The Time Door

The Eternities #1

by Shannon McDermott

A reckless last mission on Mars, a crusade for justice on Earth . . .

Reuben Jackson is the only one who still cares about Mars. In the shambles of the Great Collapse, Earth has abandoned the Mars explorers to their fate. But Reuben will make a stand for the Mars team—even against the powerfully united politicians and scientists. In too deep, he discovers hidden conspiracies and unexpected allies.

As the conflict mounts on Earth, time runs down on Mars. Left to face Mars alone, Commander Donegan Moynihan and his team have no hope of surviving after their supplies are gone. Willing to accept a quicker death than starvation, the explorers strike out on a dangerous mission. They venture deep inside the ancient volcano of Arsia Mons, into perils and secrets long buried. What they discover would move mountains on Earth—but will it be enough to save themselves?

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Christian, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel, Adult Fiction

292 pages, Hardcover

Published October 29, 2024

About the author

Shannon McDermott is an author of science fiction and has been occupied for years with constructing scenarios of the colonization of Mars. The Time Door, the first book in the Eternities Series, was released by Enclave Publishing in October 2024. Shannon reviews speculative fiction as a staff writer with Lorehaven.

Shannon lives in the great Midwest, where she does her best to avoid icy weather, sweltering heat, and tornadoes, according to the season. Her interests include history, classic literature, and lattes.

Reviews

[Molly | Visitingmanygoodbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A team of four, Donegan Moynihan, David Killiam, Margaret Killiam, and Gulliver Eamon, is sent on a mission to Mars. Fast forward four years later, the team has been abandoned to face mars alone. With hardly any rations left and no hope for survival, the team sets off to explore the dangerous planet and try to find a way home. On earth, Ruben Jackson is the last person who cares about the Mars team. Not wanting to leave the four to die alone, he sets out to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.

🚀

“One thing I know, God did not bring us this far, and save us from so much, for nothing. There is more for us. Let’s go discover it.”

🌟

I loved this story so much! Shannon McDermott did such a wonderful job with this book. The characters all had their own personalities and I loved getting to see each one’s story play out. The world building was incredible. It took me a little bit to get into it but it really pulled me in during the second half. I did like the mars teams povs better than the characters on earth, but both were interesting. It reminded me of the movie Interstellar. This is one of Enclave publishing’s finest, and I highly recommend this book if you are a sci-fi fan!

[Izzy]

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[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

“One thing I know…God did not bring us this far, and save us from so much, for nothing. There is more for us. Let’s go discover it.”

The Time Door is exactly what I’m always looking for on the rare occasions I venture into hard science fiction, though it’s something I rarely find. This book is by turns fanciful and believable, philosophical and propulsive. It swept me away while also keeping my mind fully engaged, and I never found myself drowning in the science or the politics that were both so vital to the story. I drew comparisons to both The Martian and Project Hail Mary as I read, which is some of the highest praise I can give any work of science fiction as I adored both novels.

Four intrepid explorers have become America’s—and the world’s—first manned mission to Mars. Five years after leaving Earth, and four years into their stay on Mars, they are expecting to be retrieved. Or, at the very least, resupplied. But in the wake of the Great Collapse and the shambles in which it left America, the nation that commissioned them has abandoned the Mars team to their fate. One man, Rueben Jackson, seems to be the only person on the planet who cares about getting these four explorers home, but he is up against seemingly insurmountable odds against powerful politicians and hidden conspiracies. Our story alternates between the Mars team’s travails and Rueben’s efforts to bring them home.

The Time Door was a gripping, transportive tale from start to finish. The plot is expansive in scope and incredibly cinematic in its portrayal of the story being told. I often find myself struggling when reading hard science fiction to stay engaged with the plot without getting lost in the weeds, so to speak. That was never a struggle with The Time Door. Early in the book I was more engaged in the storyline on Mars than that taking place on Earth, especially since politics played so vital a role in Rueben’s half of the story. But soon I found myself almost equally gripped by his plot line as I was by that of the Mars team. The state of America in the wake of this fictional Great Collapse seemed eerily probable.

I found McDermott’s prose incredibly readable. Her writing is incredibly well-crafted while not being in any way distracting. She was never calling attention to her prose, but instead used her prose to support and undergird the story being told. It’s the kind of writing that disappears as you read, and I mean that in the best way possible. This story truly became a movie in my mind. And within less than 300 pages, we get a taste of so many great sci-fi tropes: dystopia, apocalypse, space exploration, first contact, and more. While this is technically Christian sci-fi, the faith element is very light. It’s a subtle but beautifully utilized thread in the much larger picture of the story.

The Time Door captivated my imagination from the first page to the last. It’s one of my favorite works of science fiction in years, alongside Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett and The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. All three of these books brought faith into the story in different ways and to varying degrees, and that inclusion made them even more engaging for me. I enjoyed every aspect of this, from the plot to the pacing, from the prose to the character work. I’m excited to see what the continuation of the duology, Singularity, has in store.

“[He] understood, in his self’s deepest core, why a man would hang his life in the balance, rejecting what was certain for hope of what was better…Because he knew—he had always known, even when danger filled him with a desire to live—that merely keeping one’s life was never the most important thing.”

[Lori Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Time Door is set in an interesting mix of daring space travel and a thrilling mystery that will have you guessing at each turn.

Besides the intriguing setting of a USA recovering from a country-wide crisis, are the characters moving through the story as the mystery pulls them along for the ride. Each of them had such meaningful dialogue and connected wonderfully with the story so the more you know about them, the more you want to discover the answers to this sci-fi’s questions.

This book is perfect for anyone who is a fan of the space classics as well as newer space travel adventures! Or simply if you want a good sci-fi mystery with dystopian vibes!

I was given a digital ARC copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts. Thank you to the publisher for this copy!

[Rachel E. Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I wanted to enjoy it, it wasn't the book for me. The writing style felt more YA than adult and I struggled to connect to the story.

It wasn't bad, I just wasn't the ideal reader. Someone who loves political drama, haunting sci-fi adventures, and a large cast of characters would love this book.

[Serene In Wonderland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite possibly the cleanest adult book I've read in a long long time. Loved that! Though it took me a while to get into, by about page 60, I was gripped! The Mars storyline was fascinating. I'm not sure I followed everything in the Earth storyline as it was very Politics heavy (not my jam) but overall a really great Sci Fi read.

CONTENT:
Language: None
Romance: Feelings between m/f adults. Mentions of a divorce.
Faith: Mentions of God and being religious. All pretty Muslim friendly.
Other: There are mentions of drinking and one character has a history of alcoholism.

[Kaytlin Phillips]

DNfed at page 30...starters most sci-fi (other than Star Wars and 3Below) isn't my thing, but this sounded interesting, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
I was confused and then bored, so I traded the book for some new ones... the writing style was pretty, and a sci-fi/government take-over lover would probably enjoy this it just wasn't for me.

[Lyndsey Lewellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hardly have words for how much I enjoyed The Time Door. Let's just say I'm a slow reader, and I devoured this book in three days. It probably helped that I was sick and couldn't sleep. But wow, did this story keep my interest. It's definitely one of the top five books I've read this year.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The United States has been devastated by the Great Collapse. Dollar bills are now worth more as paper than currency, thousands upon thousands of people are jobless and living in shanty towns, and in the wake of such a crisis the country isn't very concerned that NASA is cutting the launch of the mission to retrieve the 4 people on Mars sent to do research. Reuben Jackson feels like he is the last person on Earth who cares for those 4 people on the red planet: Commander Donegan Moynihan, Dr. Margaret Killiam, her brother Col. David Killian, and Maj. Gulliver Eamon. As the White House/NASA consultant for the project, Jackson feels it is his duty to advocate for these 4 people in their absence. He wants NASA to at least send a supply drop. But as he pursues his campaign for their lives, Jackson unwittingly uncovers a conspiracy buried deep in the history of the mission to Mars and those behind its launch in the first place. His life, in addition to the 4 on Mars, is now on the line in the race to expose the conspiracy or be silenced forever. Meanwhile on Mars, as Moyniham, Margaret, David, and Eamon become aware that Earth is leaving them to die, they decide to go out in a blaze of glory rather than slowly starving to death. They set out to venture deeper into the dangerous nearby volcano, Arisa Mons, to see if it holds secrets regarding life on Mars.

I tried starting this in early Jan and it just wasn't grabbing me. When I restarted this time, I had trouble putting it down, which just goes to show that sometime it isn't the book, it is just the rest of life and what kind of reading mood you're in. I would love to see this developed into a movie. It has the race to fully uncover and expose a conspiracy before someone very powerful can silence yet more people, which definitely kept the pages turning. And then there's the whole group of people abandoned on Mars thing. Also on Mars we have the group stumble across some very interesting things deep in the volcano regarding a former Martian settlement and a time travel device that only seems to work in certain ways. Watching them figure out what is going on, work out some alien communication, and how to use various alien devices was also great inducement to turn the pages. They also are thrown into several very dangerous situations as the explore new territory. On Earth Reuben Jackson's interactions with Willow (secretary to a scientist overseeing the Mars mission) and Senator Manasseh Cruz (who was loosely involved in the conspiracy but once he discovers the full extent of the conspiracy shows he's a rather complex character) provide opportunity for character development in addition to the high stakes plot. The Great Collapse has obvious nods to the Great Depression with shanty towns that sound an awful lot like Hoovervilles, but the Great Collapse takes things a couple notches worse. On Mars, the 4 people who have been stuck in close quarters and now are facing dire circumstances definitely start acting like they are tired of being stuck together, and they have to work through differences they've pushed to the side before this crisis. The things they discover on Mars are very interesting, and just the kind of scifi exploration stuff I enjoy. Overall, a highly enjoyable scifi/conspiracy thriller with a touch of time travel and I am quite eager to read book 2 now.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: Nothing beyond a kiss
Violence: There are several shots fired both on Mars and Earth, but no one is fatally wounded. There are other perilous circumstances, like a fire, a volcanic eruption, misunderstandings with aliens that look pretty grim but no one is permanently seriously injured.
Ethnic diversity: I don't really remember physical or ethnic descriptions of any of the characters.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Greed and vengeance and selfishness are winning the day in many respects and leading some people to treat others quite poorly. One person is an alcoholic, but they are on the path to sobriety.

[Abigail Falanga · Rating 4 out of 5]

A near-future science fiction about the first manned mission to Mars and the complications they face when disasters on Earth and conspiracies in the government leave them stranded.

Classic sci-fi in the best way, with a dangerous exploration into one of Mars’ volcanos and [spoiler?] the evidence of past civilizations found within [end spoiler], the group dynamics of a reserved scientist leading the mission, the soldier second-in-command, his beautiful doctor sister, and the hothead engineer… This all made this book feel like one of those old adventure novels of the ‘50s/’60s—a little pulpy but with heart, and begging for bold line-drawing illustrations that are a little generous on the curves.

But this is a modern book, with characters and motivations that have depth and secrets you wouldn’t expect. The downside is that the story as well as the main Mars mission team hold back in cautious, almost bureaucratic ways that rob the narrative of both momentum and wonder. But this is a criticism of recent storytelling styles, which I’ve observed often lack impulsiveness, for lack of a better word. I’ve fallen into the same error myself. And it makes sense in the setting; a scientific mission to Mars would have as many cautions and safety measures as any space mission, so second-guessing everything works—and in fact, overcoming this “safety-ism” becomes a theme of the book. It just felt a little odd.

The other half of this book is set on Earth among the movers-and-shakers in American government, and becomes a political thriller about cover-ups and the cost of doing the right thing after economic collapse has nearly broken civilization. The characters in this setting were also compelling and unexpectedly likeable and the twists and reveals, while somewhat predictable, kept me engaged. Again, the narrative erred too much on the side of caution, possibly a pacing problem, but the near-future setting and technology were interesting enough to make up for it.
I listened to the audiobook and didn’t love the narrator, though it was still a fun experience.

This book gets a solid 4 out of 5 stars from me, and I’m looking forward to the sequel even though the conclusion was satisfying.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is something I thought I would share before I do my review . I have always ever since I was a child be fascinated by Mars. It is such an intriguing place that is unknown to us. Is there life there? Can we travel there to form a community? Well this story captures my imagination perfectly and kept me interested throughout the book.

This is definitely science fiction at its best where Mars and Earth both face challenges. Earth is facing a crisis and Mars for some is looking like a place to run too. However funds to continue space adventures are not a top priority right now. Isn’t it funny that NASA faces cutbacks even today. I have been to the Johnson Space Center several times. It looks so big on TV but it really is a small room. Lots of equipment is in the room with technology that I will never understand.

I loved when the team on Mars faces difficulties and test their ability to survive. I kept thinking how this book would make a great movie. The team finds themselves stranded on Mars with no hope of survival. What really surprised me was the difficult decision on Earth to not rescue those that are trapped there. If you are the president how do you decide to not rescue a group? I would have sleepless nights with making a decision that would cost lives.

The story does have twists and will test the ability to survive. I really liked getting to know Rueben and the Commander. When a message is received that a five year ration supply of food was being sent, realization settles in. Are they really going to leave them on Mars for that length of time? I would start panicking and request to be rescued now! Soon they see that some of the rations are not good anymore. Now reality sets in for the team.

Back on Earth much is going on. Experiments being done, economy going crazy, and the worry of a team stranded on Mars. His mission is to get them back home but he runs into walls everywhere he goes. I found it interesting how survival played a part on Mars as well as Earth. The battles are fierce and I couldn’t wait to see where the author would take the story.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

[TC692 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Time Door by Shannon McDermott was an excellently written adult sci-fi fantasy. It is set from a dystopian point of view. I tend to like dystopian fantasy books because many times the scenes and circumstances can really seem like they are believable and could really take place. I especially like Christian dystopian books because they tend to look toward God, good, and evil and how these all interact to get to the dystopian world. This book took the classic look at dystopian worlds and added a bit of new twists and turns.
There is a theme of faith in this book, but it is not overtly seen as in many other books, but it is still there and can be seen. I especially would point out that this can be seen when the author shows readers that many people are trusting in the government to make everything better again. We know that government is not there to necessarily make things better, it is there as an agent of God, to punish evil-doers, not to be the people’s god. Unfortunately, many governments around the world try to be god. Like in the book the United States government has even taken to acting as if they act like God and knowing what is best for the citizens, even though they are supposed to take their cues from the people.
This book was filled with time travel, which is definitely a bit different for a dystopian-themed novel. I think it added a great twist to this type of book. I would highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of sci-fi and dystopian literature. It also is a major plus that this book is written by an excellent Christian author. I look forward to reading the other books in the series and more books by Shannon McDermott.
I received a complimentary copy from the author through Celebrate Lit, for my honest opinion.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

THE TIME DOOR is part political intrigue and part science fiction as it takes place far in the future and has a few surprises for those left on Mars. Complex characters and an interesting plot with one storyline occurring on Earth and the other on Mars, makes for an engaging and unique read for science fiction fans.

I liked the characters and overall plot of this story. Each of the characters had their own complex personalities. They also each had their own motives, some better than others. As the story progressed, the characters came more and more into their own. There was also a bit of romance and some elements of faith, but they're not a main aspect of the story. I felt like the story was evenly split between what's happening on Earth and then what's happening on Mars. The storyline on Earth was very political while the one on Mars was more about discovery and survival. Both were apocalyptic. Both also had some climatic moments that resolved enough for the end of this first book while leaving the story open for book two.

I did feel like the story dragged a lot. Places where the plotting moved very slowly. There were also places where what happened was very abstract or disconnected. Some parts didn't engage me or hold my interest. However, the uniqueness of the story kept me turning the pages as was the need to find out how everything would end.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This is a unique apocalyptic science fiction with complex, fully fleshed characters and an interesting plot. Recommended to fans of science fiction.

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like science fiction and this one highlighting a mission to Mars is a good one. I really liked the adventures of the crew, the descriptions of the crew's intriguing discoveries, and the character interaction. I felt like I was there with the adventurers as the descriptions of items and actions were very good. The faith message was quite low key and generic. I would have liked a bit more spiritual exploration after the team's surprising discoveries. There could have been some speculation and discussion on why God creates who and what He does and on the whole aspect of time travel.

The part of the book relating the situation back on earth was a little fuzzy for me. I know it was a dystopian era as there had been a great financial collapse in the U.S. Powerful people wanted to abandon the Mars venture, leaving the four people there to die. The economic reasons made sense to me, not spend millions on space when there were so many immediate needs at home. But there was also a power play going on. I did not understand all the actions and interactions taking place there.

So I liked the part of the book about the Mars mission but the political situation back home not so much. McDermott is a great writer of science fiction. I will be looking for her next novel, hoping there is much more emphasis on the science fiction aspect than the political situation back home.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Brandi Raae · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝘼𝙣𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨｡”

Can you imagine being left to starve on another planet, knowing that the people who can help you won’t? Ugh. What a terrible, empty feeling!

A four-person Mars team has been busy trying to make the next giant leap for mankind for the past four years, but they’ve been abandoned by NASA and the U. S. government. With supplies running out and no way to leave Mars, they decide to journey deep inside the volcano of Arsia Mons. Even if they don’t make it out alive, perhaps they can discover something that will help future explorers.

Back on Earth, there’s at least one person willing to take a stand for the abandoned Mars team, but with so much opposition, the fight may prove too risky.

Chapters go back and forth between Mars and Earth. Secrets slowly unravel in both places, not only moving the plot forward but diving deep into the thoughts and motives of the individual characters.

This book is about so much more than exploring the tangible unknown. Makes you think about human nature and what drives a person or group to do what they do. Themes of regret, shame, perseverance, forgiveness, and teamwork are strategically woven throughout.


I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Mary Hake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine a team of four living on Mars for four years. At the same time, the Great Collapse on Earth has rendered money worthless, and now the US has no funding available to bring these Mars pioneers back home. Not only that, but a conspiracy among those involved in the project adds certain doom. A dual story set on both Mars and Earth, both story lines burst with tension and a dangerous plot. The Time Door’s characters came across as true-to-life and plausible. The author did a great job creating this remarkable alien world in addition to the desperate situation found on Earth. The intriguing science fiction novel stretches the reader’s imagination and challenges moral choices as we observe the characters and their decisions. It also pits hope against despair and addresses individual integrity. I would recommend the book for book club discussions. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets & betrayal abound with a Martian mission....

I've never been a big sci-fi fan but Enclave has slowly been changing my mind. The Time Door is such an intriguing title that I would have wanted to read this book even if I hadn't seen the cover blurb and didn't already enjoy the publisher.

Shannon McDermott is a new-to-me author but I am always up for finding additional authors to add to my must-read list. With her storytelling skill painting a vividly imaginative dystopian Earth and harsh Martian landscape – both of which, may be more than they first appear – and a cast of interesting characters this first The Eternities book kept me intrigued from start to finish.

I may be new to Shannon McDermott's exciting fiction but I fully intend on being back for the next book in The Eternities series. The Time Door just really got me good and hooked....

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

[Dan Yost · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Time Door is not a lengthy novel, but I struggled at times to push through to the next chapter. While the story had some promise with similarities between Andy Weir’s, The Martian and intense dialogue driven storytelling a la Blake Crouch, the flow and writing style felt very amateurish.

The cohesion between chapters was confusing at times. (Bear in mind the chapters alternated between two different settings and characters.) I often had to go back and re-read the end of the previous chapter to make sure I didn’t miss something.

Also the descriptive elements of the story failed to engage my imagination and emotions to draw me into the environment. Perhaps some more character development and “colorful” writing might help bring the story to life more.

The Time Door did end strong and provide enough mystery and intrigue to leave me excited enough to want to read the next one. Some improvement in writing style will bring the next book to something better than YA fiction.

[Patti Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Time Door by Sharon McDermott is Adult Science Fiction. It focuses on a team sent to Mars and the individual who wants to ensure they are not abandoned. I enjoyed getting to know the characters on Mars, while some individuals on Earth left a lot to be desired.

The story moved at a good pace, and the author developed the storyline well. I would recommend reading another book by this author. The author did an excellent job creating a story that kept my interest. As the first book in The Eternities series, it did an excellent job setting the stage for an interesting new science fiction series.

So, if you enjoy Adult Science Fiction, check out The Time Door by Sharon McDermott.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Time Door is the first volume from The Eternities series by Shannon McDermott. It is, also, my first introduction by this author. I am not a huge fan of this genre but chose to go outside my comfort zone and give it a try. I thought it was a good novel to read. It was full of action and adventure. I thought found this story to be a fun and entertaining read.


I am giving The Time Door three and a half stars. I recommend it for readers and fans of clean science fiction, dystopian, and fiction. I would be interested in seeing what happens next in the second installment from Shannon McDermott's The Eternities series.


I received a digital copy of Shannon McDermott's The Time Door from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ I appreciate the values and morals espoused by this book. The concept had me hooked—explorers on Mars find a door to the universe, essentially. The cons, the plot was a bit of a disappointment. There’s just so much you could do with this idea! So my expectations were high—lots of actions, lots of imaginative aliens or worlds or times. Maybe the future books in the series will have more of that, and this one was setting the plot up? It was a slower read. It’s very political, which was interesting, but also the boring parts. All the characters were a bit flat too, just uninteresting. I hate writing a review like this because I wanted to love it. I have loved 98% of everything I’ve read by Enclave Publishing. But this felt more like it’s for adults, rather than YA. And just slow and tame.

[Mike Bogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sense of wonder is what most sci-fi geeks seek in their science fiction, and author Shannon McDermott provides it in all its speculative splendor.

Parallel plots—that of the Mars crew, that of the D.C. good guys and bad guys—bristle with tension, suspense, and high stakes. The twin stories likewise explore the themes of collapse and redemption, both overtly and covertly.

The characterization is top-rank, each of the book’s major players developing via strong character arcs. You may think you have all the characters pegged, but keep reading—you may be surprised.

Best of all, the novel’s prose often dances with the poetic, a’la Ray Bradbury and other timeless sci-fi authors. Indeed, “The Time Door” resounds with the spirit of classic sci-fi, its haunting Martian set pieces redolent with the mystery of the unknown.

A sense of wonder? You bet.

[Beilby_Book_Nook Bekki Beilby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read was 4 & ½ stars for me.

“That spurned cry from Mars fell through the glowering clouds, echoed in his mind and in his heart: SOS. Save our souls…”

This Time Door was a fast paced Sci-fi read that had me hooked right from the beginning. This book had a unique style of writing with multiple characters point of views in each chapter, really giving the reader a chance to understand the characters and what made them make the choices they did. The chapters alternate between what happens on Earth and the exploration of Mars.

The story opens when tensions are high on Earth with political intrigue, secrets, and economic collapse making it difficult to know who is the enemy or a potential ally. The Mars team, after being abandoned by Earth to die on the desolate planet, make a decision to spend their last moments exploring deep in the ancient volcano to discover what no human has seen before. As the story progresses we watch the reactions of the characters as they experience regret, despair, and shame, but also forgiveness, grace, and faith in God to carry them through. It leaves the reader with questions that I can’t wait to find answers for in book 2.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shannon McDermott and Enclave Publishing. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Carol Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four people go to Mars, that iconic planet that is so hard to reach. Mars missions are typically viewed as a one-way trip, but the crew certainly didn't expect to not have help from the Earth side of things. They just want to go home, but how? I love Sci-Fi; it's one of my favorite genres. This one also has time travel, making it practically perfect, especially with low-key day-to-day faith worked into it. It's dystopian while also being apocalyptic and keeps track of the current events on Earth and Mars. Full of action, adventure, SPACE, and suspense, I greatly enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of this series.

Thanks to Celebrate Lit for my digital copy of this book. This review is my own. A positive review is never a requirement.

[Jebraun · Rating 5 out of 5]

🚀 This is a very satisfying read and perfect for lovers of character driven sci-fi. While not fast-paced, the narrative is riveting and suspenseful with lots of twists and turns. Part of me wanted the events to flow a little more quickly, but I enjoyed getting to know each character’s quirks. I also like how the different relationships unfold and deepen between the four on the Mars team as well as between the different players back on Earth. The multiple POVs are all necessary, as each character has a different story to tell, and it definitely adds interest by getting in different people’s thoughts. It ends with a hopeful cliffhanger that makes me eager to find out what happens next.

[Elizabeth Quaintance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent sci-fi novel written by Shannon McDermott, a young woman I met years ago when she, her parents and multiple siblings stopped by our house for supper on their way to somewhere else.

Shannon was already a blossoming writer at that time, having written a whole series of detective stories, and an excellent novel—also sci-fi—“The Last Heir.”

With “The Time Door” she juxtaposes a team of astronauts on Mars, running out of supplies and hope, with the politicians on Earth, some determined to abandon the Mars pioneers and others trying desperately to save them.

It’s a great read; hard to put down. I hope you’ll try it.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good, but it was more on the poetic, soft sci-fi side for my taste. However, the overall storyline was engaging (although I liked the Mars half better than the Earth half), and the conclusion was interesting. I feel like it should've been named something different, so as not to telegraph the ending: if that ending came out of nowhere it would've been more impactful.

[Lydia Thurm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can I just say how gripping and spectacular this book is?!?!

A dystopian novel set on both Mars and in the United States, this book surprised me with every chapter. You could feel the depth of loneliness, despair, and utter emptiness that the characters felt throughout this book.

I also really appreciated how this book grappled with the concept of sitting by and watching evil happen and doing nothing about it.

Highly, highly recommend!

[Jess (Jessie’s World of Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up. It wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t too impressed when the aliens entered the chat 🙄 I’m not an alien-in-fiction fan.

[Clean Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathlessly awaiting the next book!

Clean mom two thumbs up for clean language and plot. :)