The Belt

by Dale E. Lehman

Only the rich and the ruthless survive.
Upon discovering a rock bearing ancient microfossils, exobiologist Dr. Miguel Hernandez seeks to preserve a tract of Mars for further research. But Lowell Colony Mayor Andre Rand covets the same area for expansion. Framed for sabotage, Miguel must flee into the deadly Martian wilderness and, if possible, collect additional evidence before it's destroyed by construction.
In a society driven by greed and ruled by corruption, Miguel stands to lose all. His friends betray him and his top students become targets. Even his secret weapon, Andre's duplicitous wife, turns on him. And then Miguel discovers a truth more terrifying behind everything lurks a shadowy figure from the asteroid belt. And she doesn't just want Mars. She wants Miguel and his students.

304 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2023

About the author

Dale E. Lehman is an award-winning writer, veteran software developer, amateur astronomer, and bonsai artist in training. He principally writes mysteries, science fiction, and humor. In addition to his novels, his writing has appeared in Sky & Telescope and on Medium.com. He owns and operates the imprint Red Tales. He and his late wife Kathleen have five children, six grandchildren, and two feisty cats. At any given time, Dale is at work on several novels and short stories.

To get a bunch of freebies and sign up for Dale's Story Corner newsletter, visit his website.

Reviews

[J.D. Brayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Belt
Dale Lehman
This novel set in a dystopian Mars, populated by miscreants, hustlers, outlaw scientists and mega-rich oligarchs, is a landscape full of secrets, half-truths and rationalizations meant to control the minds and destinies of others.
On Mars, as on Earth before it — profiteers rule.
Miguel Hernandez—a once respected exobiologist is desperate to clear his name and regain the reputation he lost by falsifying evidence; a bad professional decision that inexorably changed his life, destroyed his family on Earth, and caused him to emigrate to the Martian colonies, now being mined for minerals by conglomerates and corporations with no compunction in using slave labor, where few civil or human rights exist, and outlaws roam at will.
Now Miguel is himself an outlaw, framed for sabotage and murder by Andre Rand, the mayor of the Lowell colony and marked for death for, among other infractions, sleeping with Rand’s trophy wife, Carmen, and refusing to be controlled by conniving bureaucrats, politicians, and competing mining companies owned by shady illegal miners and black marketeers who have come to Mars to make unregulated fortunes by any means necessary.
Hernandez is a well-meaning, yet ultimately self-serving anti-hero whose main talent seems to be negatively altering the lives of all who trust him.
There are other dark forces at work competing for control of Mars and no one can stand in the way and live.
Author Dale Lehman has created a cast of characters and an intricate plot accentuated by his razor-sharp dialog and his empathic understanding of human nature when exposed to the unbridled hunger for power and the willpower to withstand insurmountable odds spanning the bleak chasm between fear and redemption and the asteroid belt between Mars and the vastness of space.
A fine read.

J.D. Brayton

[Jennie Rosenblum · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a longtime fan of this author's murder mystery novels, I approached this science fiction book with curiosity and caution. However, I'm thrilled to say that the transition into the realm of science fiction was impressive.

Set in a future where Mars has been successfully colonized, the author seamlessly weaves a tapestry of intrigue and political power struggles against the backdrop of this captivating yet stark new world. The vivid descriptions of the landscape, the belt area, compounds, and travel vessels as well as the intricacies of the colonized areas, transported me to an entirely new and detailed realm.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, with their motivations and actions driving the plot forward at a steady pace. The secrets and relationships that emerge, sometimes slipping on the page as an afterthought, were well done and enjoyable. The intertwining of political maneuverings, personal vendettas, and hidden agendas kept me guessing until the very end.

This science fiction gem will undoubtedly captivate both science fiction enthusiasts and fans of the author's previous works.

[Lynn Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the political power that controls Mars suddenly declares an exobiologist an outlaw, and his students must flee for their lives, what’s the truth behind what’s really going on?

This enjoyable sci-fi story ranges from Mars to the asteroid belt. It combines political intrigue with mystery and thriller elements to make for an engrossing tale that's hard to put down. The characters are varied and interesting and they carry the story along as they work to figure out what’s behind the dangers that encompass them. The sci-fi setting is detailed and believable without being overly technical. The intertwining plots and agendas help keep the reader guessing in this riveting read, well worth diving into.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and tragic story. The characters were diverse and interesting, especially the villains. Celia was especially scary. Many of them were trying to find a better life or reclaim something they lost, but in the end, they discovered they were all pawns in a game they could not escape, caught in the same cycles as before. Some of the plot elements felt abrupt or rushed, but throughout, I was eager to see what would happen, and I was left wondering if there would be more. But perhaps that was the point of the tragedy: they cannot change or break free.

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh.
.
I received this book as an advance release copy.

It is an enigma wrapped by a conundrum within a riddle of a who dunit! Filled to the gills with action on top of more action surrounded by twists and turns. I was enthralled by this tale.

I am happy to have it sit on my shelf next to the stories of Earl Stanley Gardner, Ellery Queen and Isaac Asimov!

I received no remuneration for this review and I recommend that if you like a good Sci-Fi mystery, read this one.

[Kristen Illarmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many twists in this story. I love books with lots of characters with different agendas but then they start to weave and eventually they are all together dealing with the same struggles. That's what we get with The Belt. The world-building is spot on, with not too many details of what it might be like to live on Mars, but enough to firmly root the reader in the place. The character motivations are completely convincing. In the world Lehman has built, we terra form Mars and mine asteroids, but our lives are still steered by greedy humans with a lust for power. Watch your back but read this book!