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Terraforming Mars novels #1
In the Shadow of Deimos
Mars is the new frontier for humanity, as we launch an epic saga of inspiring planetary exploration set in the award-winning Terraforming Mars boardgame
Mars, 2316. The recently created Terraforming Committee arbitrates the dramatic development of Mars by powerful rival corporations. When a rogue asteroid crashes into a research center and kills its lone technician, the fragile balance between corporations is shattered. The World Government’s investigation into the accident reveals a multitude of motives, while a corporation insider stumbles on a dark conspiracy. Two Martians with very different agendas must navigate a trail of destruction and treachery to uncover the truth and expose those responsible, before Mars falls to Earth’s corruption. As lines blur between progress and humanity, Mars itself remains the biggest adversary of all.
Mars, 2316. The recently created Terraforming Committee arbitrates the dramatic development of Mars by powerful rival corporations. When a rogue asteroid crashes into a research center and kills its lone technician, the fragile balance between corporations is shattered. The World Government’s investigation into the accident reveals a multitude of motives, while a corporation insider stumbles on a dark conspiracy. Two Martians with very different agendas must navigate a trail of destruction and treachery to uncover the truth and expose those responsible, before Mars falls to Earth’s corruption. As lines blur between progress and humanity, Mars itself remains the biggest adversary of all.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2021
8 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 19, 2022
It is my distinct pleasure to be the first to rate and review this book. An unusual but an inspired choice for this reader who has long made it a rule to stay away from movie/tv tie in novels, game to book adaptations, etc. It’s a sound rule, usually, but this time the siren song of Mars was just too much to resist. Who says sound doesn’t travel in space. So does a seemingly elaborate board game require a novel tie in? Yes, yes, it does. Because, you know, it’s Mars, people…how can a mere earthling say no to an armchair trip to the red planet. Who has that kind of restraint? And why would you want to? It’s a dream destination.
And thus my reading of this book. And the bulk of enjoyment of it. Because…Mars. But to be fair it’s also a perfectly good read. It isn’t a great work of literary science fiction, but it isn’t trying or meant to be that. The author has dabbled in her own original sci fi serials and nonfiction sci fi tv guides, etc. and her narrative style has that slick pro, paid per word, write by numbers thing going for it with minimal internalization and maximum action, but it actually works really well here. Not sure if it’s because the world has already been staged and precreated through the game (I’ve never even heard of the game until finding this book), but this mystery set on a newly colonized Mars was well imagined, vividly rendered and, most of all and best of all, genuinely exciting. It read very much like a fun science fiction movie would. It had suspense, sabotage and some serious science…which is as far as I can stretch that alliteration.
There was an elaborate plot, featuring a fresh arrival who stumbles into a clandestine plot conceived by rival Martian companies, all striving to commercialize the colonization of Mars. The end goal is making it habitable through (obviously, title) terraforming, but everyone has different ideas on how to go about it and are willing to do whatever it takes to get their way. Even on Mars business and politics rule. Because, of course, wherever people go…there they are, in all their greedy manipulative lying cheating stealing splendor. Can an honest person survive on this terraforming Mars and maintain their integrity? Can Deimos? Well, read and find out.
So yeah, this book…so much more than Elon Musk’s wet dream. By now you should be interested in checking this out, ideally, I suppose, depending on my powers of persuasion. But anyway, I enjoyed it very much, it was hugely entertaining and read very quickly for the age count. Overall a very fun space adventure. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
And thus my reading of this book. And the bulk of enjoyment of it. Because…Mars. But to be fair it’s also a perfectly good read. It isn’t a great work of literary science fiction, but it isn’t trying or meant to be that. The author has dabbled in her own original sci fi serials and nonfiction sci fi tv guides, etc. and her narrative style has that slick pro, paid per word, write by numbers thing going for it with minimal internalization and maximum action, but it actually works really well here. Not sure if it’s because the world has already been staged and precreated through the game (I’ve never even heard of the game until finding this book), but this mystery set on a newly colonized Mars was well imagined, vividly rendered and, most of all and best of all, genuinely exciting. It read very much like a fun science fiction movie would. It had suspense, sabotage and some serious science…which is as far as I can stretch that alliteration.
There was an elaborate plot, featuring a fresh arrival who stumbles into a clandestine plot conceived by rival Martian companies, all striving to commercialize the colonization of Mars. The end goal is making it habitable through (obviously, title) terraforming, but everyone has different ideas on how to go about it and are willing to do whatever it takes to get their way. Even on Mars business and politics rule. Because, of course, wherever people go…there they are, in all their greedy manipulative lying cheating stealing splendor. Can an honest person survive on this terraforming Mars and maintain their integrity? Can Deimos? Well, read and find out.
So yeah, this book…so much more than Elon Musk’s wet dream. By now you should be interested in checking this out, ideally, I suppose, depending on my powers of persuasion. But anyway, I enjoyed it very much, it was hugely entertaining and read very quickly for the age count. Overall a very fun space adventure. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
July 21, 2022
I briefly had hopes for this but they petered out very quickly. I'm not too upset since it was mostly a lark of a read. My partner and I have been absolutely obsessed with Terraforming Mars for about a year now - by obsessed, I mean that after a year, we still play several times a week, with multiple expansions, and are still not remotely bored - and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's been invaluable for my mental health during a pretty challenging period. It's such an inventive, complex, and variable game and its powers of distraction are invaluable.
That said, this reading experience was... roughly what you'd expect from a tie-in novel to a board game, lol. The plot itself was not too bad, but the writing had all the life and artistry of a chat bot script, and the characters were one-dimensional, blander than plain porridge, and aggressively straight. It's also pretty poorly edited, with frequent grammatical errors and a slew of typos, the most amusing of which remains "the endless plain of Martian dessert." Yum!
The most interesting part of the story for me was seeing the corporations in action and having them be represented by actual human beings with their own agendas (too bad they were all so underdeveloped and boring), and the descriptions of familiar day-to-day terraforming tasks. Neither of those things are likely to provide anything of much interest to someone who isn't familiar with the game.
That said, this reading experience was... roughly what you'd expect from a tie-in novel to a board game, lol. The plot itself was not too bad, but the writing had all the life and artistry of a chat bot script, and the characters were one-dimensional, blander than plain porridge, and aggressively straight. It's also pretty poorly edited, with frequent grammatical errors and a slew of typos, the most amusing of which remains "the endless plain of Martian dessert." Yum!
The most interesting part of the story for me was seeing the corporations in action and having them be represented by actual human beings with their own agendas (too bad they were all so underdeveloped and boring), and the descriptions of familiar day-to-day terraforming tasks. Neither of those things are likely to provide anything of much interest to someone who isn't familiar with the game.
June 5, 2021
I received an advanced reader copy of this book for review. I've been playing Terraforming Mars since base game and play nearly daily with friends all over the world. I love the game and sci-fi so I asked if I could review the book for our online TfM community.
Without spoilers, the book is a mystery/intrigue plot. The corporations of mars are in direct competition for resources, money, and space (pun). The book has some light jokes for TfM players that made me chuckle. You don't need to play to enjoy the book, but it helps. The corporations of mars are in quite a bit of... Turmoil.
The only reason I took a star was the pacing and consequences at the end. I wanted more there and less on drinking water and eating food. It is very clearly Book 1. I'm interested to read more.
Without spoilers, the book is a mystery/intrigue plot. The corporations of mars are in direct competition for resources, money, and space (pun). The book has some light jokes for TfM players that made me chuckle. You don't need to play to enjoy the book, but it helps. The corporations of mars are in quite a bit of... Turmoil.
The only reason I took a star was the pacing and consequences at the end. I wanted more there and less on drinking water and eating food. It is very clearly Book 1. I'm interested to read more.
November 16, 2022
First, I absolutely love the Terraforming Mars games, I have played the board game with my and without expansion packs with my brother and his wife many times. And we have a mobile version of the game on the go almost continually. What I loved about the game is it reminded me of the science fiction I read as a teen and young adult. This new series of novels brings that full circle, we circle from the game and elements in the game back to novels. And Jane Killick has done an excellent job with this story, and I hope there will be many in the series.
But back to this specific story, the description of this novel is:
“Mars is the new frontier for humanity, as we launch an epic saga of inspiring planetary exploration set in the award-winning Terraforming Mars boardgame
In the 25th century, mankind is on the brink of achieving a second home: Mars. Rival corporations spend fortunes to transform the Red Planet into an environment where humanity can thrive. The potential rewards are enormous, the risks colossal… That fragile balance is shattered when a rogue asteroid collision results in a death and the discovery of an evolved microbe. Three Martians with very different agendas must navigate a trail of destruction and treachery to uncover the truth and expose those responsible, before Mars falls to Earth’s corruption. As lines blur between progress and humanity, Mars itself remains the biggest adversary of all.”
It was fascinating to read about the corporations that I have played so many times. Killick brings to life the corporations, and the leads and personalities behind them in a wonderful way. Reading about the process and changes to the planet as it is being terraformed is highly entertaining. Mars in this volume has a bit of a wild west feel to it. A few corporations pushing the limits of what it can do and get away with, No formal police, or prison, at least as of yet. And a man who game her to get away from a devastating past encountering that pain in a whole new way here on Mars. The characters are well written. The story flows well. In part it is a murder mystery set in space. And In part is it hard science fiction.
It is a great read and looks to be the beginning of a wonderful series. It would make an excellent movie or TV Series. For fans of classic science fiction, it will remind them of authors like Bester, Heinlein, and Herbert. For some it will have a feel of Piers Anthony or Harry Harrison. But no matter what it reminds you of it is a highly entertaining story, and I look forward to more in the series.
But back to this specific story, the description of this novel is:
“Mars is the new frontier for humanity, as we launch an epic saga of inspiring planetary exploration set in the award-winning Terraforming Mars boardgame
In the 25th century, mankind is on the brink of achieving a second home: Mars. Rival corporations spend fortunes to transform the Red Planet into an environment where humanity can thrive. The potential rewards are enormous, the risks colossal… That fragile balance is shattered when a rogue asteroid collision results in a death and the discovery of an evolved microbe. Three Martians with very different agendas must navigate a trail of destruction and treachery to uncover the truth and expose those responsible, before Mars falls to Earth’s corruption. As lines blur between progress and humanity, Mars itself remains the biggest adversary of all.”
It was fascinating to read about the corporations that I have played so many times. Killick brings to life the corporations, and the leads and personalities behind them in a wonderful way. Reading about the process and changes to the planet as it is being terraformed is highly entertaining. Mars in this volume has a bit of a wild west feel to it. A few corporations pushing the limits of what it can do and get away with, No formal police, or prison, at least as of yet. And a man who game her to get away from a devastating past encountering that pain in a whole new way here on Mars. The characters are well written. The story flows well. In part it is a murder mystery set in space. And In part is it hard science fiction.
It is a great read and looks to be the beginning of a wonderful series. It would make an excellent movie or TV Series. For fans of classic science fiction, it will remind them of authors like Bester, Heinlein, and Herbert. For some it will have a feel of Piers Anthony or Harry Harrison. But no matter what it reminds you of it is a highly entertaining story, and I look forward to more in the series.
October 7, 2021
As I checked up on this book after finishing it, I discovered that a boardgame called Terraforming Mars provides the setting. I was blissfully unaware of the game while reading the book and so don’t let that nugget of information put you off. It doesn’t matter to anyone picking up the book, as it doesn’t impact your reading experience in any way.
This is a slow-burn mystery where the daily rhythm of the teams who are tasked with terraforming Mars is explored in some detail. So this isn’t one for murder mystery fans who only want a splash of sci fi in their crime scene. However, I appreciated the way Killick gives the reader a very clear picture of how the terraforming effort is progressing, while introducing us to the main protagonists. Inevitably there are strains between competing corporations – and also some major issues are discussed. Should Humanity be altering Mars to suit our needs at all? What if in doing so, we inadvertently destroy some biological organisms that we haven’t yet discovered? As a science fiction fan, I found all this fascinating, especially as running alongside these plotlines is the growing sense that all is not well within Mars’ fledgling community.
Killick’s smooth, unfussy writing style pulled me into the story, so that I stayed up faar later than I should to discover what happens next. Because while this one starts slowly, there are several excellent action scenes that are all the more shocking because of the relatively low key beginning. And the climactic episode out on the surface, where a man is struggling for his life after being double-crossed, is one I won’t forget in a hurry. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale – as well as the slightly bitter-sweet ending, which has stayed with me. I shall be looking around for more of Killick’s books and thoroughly recommend this Mars’ murder mystery. While I obtained an arc of In the Shadow of Deimos from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
This is a slow-burn mystery where the daily rhythm of the teams who are tasked with terraforming Mars is explored in some detail. So this isn’t one for murder mystery fans who only want a splash of sci fi in their crime scene. However, I appreciated the way Killick gives the reader a very clear picture of how the terraforming effort is progressing, while introducing us to the main protagonists. Inevitably there are strains between competing corporations – and also some major issues are discussed. Should Humanity be altering Mars to suit our needs at all? What if in doing so, we inadvertently destroy some biological organisms that we haven’t yet discovered? As a science fiction fan, I found all this fascinating, especially as running alongside these plotlines is the growing sense that all is not well within Mars’ fledgling community.
Killick’s smooth, unfussy writing style pulled me into the story, so that I stayed up faar later than I should to discover what happens next. Because while this one starts slowly, there are several excellent action scenes that are all the more shocking because of the relatively low key beginning. And the climactic episode out on the surface, where a man is struggling for his life after being double-crossed, is one I won’t forget in a hurry. I thoroughly enjoyed this tale – as well as the slightly bitter-sweet ending, which has stayed with me. I shall be looking around for more of Killick’s books and thoroughly recommend this Mars’ murder mystery. While I obtained an arc of In the Shadow of Deimos from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
October 12, 2025
I'm in love with books that carry a ci-fi story with cooperations trying to establish on a planet because of the politics and hidden motives they have. The book is not an exception!
After a company leads the crush of an asteroid destroying a research base on Mars our protagonist Julie is trying to find the reason why it happened and she falls into a hole of politics that many cooperations are involved.
A must read for those who like books about Mars!
After a company leads the crush of an asteroid destroying a research base on Mars our protagonist Julie is trying to find the reason why it happened and she falls into a hole of politics that many cooperations are involved.
A must read for those who like books about Mars!
May 3, 2024
Otra de mis lecturas breves, de esas que caen de vez en cuando mientras estoy con obras de «mayor calado». En este caso se trata de A la sombra de Deimos, de Jane Killick, una novela que hubiera pasado desapercibido si no fuera porque pertenece al universo de Terraforming Mars, de modo que decidí concederle una oportunidad. ¡Allá vamos!
Se trata de un juego de mesa (tiene variante en PC, pero eso no es lo importante, pese a que también lo tenga) en el que varios jugadores aúnan esfuerzos para convertir Marte en un planeta habitable. Para ello se colocan al frente de una corporación (con diferentes habilidades) y tratan de llevar a cabo operaciones que incrementen la temperatura global, derritan los polos, taiga hielo procedente de asteroides para incrementar el nivel del mar, esparcir microbios como preludio a la vegetación, una mayor cantidad de oxígeno…
Es un juego colaborativo, lo cual me encanta, pero la victoria será para aquella corporación que más haya contribuido a terraformar el planeta ya no tan rojo. Algo así como «colaboramos hasta el momento de sacar las navajas». Muy divertido y recomendable.
Así que está novela, A la sombra de Deimos, sigue la idea de este juego de mesa. Para añadir algo de ambientación para los más interesados.
Uno más de los numerosos libros que tratan sobre la colonización de Marte. Es uno de esos temas recurrentes en la ciencia ficción y sobre el que muchos escritores (yo incluido) nos gustaría tratar. ¿Qué quiero decir con esto? Pues que se trata de un nicho muy competido, tenemos la saga de Marte de Kim Stanley Robinson, la novela de Andy Weir a la cual ya dediqué un análisis de escena inicial… A la sombra de Deimos tenía mucho por lo que luchar… y no lo consigue.
El planteamiento de la novela —basado en el juego de mesa— es interesante: Marte no es un gran salto adelante para toda la humanidad, únicamente se trata de una inversión, un negocio para que las corporaciones obtengan beneficio durante la terraformación. Así que la motivación esencial es el dinero, y aun así… tiene poca chicha, el misterio se resuelve al seguir migas de pan y pese a lo mucho que está en riesgo (en temas económicos) todo parece muy diplomático, como si nadie quisiera mancharse las manos. Soso, ese es el adjetivo.
Tiene un aire a Artemisa (otra de las novelas de Andy Weir), sólo que menos trabajado (muchísimo menos, esto no es ciencia ficción dura aunque aspire a ello), y a la vez más entretenido (pero porque la protagonista de Artemisa era insufrible). Tampoco mucho más entretenido, por desgracias, y por eso A la sombra de Deimos sólo se lleva tres estrellas. Un aprobado justo.
Se trata de un juego de mesa (tiene variante en PC, pero eso no es lo importante, pese a que también lo tenga) en el que varios jugadores aúnan esfuerzos para convertir Marte en un planeta habitable. Para ello se colocan al frente de una corporación (con diferentes habilidades) y tratan de llevar a cabo operaciones que incrementen la temperatura global, derritan los polos, taiga hielo procedente de asteroides para incrementar el nivel del mar, esparcir microbios como preludio a la vegetación, una mayor cantidad de oxígeno…
Es un juego colaborativo, lo cual me encanta, pero la victoria será para aquella corporación que más haya contribuido a terraformar el planeta ya no tan rojo. Algo así como «colaboramos hasta el momento de sacar las navajas». Muy divertido y recomendable.
Así que está novela, A la sombra de Deimos, sigue la idea de este juego de mesa. Para añadir algo de ambientación para los más interesados.
Uno más de los numerosos libros que tratan sobre la colonización de Marte. Es uno de esos temas recurrentes en la ciencia ficción y sobre el que muchos escritores (yo incluido) nos gustaría tratar. ¿Qué quiero decir con esto? Pues que se trata de un nicho muy competido, tenemos la saga de Marte de Kim Stanley Robinson, la novela de Andy Weir a la cual ya dediqué un análisis de escena inicial… A la sombra de Deimos tenía mucho por lo que luchar… y no lo consigue.
El planteamiento de la novela —basado en el juego de mesa— es interesante: Marte no es un gran salto adelante para toda la humanidad, únicamente se trata de una inversión, un negocio para que las corporaciones obtengan beneficio durante la terraformación. Así que la motivación esencial es el dinero, y aun así… tiene poca chicha, el misterio se resuelve al seguir migas de pan y pese a lo mucho que está en riesgo (en temas económicos) todo parece muy diplomático, como si nadie quisiera mancharse las manos. Soso, ese es el adjetivo.
Tiene un aire a Artemisa (otra de las novelas de Andy Weir), sólo que menos trabajado (muchísimo menos, esto no es ciencia ficción dura aunque aspire a ello), y a la vez más entretenido (pero porque la protagonista de Artemisa era insufrible). Tampoco mucho más entretenido, por desgracias, y por eso A la sombra de Deimos sólo se lleva tres estrellas. Un aprobado justo.
September 30, 2021
Whilst I've been familiar with a number of the franchises that Aconyte Books have been producing novels for Terraforming Mars is a game that I've never played before, and knew next to nothing about going into this book. As such, I got to experience this new novel not as a fan of the game, but someone coming to it completely fresh; and as a science fiction mystery it absolutely rocks.
The story of Terraforming Mars: In The Shadow of Deimos takes place in a future where the Earth isn't doing well. Thanks to an increasing population, ever expanding global pollution, and rampant corporate corruption life on Earth is harder than it's ever been. It has also led to the move to try to change Mars into a planet capable of supporting human life in large numbers. As such, several corporations have come to Mars, with various plans and techniques, to try and make the planet liveable.
One of these corporations is ThorGate, a group who are working to construct a brand new city and research centre where they will try to grow specially adapted plants to try to increase the amount of oxygen on the planet. Luka is one of the new indentured workers for ThorGate, having travelled to Mars to help construct the new city and escape the demons of his past. Shortly after arriving on Mars, however, the research station is hit by a falling asteroid.
The asteroid was no mere chance impact, however, as it was being smashed into the surface of the planet by a rival corporation. However, instead of landing at the designated coordinates it appears that the asteroid split in two, with one of the pieces hitting the research station, killing a ThorGate employee. With people demanding answers, Julie Outerbridge the head of the United Nations Mars Initiative, is assigned to find out how the accident happened. With Julie looking into the mystery, and Luka delving into the life of his dead coworker, the two of them stumble upon a plot involving multiple corporations that could forever change the face of Mars.
As I said earlier, I've not played Terraforming Mars, and as such have no idea how the game is played, or what the general goals of the game are. However, assuming that players take on the roles of the different mega corporations trying to convert Mars I was a little surprised to see that the book didn't really focus so much on the various methods and sciences of how these groups go about doing this, but what soon becomes a murder mystery set in space. However, I do think this approach is the much better idea, allowing new people such as myself an easy way into the universe and the complex mythology without feeling like you're being overwhelmed.
It also helps that the cast of characters are really well written, and feel like nice, relatable people for the most part; especially Luka and Julie. The two of them are our main windows into this world, we follow them as they investigate what has happened, and it's via them that we get a sense of what this universe is like. Despite coming from the book from very different places the two of them both have a keen determination for justice to prevail, something that seems to be of short supply on a planet with no real laws and no way to enforce said laws. There's no police or investigators to look into what could be an accident, but could be an elaborate murder, and the people who do wield power are high up corporate workers who have little to no care about the people under them.
Much of the plot of the book feels like a ball of tangled string, with the plots weaving in and out of each other, intersecting at different points, wrapping around each other, and so entangled that to begin with you can't see a clear path. But Jane Killick does an excellent job at leading you through this tangle, at showing you small snippets of the path that allow you to begin to figure things out. This is especially done well as we discover information with Luka that sheds light onto Julie's investigation, but as the two characters have not spoken to each other and revealed their findings yet we get to feel like we're figuring it out before they do.
Mars itself also gets to play a big part in the story, becoming something of a character in its own right. The planet feels dangerous and hostile, and there are moments where you're genuinely worried about the survival of the characters as they're put into some frightening conflict with the remote, deadly planet. But it also feels strangely beautiful and wonderful as well as dangerous, and Killick manages to make it feel like a place you'd want to visit if you were able. She manages to create an otherworldly beauty to the descriptions of the place that help you to understand why someone would be willing to leave everything behind, to never be able to return home to Earth, just for a chance to walk on this other world.
Terraforming Mars: In The Shadow of Deimos is a book that took me in some unexpected directions, that not only introduced me to a whole new game universe, but made me deeply intrigued about it. I came away from this book wanting to learn more, to discover more about the kinds of people that would make their homes on Mars, the corporations that would try to alter it and the science they use, and to spend more time on this strangely beautiful world. I can't wait to see what else gets made in this franchise.
The story of Terraforming Mars: In The Shadow of Deimos takes place in a future where the Earth isn't doing well. Thanks to an increasing population, ever expanding global pollution, and rampant corporate corruption life on Earth is harder than it's ever been. It has also led to the move to try to change Mars into a planet capable of supporting human life in large numbers. As such, several corporations have come to Mars, with various plans and techniques, to try and make the planet liveable.
One of these corporations is ThorGate, a group who are working to construct a brand new city and research centre where they will try to grow specially adapted plants to try to increase the amount of oxygen on the planet. Luka is one of the new indentured workers for ThorGate, having travelled to Mars to help construct the new city and escape the demons of his past. Shortly after arriving on Mars, however, the research station is hit by a falling asteroid.
The asteroid was no mere chance impact, however, as it was being smashed into the surface of the planet by a rival corporation. However, instead of landing at the designated coordinates it appears that the asteroid split in two, with one of the pieces hitting the research station, killing a ThorGate employee. With people demanding answers, Julie Outerbridge the head of the United Nations Mars Initiative, is assigned to find out how the accident happened. With Julie looking into the mystery, and Luka delving into the life of his dead coworker, the two of them stumble upon a plot involving multiple corporations that could forever change the face of Mars.
As I said earlier, I've not played Terraforming Mars, and as such have no idea how the game is played, or what the general goals of the game are. However, assuming that players take on the roles of the different mega corporations trying to convert Mars I was a little surprised to see that the book didn't really focus so much on the various methods and sciences of how these groups go about doing this, but what soon becomes a murder mystery set in space. However, I do think this approach is the much better idea, allowing new people such as myself an easy way into the universe and the complex mythology without feeling like you're being overwhelmed.
It also helps that the cast of characters are really well written, and feel like nice, relatable people for the most part; especially Luka and Julie. The two of them are our main windows into this world, we follow them as they investigate what has happened, and it's via them that we get a sense of what this universe is like. Despite coming from the book from very different places the two of them both have a keen determination for justice to prevail, something that seems to be of short supply on a planet with no real laws and no way to enforce said laws. There's no police or investigators to look into what could be an accident, but could be an elaborate murder, and the people who do wield power are high up corporate workers who have little to no care about the people under them.
Much of the plot of the book feels like a ball of tangled string, with the plots weaving in and out of each other, intersecting at different points, wrapping around each other, and so entangled that to begin with you can't see a clear path. But Jane Killick does an excellent job at leading you through this tangle, at showing you small snippets of the path that allow you to begin to figure things out. This is especially done well as we discover information with Luka that sheds light onto Julie's investigation, but as the two characters have not spoken to each other and revealed their findings yet we get to feel like we're figuring it out before they do.
Mars itself also gets to play a big part in the story, becoming something of a character in its own right. The planet feels dangerous and hostile, and there are moments where you're genuinely worried about the survival of the characters as they're put into some frightening conflict with the remote, deadly planet. But it also feels strangely beautiful and wonderful as well as dangerous, and Killick manages to make it feel like a place you'd want to visit if you were able. She manages to create an otherworldly beauty to the descriptions of the place that help you to understand why someone would be willing to leave everything behind, to never be able to return home to Earth, just for a chance to walk on this other world.
Terraforming Mars: In The Shadow of Deimos is a book that took me in some unexpected directions, that not only introduced me to a whole new game universe, but made me deeply intrigued about it. I came away from this book wanting to learn more, to discover more about the kinds of people that would make their homes on Mars, the corporations that would try to alter it and the science they use, and to spend more time on this strangely beautiful world. I can't wait to see what else gets made in this franchise.
July 20, 2021
There are countless books about exploring and colonising Mars. From Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles to Andy Weir’s The Martian, each one focuses on the dream of landing on another planet and carry with them a sense of wonder. However, like the board game that inspired it (Terraforming Mars), Jane Killick’s In the Shadow of Deimos drops the novelty and introduces a Mars not as a dream, but as an investment. Yet, despite seeming like a more relatable take on how humans might actually behave, the book fails to achieve even the full potential of the idea of Mars as an investment.
Shadow of Deimos follows the dual stories of Luka Schaffer, a construction worker, and Julie Outerbridge, a corporate executive. Both become involved in the death of another worker who was killed when the research station he was working in was destroyed by an asteroid. Julie is placed in charge of the investigation of the incident, while Luka is reassigned as the dead man’s replacement. As both become more involved in their new positions, they learn more about the crash and reveal Mars as an inhospitable environment that is also rife with corruption and corporate manoeuvring.
Killick immerses the characters in the details and danger of living on Mars including the deadly weather, corporate competitiveness and divides between haves and have-nots. However, the story rarely takes full advantage of this setting. The corporate competition often lacks edge, in one instance the saboteurs take great effort to not kill anyone. It feels as if fitting the view of the board game that corporations can simultaneously contribute to shared outcomes and be profit driven ultimately detracts from creating an effective narrative threat .
The characters are also a mixed bag. Julie is compelling, as she struggles with work-life balance issues that are familiar and yet appropriate for the world Killick establishes. Luka, on the other hand, is incredibly bland and is mostly used as a method of forwarding the plot where Julie cannot. When he is given moments of anger towards the end, it is only a hint of what could have been for the character.
Ultimately, In the Shadow of Deimos will be enjoyable for fans of the Terraforming Mars boardgame, which are plentiful if the success of any of the game’s Kickstarter expansions is anything to go by. It successfully brings the game to life, with the competing corporate projects and multitude of ways to advance the goal of actually terraforming Mars, even directly quoting flavour text from game cards. But as with movie adaptations of video games, even for those readers the experience of playing the game and making their own decisions is likely to be more enjoyable. For those who do not know the game or are not fans, there are definitely better books out there on Martian colonisation.
Shadow of Deimos follows the dual stories of Luka Schaffer, a construction worker, and Julie Outerbridge, a corporate executive. Both become involved in the death of another worker who was killed when the research station he was working in was destroyed by an asteroid. Julie is placed in charge of the investigation of the incident, while Luka is reassigned as the dead man’s replacement. As both become more involved in their new positions, they learn more about the crash and reveal Mars as an inhospitable environment that is also rife with corruption and corporate manoeuvring.
Killick immerses the characters in the details and danger of living on Mars including the deadly weather, corporate competitiveness and divides between haves and have-nots. However, the story rarely takes full advantage of this setting. The corporate competition often lacks edge, in one instance the saboteurs take great effort to not kill anyone. It feels as if fitting the view of the board game that corporations can simultaneously contribute to shared outcomes and be profit driven ultimately detracts from creating an effective narrative threat .
The characters are also a mixed bag. Julie is compelling, as she struggles with work-life balance issues that are familiar and yet appropriate for the world Killick establishes. Luka, on the other hand, is incredibly bland and is mostly used as a method of forwarding the plot where Julie cannot. When he is given moments of anger towards the end, it is only a hint of what could have been for the character.
Ultimately, In the Shadow of Deimos will be enjoyable for fans of the Terraforming Mars boardgame, which are plentiful if the success of any of the game’s Kickstarter expansions is anything to go by. It successfully brings the game to life, with the competing corporate projects and multitude of ways to advance the goal of actually terraforming Mars, even directly quoting flavour text from game cards. But as with movie adaptations of video games, even for those readers the experience of playing the game and making their own decisions is likely to be more enjoyable. For those who do not know the game or are not fans, there are definitely better books out there on Martian colonisation.
September 19, 2021
I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Terraforming Mars book In the Shadow of Deimos by Jane Killick, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let this cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What Is Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars is a strategy board game designed by Jacob Fryxelius, in which you work to raise the temperature of Mars and make it habitable for human life
Players take on the role of a corporation that work together to terraform Mars, and advance human infrastructure throughout the Sol system.
The game is incredibly successful and has five expansions, a Big Box, and a spin off game.
It also has a digital version available on Windows, iOS, MacOS, iPadOS & Android.
The Story
Set in the year 2316 not long after the formation of the Terraforming Committee, a rogue asteroid crashes into a research centre and kills its sole occupant, which kicks off an investigation, an official one by Julie, the head of the UNs terraforming team, and an unofficial one by Lucas, a recent immigrant to Mars who witnessed the disaster.
As they start to dig into the accident, they quickly learn that things on Mars aren’t quite right and the corporations are keen to cover things up, to prevent damage to their profits.
At the heart of this story its a good old fashioned murder mystery, and that’s its strength, it takes a genre of book which works and gives it the sci-fi twist.
The book is one which gives the reader a broader scope than the characters, who themselves are approaching the investigation from very different sides, and you figure out things before them, and see how they reach the same conclusion as you as more information is revealed to them.
There is a healthy number of side characters as well, all of whom are responsibly well rounded and that makes the setting feel ever more real.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this book, the story itself was competent and entertaining, but what elevated it for me was the realistic science. All too often books in sci-fi assume we will have invented fantastical machines to work miracles and wonders, but this book is more grounded and whilst things have advanced, its not unrealistic.
Things like characters returning to earth needing time in physio to readjust to the heavier gravity, just little things like that which really stand out as showing how much attention to detail there is.
My favourite scene was one in the mess hall where Lucas and some friends were playing football, and the way the author has realistically described how different a ball would behave in a lower gravity environment, plus it showed how even on the frontier, people find a way to goof off.
There are scenes that make you think, and some high paced adrenaline fuelled parts which get your heart racing, and both in a nice balance. In particular the pacing is good, it never feels too slow or too fast, just right as it builds up to the conclusion.
This is a very strong book, Mars has been the subject to many many books written about it, and for me this felt just as good as Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars trilogy, and frankly is Hugo material.
I solidly recommended this book and give it 5 stars out of 5.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let this cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
What Is Terraforming Mars
Terraforming Mars is a strategy board game designed by Jacob Fryxelius, in which you work to raise the temperature of Mars and make it habitable for human life
Players take on the role of a corporation that work together to terraform Mars, and advance human infrastructure throughout the Sol system.
The game is incredibly successful and has five expansions, a Big Box, and a spin off game.
It also has a digital version available on Windows, iOS, MacOS, iPadOS & Android.
The Story
Set in the year 2316 not long after the formation of the Terraforming Committee, a rogue asteroid crashes into a research centre and kills its sole occupant, which kicks off an investigation, an official one by Julie, the head of the UNs terraforming team, and an unofficial one by Lucas, a recent immigrant to Mars who witnessed the disaster.
As they start to dig into the accident, they quickly learn that things on Mars aren’t quite right and the corporations are keen to cover things up, to prevent damage to their profits.
At the heart of this story its a good old fashioned murder mystery, and that’s its strength, it takes a genre of book which works and gives it the sci-fi twist.
The book is one which gives the reader a broader scope than the characters, who themselves are approaching the investigation from very different sides, and you figure out things before them, and see how they reach the same conclusion as you as more information is revealed to them.
There is a healthy number of side characters as well, all of whom are responsibly well rounded and that makes the setting feel ever more real.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this book, the story itself was competent and entertaining, but what elevated it for me was the realistic science. All too often books in sci-fi assume we will have invented fantastical machines to work miracles and wonders, but this book is more grounded and whilst things have advanced, its not unrealistic.
Things like characters returning to earth needing time in physio to readjust to the heavier gravity, just little things like that which really stand out as showing how much attention to detail there is.
My favourite scene was one in the mess hall where Lucas and some friends were playing football, and the way the author has realistically described how different a ball would behave in a lower gravity environment, plus it showed how even on the frontier, people find a way to goof off.
There are scenes that make you think, and some high paced adrenaline fuelled parts which get your heart racing, and both in a nice balance. In particular the pacing is good, it never feels too slow or too fast, just right as it builds up to the conclusion.
This is a very strong book, Mars has been the subject to many many books written about it, and for me this felt just as good as Kim Stanley Robinsons Mars trilogy, and frankly is Hugo material.
I solidly recommended this book and give it 5 stars out of 5.
January 11, 2025
This is the first of three novels based on the (rather limited) canon of the board game Terraforming Mars. Based on that and the reviews I read online, I came into this interested in the concept and the potential, but not really *invested* in the story. And as far as 40% of the way into the story, I still felt the same way. The story was being developed well with detailed world-building, but I didn’t find the scenes engaging and didn’t feel any connection or investment in either of the protagonists. They felt a little too artificial early on
The story did eventually build up some momentum, and there were times when I didn’t want to put it down. But even at those times, I felt like it was more that I wanted to know what was going to happen next than I was particularly enjoying the writing.
The novel doesn’t require any experience with the game to understand or enjoy. Even the most minor details such as the design of the corporate logos is described in detail in the novel.
Overall, it’s a book that I could recommend to people who want a mystery in an atypical setting, or to people who like the genre of ‘Colonizing Mars’. The tie-in to a board game might be best ignored; it shouldn’t scare anyone away if this is your kind of book, but I can’t recommend it to ‘gamers’ who aren’t typically into this genre.
The story did eventually build up some momentum, and there were times when I didn’t want to put it down. But even at those times, I felt like it was more that I wanted to know what was going to happen next than I was particularly enjoying the writing.
The novel doesn’t require any experience with the game to understand or enjoy. Even the most minor details such as the design of the corporate logos is described in detail in the novel.
Overall, it’s a book that I could recommend to people who want a mystery in an atypical setting, or to people who like the genre of ‘Colonizing Mars’. The tie-in to a board game might be best ignored; it shouldn’t scare anyone away if this is your kind of book, but I can’t recommend it to ‘gamers’ who aren’t typically into this genre.
June 23, 2022
In the Shadow of Deimos is a tie in novel for Terraforming Mars, a board game. I haven't played the game before, and whilst it was an enjoyable book, I do feel like I was missing something by not being familiar with the premise.
We follow our protagonist, Luka, who has moved to Mars to work in the hope to forget his life on Earth. Tragically, he is swiftly caught up in the death of his co-worker.
The characters of the book are compelling, and I find them to be varied and nuanced characters. I particularly enjoy discovering what motivates each player. This book is sci-fi, to be sure, but also a political mystery book. I enjoy Killick's unhurried writing style, and the plot definitely keeps developing in a way that continues to draw you in throughout.
Whilst I enjoyed the premise, I didn't feel it quite hit the mark. I think that for fans of the boardgame this book will be a wonderful supplement to the world, however as someone who didn't already have an investement in the Terraforming Mars world, I felt there was something missing for anyone outside of the book's intended audience.
We follow our protagonist, Luka, who has moved to Mars to work in the hope to forget his life on Earth. Tragically, he is swiftly caught up in the death of his co-worker.
The characters of the book are compelling, and I find them to be varied and nuanced characters. I particularly enjoy discovering what motivates each player. This book is sci-fi, to be sure, but also a political mystery book. I enjoy Killick's unhurried writing style, and the plot definitely keeps developing in a way that continues to draw you in throughout.
Whilst I enjoyed the premise, I didn't feel it quite hit the mark. I think that for fans of the boardgame this book will be a wonderful supplement to the world, however as someone who didn't already have an investement in the Terraforming Mars world, I felt there was something missing for anyone outside of the book's intended audience.
September 22, 2021
Set on Mars, where rival corporations strive to dictate the course of terraforming the red planet. An asteroid crashes into a research center and kills a lone worker. An investigation begins to find out what happened. Why did the asteroid hit the center? Why was the lone worker there? Was this an accident or something far more sinister?
Luka, who arrives on Mars as a migrant worker from Earth, is thrust into a job he doesn't want. His new quarters belonged to the man who was killed in the accident. Luka finds a thumb drive of the man's daily journal and finds himself drawn into the investigation. Julie, in charge of the United Nations Mars Initiative (UNMI), gets handed the investigation. She starts digging and realizes there is much more going on than she first thought. Things get more dangerous the more she digs.
In the Shadow of Deimos is based on a board game called Terraforming Mars. I had never heard of the game and haven't played it but that didn't keep me from enjoying the book.
Luka, who arrives on Mars as a migrant worker from Earth, is thrust into a job he doesn't want. His new quarters belonged to the man who was killed in the accident. Luka finds a thumb drive of the man's daily journal and finds himself drawn into the investigation. Julie, in charge of the United Nations Mars Initiative (UNMI), gets handed the investigation. She starts digging and realizes there is much more going on than she first thought. Things get more dangerous the more she digs.
In the Shadow of Deimos is based on a board game called Terraforming Mars. I had never heard of the game and haven't played it but that didn't keep me from enjoying the book.
December 2, 2021
This is a solid novel supporting the Boardgame IP of Terraforming Mars. As an avid fan of the game, I really enjoyed the book but readers should be aware that its a sliver of time in the evolution of Mars and does not try to span the entirety of a 'game' which is generations upon generations. The author has chosen a time where the effort is established, humans are on Mars working their terraforming magic and we can see that it is the setting we are familiar with. Thorgate, Phobolog, CreditCor and other corporations from the game are integrated into a story about an accident that has deeper meaning that first assumed. Fundamentally, the story is about characters involved in that accident (observing) and trying to uncover information about it.
The result is a solid 'who done it' set in the boardgame/science fiction world with believable characters and well written dialogue. I very much enjoyed the novel and hope there is another, perhaps a generation beyond this story so we can experience mars as it terraforms to a planet where humans can live without life support in the far future.
The result is a solid 'who done it' set in the boardgame/science fiction world with believable characters and well written dialogue. I very much enjoyed the novel and hope there is another, perhaps a generation beyond this story so we can experience mars as it terraforms to a planet where humans can live without life support in the far future.
August 2, 2022
In the Shadow of Deimos was a fun adventure and an interesting exploration of the terraforming of mars. The novel was quite predictable, however I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing; it's predictability originates from it's reflection of real life circumstances. The conflicts between corporations and government agencies in this book are ones we are all familiar with already; therefore If you are after an unpredictable tale of intrigue and mystery, this may not be the book for you. On the other hand, if you are searching for a convincing, but light exploration of a potential future of humanity on mars, this may be an entertaining read.
For fans of the Terraforming Mars board game, this book provides some insight into the corporations and the events that take place during gameplay. It isn't an incredibly detailed history of the Terraforming Mars universe, but it does increase the games charm and immersiveness. This book exceeded my expectations of a book based on a board game.
For fans of the Terraforming Mars board game, this book provides some insight into the corporations and the events that take place during gameplay. It isn't an incredibly detailed history of the Terraforming Mars universe, but it does increase the games charm and immersiveness. This book exceeded my expectations of a book based on a board game.
July 13, 2021
Love the game, so curious to see what was done to turn it into a book.
Interesting premise, starts with an accident that quickly develops into a potential act of sabotage. Politics and Power plays abound and it's all tied together in the name of trying to Terraform Mars. Good start to what I'm presuming is going to be a series, it's clear to see that several of the cards in the game have been used as inspiration, as have several of the corporations, which is as it should be. There's enough there that you can see the game inside the fiction without it becoming a narrative of how to play the game, which is always the concern.
It's a good start, the actual terraforming hasn't moved that far along by the time the book finishes, but there's enough there to get you engaged and want to see what happens next.
Interesting premise, starts with an accident that quickly develops into a potential act of sabotage. Politics and Power plays abound and it's all tied together in the name of trying to Terraform Mars. Good start to what I'm presuming is going to be a series, it's clear to see that several of the cards in the game have been used as inspiration, as have several of the corporations, which is as it should be. There's enough there that you can see the game inside the fiction without it becoming a narrative of how to play the game, which is always the concern.
It's a good start, the actual terraforming hasn't moved that far along by the time the book finishes, but there's enough there to get you engaged and want to see what happens next.
July 29, 2021
"In the Shadow of Deimos" is based on the "Terraforming Mars" boardgame. I hadn't heard of it before, but it's MARS - and as soon as I knew this book was in the pipeline I had it on my wish list. This is a fantastic murder-mystery story, wrapped up in a Martian blanket, and I couldn't have been happier with my reading experience. The plot is tense, with varied and fascinating characters, and brilliant writing. 5 stars and two thumbs up!
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
October 9, 2025
This is an identical review as for the other Terraforming Mars book since after reading them back to back I can’t remember any differentiating details.
They were both completely serviceable plots with well placed winks to fans of the board game. They passed the time well enough, but nothing jumped out at me to read another story in this world. I’d rather continue making my own stories by playing the games.
They were both completely serviceable plots with well placed winks to fans of the board game. They passed the time well enough, but nothing jumped out at me to read another story in this world. I’d rather continue making my own stories by playing the games.
December 23, 2022
I loved this book. The plot wasn’t complex but had its tension. Terraforming Mars is one of my favourite board games so I was easily enticed into reading this novel. I’ve enjoyed it, it was an easy read.
October 20, 2023
I liked the book in general. It has some clichés in the story, but that doesn't make it a bad one. It started being interesting, but it took some time to start developping. For me it got really interesting around page 200, so at times I had to force myself to keep reading.
December 31, 2024
Sure, part of what makes me like this is the fact that I love the board game, I can't hide that. Still, this was fun! I like how Mars feels dangerous. How you don't know where (or from whom) is that coming from.
April 26, 2025
A tie in novel to the board game. Does a decent job of tying in game cards and concepts into a novel. Plot is decent, but characters seem inconsistent: they have occasional moments of humanity, but other times seem very stiff.
June 11, 2023
A murder mystery with terraforming little more than a backdrop.
August 3, 2025
Great light hearted adventure set in the terraforming mars world
September 8, 2021
Review: Terraforming Mars: In the Shadow of Deimos by Jane Killick
I was kindly given an ARC of this novel by Netgalley & Aconyte Books in exchange for a fair review.
Having played Terraforming Mars a couple of times with a few good friends I was instantly interested in the concept of taking the premises and turning it into a book. I won’t lie, Aconyte seem to be consistently publishing fantastic works by fantastic authors that scratch that geeky and nerdy itch in myself (and I am sure numerous others). In short I hope this would be good and I was not disappointed!
I can’t remember the last time a read a good sci-fi book based on a planet rather than spaceship or space station. The descriptions of a relatively barren setting (it is being terraformed after all) really do bring home the bleakness and potential for isolation. Tie this with a gripping plot of corporate corruption (which lets face probably would happen) and you have the makings of a fantastic book!
Killick has the perfect balance of natural danger and threat with the growing threat of who can you trust. The characters are likable and interesting. You find yourself invested in them and their wellbeing. I was shocked, happily so, that my two favourites didn’t die. I also found I wasn’t able to predict or guess the twists and turns of the plot.
All in all this is fantastic tale for anyone who is looking for a fix of Terraforming Mars without the time to play the game or a good sci-fi story about survival not only of a new and harsh environment but the corruption of those in power.
The e-book is out now with physical copies due to be released in the US on September 21, 2021 and the UK on October 28, 2021
I was kindly given an ARC of this novel by Netgalley & Aconyte Books in exchange for a fair review.
Having played Terraforming Mars a couple of times with a few good friends I was instantly interested in the concept of taking the premises and turning it into a book. I won’t lie, Aconyte seem to be consistently publishing fantastic works by fantastic authors that scratch that geeky and nerdy itch in myself (and I am sure numerous others). In short I hope this would be good and I was not disappointed!
I can’t remember the last time a read a good sci-fi book based on a planet rather than spaceship or space station. The descriptions of a relatively barren setting (it is being terraformed after all) really do bring home the bleakness and potential for isolation. Tie this with a gripping plot of corporate corruption (which lets face probably would happen) and you have the makings of a fantastic book!
Killick has the perfect balance of natural danger and threat with the growing threat of who can you trust. The characters are likable and interesting. You find yourself invested in them and their wellbeing. I was shocked, happily so, that my two favourites didn’t die. I also found I wasn’t able to predict or guess the twists and turns of the plot.
All in all this is fantastic tale for anyone who is looking for a fix of Terraforming Mars without the time to play the game or a good sci-fi story about survival not only of a new and harsh environment but the corruption of those in power.
The e-book is out now with physical copies due to be released in the US on September 21, 2021 and the UK on October 28, 2021
October 16, 2021
Jane Killick kicks off Aconyte Books’ range of novels based on the Terraforming Mars board game with In the Shadow of Deimos, a tale of the red planet that’s equal parts mystery and adventure. When Luka Schäfer arrives on Mars as an immigrant worker from Earth, keen to forget his past and lose himself in work, the last thing he expects is to watch an asteroid flatten a research station and kill a technician. All his plans are swept away when he’s recruited to replace the dead man and convinced to put his old skills to use, only to find himself drawn into the mystery of what his predecessor had been doing before his death. Meanwhile Julie Outerbridge, head of the United Nations Mars Initiative (UNMI), is maneuvered into leading an investigation into the crash in an attempt to understand what went wrong.
It’s a fantastic central concept, taking the inherent tension at the heart of Terraforming Mars and ramping up the awesomeness by focusing on the most bombastic of terraforming methods…crashing asteroids into the surface of Mars! The generally light tone and the breezy pace of the plot nicely suit this sort of mystery/adventure story, but there’s plenty to think about in the exploration of how corporate greed comes into conflict with good old-fashioned human endeavour – whether you’re familiar with Terraforming Mars or just a sci-fi fan in general. At times a few of the key moments do speed past a bit too quickly and lose a little impact, especially towards the end as the pace really picks up, and a touch of narrative convenience creeps in now and then, but the plot and the characters are all sufficiently well thought-out and delivered that the entertainment never falls away.
Many thanks to Aconyte Books and Jane Killick for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2021/10/...
It’s a fantastic central concept, taking the inherent tension at the heart of Terraforming Mars and ramping up the awesomeness by focusing on the most bombastic of terraforming methods…crashing asteroids into the surface of Mars! The generally light tone and the breezy pace of the plot nicely suit this sort of mystery/adventure story, but there’s plenty to think about in the exploration of how corporate greed comes into conflict with good old-fashioned human endeavour – whether you’re familiar with Terraforming Mars or just a sci-fi fan in general. At times a few of the key moments do speed past a bit too quickly and lose a little impact, especially towards the end as the pace really picks up, and a touch of narrative convenience creeps in now and then, but the plot and the characters are all sufficiently well thought-out and delivered that the entertainment never falls away.
Many thanks to Aconyte Books and Jane Killick for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2021/10/...
January 18, 2023
On peut dire que ce roman m'a bien intrigué et ça un peu retourné la tête, en quelque sorte. Je dois dire que je n'ai jamais joué au jeu vidéo mais qu'après cette histoire, je suis curieux de jouer au jeu vidéo.
On se retrouve donc au 24ème siècle sur Mars où plusieurs sociétés se battent pour la terraformation, pour avoir tel type de contrats etc ... D'énormes sommes sont en jeu aussi mais bon, ces grosses sociétés sur Terre pensent surtout au fric. Bref, on se retrouve avec un accident d'astéroïdes sur la planète Mars. En fait, des astéroïdes sont envoyés sur Mars pour des expériences scientifiques et, à terme, créer un environnement viable pour que les humains puissent y vivre avec une atmosphère respirable et ne plus y vivre avec des costumes anti-radiations.
On se concentre sur deux ou trois personnages principaux : Luka Sschäffer et Julie Outerbridge. A la mort de son prédécesseur, Luka se voit offrir un poste assez bien placé dans les bureaux, alors qu'il avait quitté la Terre pour, entre autre, bosser sur les chantiers, bouger et un peu oublier son passé sur Terre. Julie Outerbridge se voit confier l'enquête, malgré qu'elle soit à la tête d'une compagnie concurrente de celle qui envoie les astéroïdes sur Mars mais elle est considérée comme neutre et externe à l'affaire. La société qui dévie ces astéroïdes appartient à Anita Andreassen et Luka travaille pour cette société.
J'avoue que j'étais un peu perdu au début de l'histoire, malgré le fait qu'un scientifique important soit décédé, l'histoire commence assez calmement, avec ses recherches, les questions, l'enquête ... Un début très prometteur malgré cela, assez intéressant. L'histoire est vraiment prenante, surtout aussi lorsque Luka trouve plusieurs vidéos de son prédécesseur ainsi que de sa relation avec Anita, comment cela a évolué et cela pose plusieurs questions. Bref, l'histoire évolue bien, chaque personne a ses secrets et je dois dire que je ne m'attendais pas particulièrement à cette fin dans le sens où c'est surprenant car c'est, entre autre, très bien écrit.
En conclusion, c'est un roman très intéressant, très intriguant, et j'avoue qu'il y avait pas mal d'entreprises concurrentes, donc je me doutais qu'il y aurait certains éléments un peu « cracra » mais voilà, l'histoire est ici bien menée, bien construite et ça me donne bien envie de découvrir le jeu par la suite, voire de quoi il en retourne. Bref, un roman que je recommande évidemment.
On se retrouve donc au 24ème siècle sur Mars où plusieurs sociétés se battent pour la terraformation, pour avoir tel type de contrats etc ... D'énormes sommes sont en jeu aussi mais bon, ces grosses sociétés sur Terre pensent surtout au fric. Bref, on se retrouve avec un accident d'astéroïdes sur la planète Mars. En fait, des astéroïdes sont envoyés sur Mars pour des expériences scientifiques et, à terme, créer un environnement viable pour que les humains puissent y vivre avec une atmosphère respirable et ne plus y vivre avec des costumes anti-radiations.
On se concentre sur deux ou trois personnages principaux : Luka Sschäffer et Julie Outerbridge. A la mort de son prédécesseur, Luka se voit offrir un poste assez bien placé dans les bureaux, alors qu'il avait quitté la Terre pour, entre autre, bosser sur les chantiers, bouger et un peu oublier son passé sur Terre. Julie Outerbridge se voit confier l'enquête, malgré qu'elle soit à la tête d'une compagnie concurrente de celle qui envoie les astéroïdes sur Mars mais elle est considérée comme neutre et externe à l'affaire. La société qui dévie ces astéroïdes appartient à Anita Andreassen et Luka travaille pour cette société.
J'avoue que j'étais un peu perdu au début de l'histoire, malgré le fait qu'un scientifique important soit décédé, l'histoire commence assez calmement, avec ses recherches, les questions, l'enquête ... Un début très prometteur malgré cela, assez intéressant. L'histoire est vraiment prenante, surtout aussi lorsque Luka trouve plusieurs vidéos de son prédécesseur ainsi que de sa relation avec Anita, comment cela a évolué et cela pose plusieurs questions. Bref, l'histoire évolue bien, chaque personne a ses secrets et je dois dire que je ne m'attendais pas particulièrement à cette fin dans le sens où c'est surprenant car c'est, entre autre, très bien écrit.
En conclusion, c'est un roman très intéressant, très intriguant, et j'avoue qu'il y avait pas mal d'entreprises concurrentes, donc je me doutais qu'il y aurait certains éléments un peu « cracra » mais voilà, l'histoire est ici bien menée, bien construite et ça me donne bien envie de découvrir le jeu par la suite, voire de quoi il en retourne. Bref, un roman que je recommande évidemment.
April 27, 2022
I received a preview copy from Netgalley, thank you to them and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.
Usually books based on game licenses aren't all that good, and this is the first book I've read based on a boardgame license. I must say that although I gave it a 3/5 review I was pleasantly surprised with the novel. Most other wargame/game licensed books I've read (Games Workshop novels and others including 90s Battletech books) have been pretty bad, averaging 2/5 with a very rare 4/5.
In the Shadow of Deimos reads like a fairly decent novel around the early exploitation of Mars - if it didn't have the 'Terraforming Mars' logo on the front, I wouldn't have known the book was a licensed tie-in at all. I actually own the game and have played it a couple of times but I wouldn't be able to recognize the corporation names mentioned in the book.
We follow along with the main character Luka as he emerges from a transport ship to serve an indentured work period on Mars, and things quickly escalate with an asteroid crash, accidental death and hints of corporate (or other) espionage. With many competing corporations and personalities, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way.
The novel doesn't introduce any massive suprises and it's not a deep-dive police procedural or murder mystery, but it's an enjoyable read. My main issue with the book was fairly simplistic dialogue at several points, I assume this is due to the intended audience. If you've played the game and are familiar with the various game mechanic concepts it is interesting to see how those are woven into the story as expositional dialogue, but I think it's easy enough to follow along even if you just want a light science fiction story to read.
Usually books based on game licenses aren't all that good, and this is the first book I've read based on a boardgame license. I must say that although I gave it a 3/5 review I was pleasantly surprised with the novel. Most other wargame/game licensed books I've read (Games Workshop novels and others including 90s Battletech books) have been pretty bad, averaging 2/5 with a very rare 4/5.
In the Shadow of Deimos reads like a fairly decent novel around the early exploitation of Mars - if it didn't have the 'Terraforming Mars' logo on the front, I wouldn't have known the book was a licensed tie-in at all. I actually own the game and have played it a couple of times but I wouldn't be able to recognize the corporation names mentioned in the book.
We follow along with the main character Luka as he emerges from a transport ship to serve an indentured work period on Mars, and things quickly escalate with an asteroid crash, accidental death and hints of corporate (or other) espionage. With many competing corporations and personalities, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way.
The novel doesn't introduce any massive suprises and it's not a deep-dive police procedural or murder mystery, but it's an enjoyable read. My main issue with the book was fairly simplistic dialogue at several points, I assume this is due to the intended audience. If you've played the game and are familiar with the various game mechanic concepts it is interesting to see how those are woven into the story as expositional dialogue, but I think it's easy enough to follow along even if you just want a light science fiction story to read.
April 26, 2023
ARC Copy...Well for starters I was only slightly familiar with Terra Forming Mars and I did have to research the factions during the read but as space opera intrigue read, it fun, solid world building + twisty to read through.
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