The Secrets of Mars

by Andrew Orange

A Science Fiction Novella You Must Read...
Dick, the orphaned son of a Russian military man and his African wife, is studying at a university in Moscow while enjoying a clandestine love affair with Julia, the daughter of a powerful and dangerous man. When their relationship is shattered by the father’s decision to forcibly marry her off, Dick is forced to leave Russia. He accepts an invitation from a mysterious organization called the International Scientific Institute of Space. He soon finds himself in the South Pacific, on the small island of Sidonia where many dangerous secrets are hidden.

Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Dystopia

103 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2022

About the author

Greetings!
My pen name is Andrew Orange.
I'm an author from the Eastern Europe.
You can read my science fiction short story The Last Day of Summer for FREE here.
Some questions and answers are here.

Reviews

[Kevin Cannon (Monty's Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting lead character and a good plot with plenty of intrigue. A most enjoyable short read that is worth a look

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by Andrew Orange and I wasn't disappointed. It is a story with a lot of things in it that could actually be true today.

Richard is a black man who lives in Russia and is in love with Julia. Her father is a powerful, rich man who does not like this arrangement so marries Julia off to someone who will be valuable to him.

Richard is thrown out of Russia with nothing. He is met and introduced to a mysterious man on the island of Sidonia.

However, there is a dangerous secret on Sidonia.

The ending was unexpected.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

[Al Gritten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I wish Goodreads would allow 1/2 stars as this is really a bit better than two stars but not quite three. This short novella follows a young man named Dick who is a pawn. By accident of birth and genetics Dick becomes a pawn on a world stage of power and intrigue. Forced to leave Russia, penniless and without prospects after an affair with a powerful politician's daughter, Dick receives sanctuary in Sidonia. He is invited to be part of an expansive mission to Mars. But will that mission come about? There is intrigue and power struggles in this small island nation that Dick is suddenly a part of and that he cannot extracate himself from. Dick has doubts about a mission to Mars and about the people he has become entangled with but finds himself with few options. The book is interesting but I had a hard time building sympathy for any of the characters, including Dick. It is a good plot but the ending, while leaving open the possibility for the reader to imagine the outcome, left me feeling a lack of resolution. It is worth a read because the dystopian world it describes is a real possibility, and the frightening use of absolutism and power portrayed in it should alarm us.

[Angel Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as an early reviewers copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily. With that being said I wish this book came with a trigger warning as there are many mentions of rape and coerced sex in the book. Besides that I was left feeling confused when the book was over as to what happened and why curtain things were even in the book.