Summary: Four people stranded on Mars, and Planet Earth will not send help.

Notes: This book is set in the future, when the U.S. has sent a team to Mars. Unfortunately, the U.S. undergoes The Great Collapse, with rampant inflation and unemployment, while the team is away. Now the politicians claim that they cannot send food to the team. Well, all except one person. He will not leave the team to starve. First off, this is an Enclave book (that's a publishing house, in case you didn't know) so I expected some level of drama, angst, and so forth. None. I expected a Space Opera. This is Stoic Sci/fi. Huh. I really like it! The author, Shannon McDermott, does a great job of showing all the sides of the political turmoil. Oh, and this book has timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly stuff. And aliens! In the real world...but the author does not approach the host of theological questions that would come from the existence of aliens. Honestly, I like that. Saves me the trouble of disagreeing. So, if the aliens bother you...have it be in an alternant world.

Age of Main Character: Grown up

Violence: A gunfight, a fire, explosions, injuries. Not gory. Corrupt politicians.

Romance: One guy proposes to a young lady, and she refuses and her brother punches him. So, basically none.

Scary Themes: Mysterious red orbs, a deserted alien city, corrupt politicians, being deserted by your country, hyperinflation, 25% unemployment rate, the prospect of starvation.

Genre: Political Science Fiction/Alien/Time Travel