Striking Mars

Saving Mars #5

by Cidney Swanson

Fleeing for their lives, Jess and Pavel make it to the Moon, narrowly avoiding the attack on Space Station 92-AE. They should be safe and happy, but they discover they are not alone on Tranquility Base. The stranger they encounter seems uniquely qualified to leak their presence to Chancellor Lucca Brezhnaya, especially when the Marsians contemplate airing Lucca's political dirty laundry. But Lucca has already shown she would destroy worlds rather than see her secrets exposed.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy, Romance, Space, Dystopia, Adventure

333 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 12, 2013

Reviews

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 5 of this series jumps between Mars and Earth's Satellites with less emphasis on the Evil Aunt. With no place on Earth being safe from her, Jess, Pavel, Ethan and Zuss escape into space. Working from Earth the Marsians and the Clan work towards getting satellite control. With Ethan establishing contact with the Marsian government, Jess not wanting to make decisions on her own, and Marsian elections resulting in a candidate making direct contact with Evil Aunt, all may be lost as it revealed that Jess and Ethan are alive on a space station. Making it to the moon, they encounter the Ghost, lose contact with Mars and have to come up with a plan for their survival and for the survival of Mars which has been attacked.

As a YA series, the author balances action, politics, science, and character development in an adventure that is engaging to read. Book 5 is a stronger story than book 4 with our characters involved in a media campaign exposing the Evil Aunt and telling her secrets. Will it work? Will the Marsians reveal the truth that their colony still exists? Will doing so take away their independence? Survival on multiple levels comes into play in this book -- the Raiders, the Mars government, the colony, its independence, the Evil Aunt's power, and individuals and secrets on both worlds.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rip-roaring good tale continues. I'm glad I bought #5 and #6 so I could push through to the end. I suppose this is considered YA literature, but I don't care.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never a disappointment.


Thank you Cidney, for publishing great reads! I would definitely buy more of you books. I recommend this to all who love out of this world thrill.

[Pono Akina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucca is so evil!
Love this series.

[Suzy Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Another solid book in this series.

Jess, Pavel, Ethan and Mr. Zussman are on the moon, and at space stations evading Chancellor Lucca.

We don't really get a lot from Earth with Harpreet being in hiding and clan Wallace hosting Kippler, but being under but we get a bit more from Mars. The Earth chapters are just Lucca dealing with trying to find the fugitives and trying to maintain control.

Mei Lo is dealing with the stress of reelection, campaigning against Cavanaugh, trying to give the Mars raiders the benefit of the doubt. We learn the Cavanaugh, is in cahoots with his uncle who has been sabotaging the home Algae and food programs . the end where he kills himself by walking outside without a suit was sudden and very final. I get it, he was fearful of death by lasers after earths attack, but I wouldn't have pegged his character as one to commit suicide.

We meet the character 'the ghost'. A man who has been rumored to live in space and save people when they are stranded and facing death. He ends up being Luccas twin brother who she has been rebodying and keeping in space. we also found out that he played a part in the death of pavals parents. He didn't kill them, but he didn't save them either on Lucca's orders.

the majority of the book is them just plotting on how to talk to mars, how to foil Lucca and how to get back to mars. There's obviously some romance between Jessamyn and Pavel.

The climax of the book is Kippler steals a ship to save Jessamyn, Pavel, Ethan and Zussman by sacrificing herself to kill Vladimir Wu who was sent to kill the crew! So sad and I wanted her to live, but it added depth to the books, that main character can die and are not unkillables.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best sci-fi series I have ever read. Lots of space travel and well researched situations to keep the reader engaged. Check out my reviews on the previous four books to feel my glow. I am so excited that there is going to be yet one more book that I totally turned 'Fan Girl'. As soon as I finished reading this book last night I wrote to the author to gush and beg for the next one. Gosh, I can't wait to read six. It is supposed to be out this Spring, yet another reason I want Winter to LEAVE!

Once again, I am so impressed with the main character Jess and her autistic (?) hacker brother, Ethan. There is a lot of enjoying time on Mars through the family left there, time on Earth, and even time on the Moon. It was just so much fun!

Please do yourself a favor and grab the triology for $2.99 Then enjoy a great adventure. Then follow up with the science links that Ms. Swanson puts in the back of the book. It is worth every penny!

[AMELIA KEGLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate waiting...

for the next book to come out! This 5th book in the "Saving Mars" series has yet again made me smile, tear up and often be surprised at plot twists. I love when I can't precisely predict what will happen and when. Great character development, with fully fleshed people I can truly "see." Even if you don't think you're a fan of Sci-Fi/fantasy, this series is absolutely worth your time. I have thoroughly enjoyed each one.

[Truitti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed books 1 through 5 of this series. Book 6, not so much. I loved the idea that humans had a settlement on Mars, and that there developed a "them and us" attitude with both the Marsians and Earthlings. And the whole rebody idea is brilliant. Highly enjoyable. Might have to reread in the near future.

[JenBsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to pick this up and continue on with the story immediately after finishing book four. Another continuation of the story, a little more of a cliff-hanger ending then the others, but the first few chapters of Book6 were there as bonus material, and I had the next book ready as well.

Bought this one for $3.99

[Shawna Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun series. I'm not normally into sci-if but the reviews for this series looked pretty good so I downloaded them on a whim. I was immediately sucked in by the imagery of the Mars colony and the Marsian (don't call them Martians!) way of life.

[Holly Thames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to like characters, great adventure, enjoyed

[Robert 'Rev. Bob' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent penultimate book. Can't wait for the big finale!