, total wipeout of colonists,
undisclosed info on a corporate genetic research project - may have been pedestrian and formulaic, but with some intelligence, imagination, creativity, and decent writing, doable. The author was not up to the heavy lifting required. A few examples follow:
[Spoilers Ahead]
Highly probable, indeed likely, as laid out prior to the landing, that the colony was infected by a pathogen - virus, bacteria, or environmental. Bodies, some missing limbs, are spotted and examined outside of the habitat. The crew enter the dome, visors go up, breathing atmosphere, while shortly later, EVA suits off because they’re getting too hot inside them. Ridiculous or dumb, each reader can make their own call. Some members begin to exhibit strange behavior, but no real concern. Movement is detected, possibly a survivor, but only lackadaisical interest. Feelings, emotions, are all important to the characters, not survival and reason. Smoking some primo, Mars “weed,” will even out their uneasiness. Compound fractures, broken ribs, collar bones no hindrance in Mars reduced gravity.
The author writes much of the narrative as if it took place in the past, Edwardian times, as opposed to the present or near future. “Nevertheless...,” “Nonetheless...,” “At least...,” “Of course...,” are a few of the incessant repetition of bad phrasing.
Overall, “Colony One Mars...,” is an example of a hobbyist author, striking out too soon into the commercial sphere. “Entanglement,” written by Mr. Kilby a few years after “Colony One Mars...,” is marginally better.
“Colony One Mars...(Book 1),” is not recommended and was fully read via Kindle Unlimited.
February 20, 2022
A crew is sent to Mars to investigate the demise of an entire colony. Do you like scary stories where characters un-ironically wander off alone and get killed? Naively withhold important information causing a cascade of foreseeable accidents? Don’t follow basic safety protocol?
You will love this book.
As cheesy as a B movie, it is highly entertaining, and I did read all three books, all the while yelling at the stupid flat characters doing crazy ass shit for no reason other than to keep the plot rolling along.
When the astronauts enter the colony structure, the captain immediately takes off his helmet before checking on atmospheric contaminants. Hello? You are investigating why people died so mysteriously. Shouldn’t you exercise caution? Instead of quarantining him, they all follow suit.
Every once in a while, an interesting crumb of science appears, and my interest is re-whetted, and I’m off looking for the next one. However, each breadcrumb doesn’t lead to a logical next crumb. They’re just plot devices that cause the characters to bleed, run, and fight.
Spoilers about the science:
Science fiction mystery ideas that are equal parts fun, interesting, and stupid: a disease that makes the infected turn OCD, mutter “contamination,” and turn all stabby. Drug testing, cloning, mutant soldiers with telepathy, reverse stem cells. Age reversal. At least they are all in the realm of biology, but yeash. It’s all a random mish mash that sorta develops into a bizarre set of linking idea.
Spoiler about the ending:
At the end after everyone else has died and the last woman alive has the whole colony to herself, there’s a fun paradisiacal wish fulfillment scene: she runs around naked, goes spearfishing, dives into a sparkling crystal clear pool that has a waterfall and then climbs a coconut tree. Snicker.
You will love this book.
As cheesy as a B movie, it is highly entertaining, and I did read all three books, all the while yelling at the stupid flat characters doing crazy ass shit for no reason other than to keep the plot rolling along.
When the astronauts enter the colony structure, the captain immediately takes off his helmet before checking on atmospheric contaminants. Hello? You are investigating why people died so mysteriously. Shouldn’t you exercise caution? Instead of quarantining him, they all follow suit.
Every once in a while, an interesting crumb of science appears, and my interest is re-whetted, and I’m off looking for the next one. However, each breadcrumb doesn’t lead to a logical next crumb. They’re just plot devices that cause the characters to bleed, run, and fight.
Spoilers about the science:
Science fiction mystery ideas that are equal parts fun, interesting, and stupid: a disease that makes the infected turn OCD, mutter “contamination,” and turn all stabby. Drug testing, cloning, mutant soldiers with telepathy, reverse stem cells. Age reversal. At least they are all in the realm of biology, but yeash. It’s all a random mish mash that sorta develops into a bizarre set of linking idea.
Spoiler about the ending:
At the end after everyone else has died and the last woman alive has the whole colony to herself, there’s a fun paradisiacal wish fulfillment scene: she runs around naked, goes spearfishing, dives into a sparkling crystal clear pool that has a waterfall and then climbs a coconut tree. Snicker.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
This was awful.
I picked this up, surprised at how stellar the reviews were, and looking forward to a new sci-fi author and series. I could not be more disappointed.
Terrible dialogue, unbelievable character decisions (as in I don't believe anyone would act that way in these scenarios), and a backdrop without an ounce of science behind it.
Don't believe the star ratings; the reviews read as though written by AI, and the book could have been churned out better had the author used Chat GPT. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
The main character comes across as a dopey 'save me' girl who was a last second addition to the team, but we're given 0 reason to actually like this character, her personality, or her decisions.
The antagonists are transparently malicious, which ALL OF THE OTHER CHARACTERS just take at face value. Oh, of course the director is acting whacky, and of course the second in command would just disappear for hours at a time and nobody would think anything of it.
The potentially interesting backdrop of a Mars community funded by reality TV that mysteriously imploded was totally wasted on trope characters, terrible dialogue (like, really, really, really terrible) and no depth.
I'd write more, but don't want to waste any more brain power on this awful book or series. Again. Avoid.
Gave it two stars only because I finished it.
I picked this up, surprised at how stellar the reviews were, and looking forward to a new sci-fi author and series. I could not be more disappointed.
Terrible dialogue, unbelievable character decisions (as in I don't believe anyone would act that way in these scenarios), and a backdrop without an ounce of science behind it.
Don't believe the star ratings; the reviews read as though written by AI, and the book could have been churned out better had the author used Chat GPT. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
The main character comes across as a dopey 'save me' girl who was a last second addition to the team, but we're given 0 reason to actually like this character, her personality, or her decisions.
The antagonists are transparently malicious, which ALL OF THE OTHER CHARACTERS just take at face value. Oh, of course the director is acting whacky, and of course the second in command would just disappear for hours at a time and nobody would think anything of it.
The potentially interesting backdrop of a Mars community funded by reality TV that mysteriously imploded was totally wasted on trope characters, terrible dialogue (like, really, really, really terrible) and no depth.
I'd write more, but don't want to waste any more brain power on this awful book or series. Again. Avoid.
Gave it two stars only because I finished it.
February 28, 2017
It is not exactly fair to judge a book before finishing it but I will make an exception. I see that a lot of readers like this book. The reason why I stopped at around 40% was that I do not like horror science fiction. This story reminds me too much of many science fiction stories (books and movies) that use a science fiction setting to create a mystery thriller or horror story. And yes, it uses all the clichees and stereo types known from that genre of movies that it becomes way too predictable.
When I see that a story is about a colony on Mars my eyes get big and I think about settlers on Mars pulling on one string to survive by building Mars habitats. I think of scared settlers overcoming the challenges of living in a hostile enviroment.
I wanted to read a story about the triumph of human settlers on Mars.
So while that may seem a bit naiive to those of you who liked this book, it is what I was expecting when I saw a trilogy about a Mars colony.
When I see that a story is about a colony on Mars my eyes get big and I think about settlers on Mars pulling on one string to survive by building Mars habitats. I think of scared settlers overcoming the challenges of living in a hostile enviroment.
I wanted to read a story about the triumph of human settlers on Mars.
So while that may seem a bit naiive to those of you who liked this book, it is what I was expecting when I saw a trilogy about a Mars colony.
March 8, 2018
This book could have been reasonably interesting, but instead, it's chock full of technical errors, starting with the Mars landing sequence at the beginning of the book, and pretty much continuing throughout the book. NO space agency on Earth would EVER allow a space mission to be run the way this thing is supposed to be run. For example, would you send all six people in to explore the abandoned colony? Of course not! Would not provide them with rovers, forcing them to walk from their landing site to the abandoned colony? Of course not! Would you let them take off there helmets in an unknown and potentially dangerous atmosphere? Of course not! Would you let them wander around separately and not have constant communication with them? Of course not! And on and on and on..... I recently started dabbling in science fiction again, and this book is almost enough to make me reconsider that decision.
June 12, 2024
Great idea, a bit disappointing in execution.
Not as long, slow, or engineer-y as The Martian, Hail Mary or other Andy Weir books, though similar vibes.
I often want books to be shorter and think they could have edited out redundant sections, this is one of the instances where the book actually could have been much longer.
The story felt a bit rushed and characters flat without giving sufficient time for fleshing them out. The plot was easy to read and very quick, could have been drawn out more.
Despite the detractions, great concept (reflects Robinson Crusoe, but space) and looking forward to knocking out the next one and seeing if it develops a bit better as the story gains some heft.
Not as long, slow, or engineer-y as The Martian, Hail Mary or other Andy Weir books, though similar vibes.
I often want books to be shorter and think they could have edited out redundant sections, this is one of the instances where the book actually could have been much longer.
The story felt a bit rushed and characters flat without giving sufficient time for fleshing them out. The plot was easy to read and very quick, could have been drawn out more.
Despite the detractions, great concept (reflects Robinson Crusoe, but space) and looking forward to knocking out the next one and seeing if it develops a bit better as the story gains some heft.
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