Oxygen Level Zero

Mars Diaries #1

by Sigmund Brouwer

On an experimental Mars colony in 2039, fourteen-year-old virtual reality specialist Tyce Sanders must discover why oxygen is leaking out of the dome.

Genres: Science Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Christian Fiction, Childrens

121 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Sigmund loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show.

Reviews

[E.B. Dawson]

Mixed feelings on the execution of this one, but I enjoyed it.

[Luke Quaranta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science fiction is a genre that does not have many options for middle grade readers. YA “science fiction” dystopia novels are plentiful but true middle grade good science fiction is scarce. This book was written 20 years ago, but has held up nicely. The major science fiction is similar to what happens in Avatar. The book also had a lot of discussions about God, which I loved!

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new to me series and author and I really enjoyed it. A Sci-fi Christian middle grade series that takes place in space. These are really short books, and are great on audio.

When a space ship is in trouble and a few people from the ship are sent to their deaths on the surface of the planet. A boy who is wheelchair bound might be the only one to know something that can help everyone.

I really enjoyed the characters, I was kind of hoping that the story would be longer. But I am glad that it is a series so I can see where the story takes us.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A community on Mars in peril. A teenager may have the solution, but will anyone listen? Enjoyable science fiction/mystery, with believable characters and suspenseful situations. Looks like I will be following this series.

[Alex Swann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome. I read this book series when I was around 9 or 10 years old, so very fun to revisit it 20 years later. A fascinating exercise in self-awareness for me as I wonder how much this book series affected my personality, and how much it resonated with 10 year old Alex.

Protagonist Tyce loves space, science, and exploration(despite the limitations of being bound to a wheelchair), and throughout this book struggles with his mother’s Christian faith, and his calloused apathy towards his not present father. Tyce only believes in what he can scientifically see or measure, growing up as the only child in a colony of 200 scientific explorers.

These ideas aren’t nearly as developed as I make them sound(it’s a book for 10-14 year olds), and the mom’s faith conversations do come off as a little cheesy, yet every line she says on the subject remains completely realistic as something an evangelical Christian mom doing her best might say to an atheist 14 year old son.

Little Alex would go on to forget these books and conversations entirely and have his own struggles with belief and atheism in his teen years. With that life perspective gained, it’s fascinating to read this children’s book and resonate with the protagonist just as much as I must have 20 years ago in the church library.

If you haven’t read this book series before, I’m not sure it’s a “great recommendation”, but if you’re 10 years old I highly recommend reading it and then saving it on your bookshelf for when you turn 30.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written over 20yrs ago this middle grade sci-fi holds up well in the present day. A well written adventures with a courageous hero, and a well paced plot. I grew up reading books by Sigmund Brouwer but somehow never picked this one up before, definitely worth it. Will totally pick up the rest of the series when I have a chance!

[Cathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this YA sci-fi book about a young boy born on Mars during a scientific experiment. There were lots of twists through the story which made the read quite exciting. As the boy deals with blending science and God he starts to find himself more open to faith. 🎇🚀👽🤖

[Laurie Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a young kid and remember loving it and the rest of the series! Rereading it as an adult, I still really enjoyed it. It definitely has the young, middle grade feel but I think most ages can enjoy it too. It was short and to the point, but I think that the author could’ve expanded on the plot more if he had wanted to, but since it’s a middle grade, I wasn’t surprised that it was super short! The MC being a wheelchair user was awesome! We don’t get that kind of rep as in many books, and considering that this book was written 20 years ago that’s pretty cool. There were some words used to describe Tyce’s disability that I know some people in the community might have issues with, however I’ve also seen people in the community say that those specific words don’t bother them, so I think it comes down to the personal opinion of wheelchair users. The topics of God and faith were simply put, and easy for readers to understand. I like that Tyce wasn’t completely against religion, he just didn’t understand it. I liked that that by the end of the book he decided that he was willing to learn more about it, but still wasn’t quite with it yet. The twist in the end with the 20 people who sacrificed their lives ended up being the ones who were going to survive instead, that was good!

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The next guided reading book for my class at school (I hope), the language and storyline are both rather simplistic from an adult point-of-view. The characters are somewhat shallow in their development, but the bleak wonder of Mars is very nicely unfolded as part of the story. There is no question that this is a book directed at young children.

However at the heart of the book lie some very adult questions and issues, such as the comparative value of life and the tension between a belief in science and a belief in God. While the format is unusual in its simplicity, it may be worth adult readers taking the time to read this book as these issues are interesting and thought-provoking enough that no input into them is a waste of time.

[VBC Grafton Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the Mars Diaries: Oxygen Level Zero is very interesting. A boy named Tyce Sanders was born on Mars and lost the ability to use his legs in an experiment. Now he’s fourteen, and the science station, (called Mars Project) is in danger of losing all its oxygen. Who’s behind all this? Is the virtual reality program he’s been using real?
I like this book because of the wonderful adventure that is carried on through all the books in this series. It’s interesting that a boy in a wheelchair can save so many lives with a robot. But don’t trust the former dome director, he’s sneaky!

Zac W.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has nine more in it's series so if you are interested in the first one the rest follow it to the letter. I love these books because they have a great story line that keeps you reading until your done all 10 of the books! I have read them all twice because they are so much fun! (Also for the lack of awesome books to read in our house *smile*)
They are so not real for right now but that's what keeps them so interesting. And who knows maybe in a few years we could all wake up on Mars!! lol

[Bookwyrmgyrl]

Spoiler Alert!

This is a great little series - set on Mars, lots of adventure, with a Christian theme that is not obtrusive. The protagonist is a boy who happens to be wheel-chair bound, who writes diary entries. He also gets to use some fabulous technology which helps him get out of his chair - so to speak. Great, quick reads - very interesting.

[Aiyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading these when I was a kid. Probably more geared towards boys, but I didn't care. I'd recommend it to any little boy (or even girl, like me) looking for something fun and easy to read. I think adults who don't mind kids' books would enjoy these too.

[Eunice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good! I listened, not even aware it was for kids. My kids are going to enjoy this series. 11+

[Augie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Augie Krueger
English 7
Ms. Weilnau
4th hour
2/2/2018

Mars Diaries 1: Oxygen level Zero
By: Sigmund Brouwer

In the year 2039, Tyce Sanders documents his experiences in an experimental colony on Mars. Tyce Sanders is the first human to ever be born on Mars and leads a truly interesting life. He is left permanently wheelchair bound due to an experimental surgery he had when he was 1 earth year old. That same surgery also gave him the ability to control a robot with his nervous system. The science station dome where everyone lives on Mars is experiencing trouble. Oxygen is leaking out and no one can figure out why. They need to solve this problem quick however because the next supply shipment from earth will not reach the science station for a few days.

I really enjoyed this book. The first time I had heard of this book was when my mom read it. I asked her about it and if I could read it when she was done because it had Mars in the title. She said sure and when she finished reading the book she gave it to me. I was 7 at the time and was obsessed with Star Trek. When I first started reading I stopped very quickly, because it was slow. Of course, I was only 7 so it was slow because I couldn't read fast. I thought it was so boring and I really couldn't wait for the story to get good. When I look for a book to read for these assignments I usually try to find a book from my childhood or just one I had tried to read before and failed. I give these books a second chance, and when I saw this one on my bookshelf at home I figured it would be perfect. Reading this book through again I found that I was very pleasantly surprised by how good it was. One aspect I didn't catch as a kid was that the main character Tyce was a Protestant. That aspect put this story into a whole new perspective for me and made it way more relatable. Knowing that the kid was protestant allowed me to relate so much more because he is very close to my age and is going through the same things I am. The book didn't shove that fact that he was a Protestant in your face. However, you could tell that the book had a strong Christian undertone and I enjoyed it for that reason. Another enjoyable part of this book for me was the diary format. The way it was written made me feel way more connected than if it was written in third person or some format similar. I am very glad that I decided to return to this book series. I now plan to finish the series if I can get my hands on the books.

The big word idea that I think fits this book would have to be Overcoming adversity. In this book, Tyce had to overcome much adversity. One of the main adversities in this book was the lack of oxygen plaguing the crew. The crew and Tyce had to find a way to overcome this adversity. Another problem the crew had to struggle through was the lack of supplies. They had to solve the lack of oxygen problem while dealing with the lack of supplies. Tyce is also paralyzed so he must push through all of the hardships he has because of that. In the end, though all the adversity is overcome. The reader is left thinking of the possibilities of mars travel but also at the same time thinking of God. Wondering whether or not we were meant to go to other planets because there is so much adversity to overcome here. Are there aliens, would God create other species of humanoids. These were all questions I was left with after reading this book. I would definitely recommend this book. I would recommend it to people who like science fiction, adventure, and coming of age. Also, I would recommend this story to people who enjoy religious books. I was a little older than the age this book was meant to appeal for but I enjoyed revisiting it nonetheless.

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reading Rush 2019: Read In Same Spot ✓

This book was one of my first forays into scifi as a young bean and it still holds up really well.

Tyce Sanders is a fourteen year old boy who is handicapped - he has no use of his legs. He lives on a Mars dome station in the year 2039 and gets around via his wheelchair. He’s also a virtual reality genius; he’s on one of the highest levels of the program!

As someone who is disabled, I love seeing Tyce as a protagonist! His outlook on things could be incredibly informative for kids who read the series that might not have ever encountered or wondered how people with handicaps live. It can open up a good dialogue for becoming more sympathetic and understanding of people who are different than you.

Let me say this to anyone on Earth who might read this. If, like me, you have legs that don’t work, Mars, with its lower gravity pull, is probably a better place to be than Earth.

I think this book may have been one of the beginning ones that made me love books that tackle deep moral subjects. When there’s a dwindling supply of oxygen, what’s the best course of action? It’s a moral dilemma and Tyce’s rational and logical mind is the side I also tend to lean towards.

It’s short. It’s sweet. It packed a punch for little me and I’ll always love it for introducing me to a whole new world of fiction.

The Reading Rush Reviews 2019
1. Vidia and the Fairy Crown ~ Laura Driscoll ★★★★
2. Oxygen Level Zero ~ Sigmund Brouwer ★★★★★
3. What’s Left of Me ~ Kat Zhang ★★★★
4. The Kingdom ~ Jess Rothenberg ★★★★
5. Catching Fire ~ Suzanne Collins ★★★★★
6. The Paradise Snare ~ A.C. Crispin ★★★★
7. The Big Adventures of Majoko, Vol 3 ~ Tomomi Mizuna ★★★★

[Jeremy Denton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up the entire series on a whim because I enjoy YA Science fiction. It's simple and appealing and it can explore ideas. The series reminds me a little of "City of Ember" in a simplistic way. There are some interesting themes and it explores morals, like the Trolley Dilemma, in an approachable way

I find the Christian elements of the story to be blunt and heavy-hand. It's very much a "tell" rather than "show". There are some great YA fiction about Christianity and christian morality like The Narnia series. This just isn't one of them.

The eplogue in the story is very much a Christian sales pitch that is terrible. It tries to sell the "Fine-tuned universe" theory where the universe must come from a creator because of how each aspect of physics is in a particular state of balance to have ultimately produced fusion reactions, matter and ultimately us... but it completely ignores the conventional wisdom that if we didn't have this particular set of physics values, we simply wouldn't exist to comment on how out of tune the universe is.

With a multiverse theory, the universes in which the values weren't "just right" wouldn't have anyone to complain about the fact that it wasn't "finely-tuned".

Anyway... struggle with the point of reading the rest of the books, thankfully thus far, the books inject their Christian sales pitch once in a blue-moon which means I can ignore them for the rest of the story... hopefully.

We'll see.

Christians need to spend more time "showing rather than telling".

[Colin Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 1 of my quick foray into all the middle grade novels I've had on my bookshelf for more than 10 years that I never got around to reading when I was younger so I can make room for more books on my shelf:

A fun little novel about a Mars colonization project. This is a really good accessible book for younger readers. The story is interesting and good, there are twists and revelations, it's just fun overall.

Brouwer takes an interesting approach to this book as it has a Christian message embedded into the heart of the story. I think it's really cool! Except that his message is really preachy. It's jarring in this context. There's no subtlety in it at all, which is interesting but also would make the story more cohesive if it was more naturally included.

[Mary Emma Sivils · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mars Diaries: Mission 1 is probably a great book for a kid who likes science fiction, but isn't ready for something that takes awhile to get through. Fourteen-year-old Tyce Sanders painted an interesting picture of life as the only young person in a Martian colony and the struggles he encountered, physically and emotionally. The plot, however, seemed a bit lackluster. It felt like a setup for something bigger, which is common for the first book in a series, but still disappointing. I enjoyed it well enough as something to read aloud to my little sister. There's definitely potential, so I'm willing to move onto Mission 2.

[Child960801 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I'm not really the target audience for this book. I remember reading it when I was in school, so probably close to when it came out. This was published in 2000, so some of it hasn't ages that well, particularly the parts related to technology. The single parent thing comes from a family whose father is a pilot on the Mars to Earth run, so they only see him every 6 years or so.

A teenager who grew up in the first Mars colony tries to find a solution to a problem with the solar panels before it's too late and everyone dies.

The Christian content comes from the mother and is in the discussions of what will happen if they all die.

[Twainy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little disappointed. Not a lot of religion but enough to put me off. Might return to the series but it won’t be this year. Short so totally worth trying out!

FANTASTIC premise. Near future. Colony on Mars! Tyce is a 14yo VR specialist in a wheelchair. He’s our hero. There’s a nice amount of science.

The colony is losing O2 & they’ve been told all will die BUT a select few are secretly chosen to live. Tyce smart & brave & doesn’t like being singled out to live if he can help it! Loved this kid!

3.5 stars

[J.M. Hackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize the MC was a teen boy. Once I settled into his voice and POV, though, I enjoyed the story. The world-building was solid, and I liked the relationship between him and his mother, something that isn't common in a lot of books with teen protagonists. Although I prefer YA fantasy, rather than sci-fi, this was a fun book with likable characters (except the general -- he was horrid).

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, I came into this series with much skepticism. A Christian science fiction series. Really? But the first book was a pleasant surprise. There was a good bit of backstory and exposition, but I didn't mind too much. Looking forward to the next book.

A full review of the series will be posted once I finish reading it.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great plot, interesting characters, fun. cant wait to read the next in the series!

[M. G. A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio. Easy and interesting.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

YA read for nostalgia

[Molly Poynter · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was short and simple. I like the plot twist at the end but I feel like I want more to the story.

[Denae Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reader thoughts: These books were the first that got me into re-reading books. For pure, sentimental value, this series is my favorite. Sigmund Brouwer is an artful story teller, and he knows how to add just the right amount of humor mixed with mystery and suspense and exciting twists as the story progresses.

A friend of mine commented that all ten in the series are more like short stories, since they take just over an hour to read . . . and maybe they are, but all together they're as long as a regular trilogy.

Besides, there's an overall arc of plots across the entire series. There are some across several books, and many within each book themselves. The characters are well-developed and slowly revealed, along with every bit of critical information. For example, the reader hardly finds out about any (earth) political issues until book 7. And the reader doesn't meet Tyce's Dad (and a few other main characters!) until book 2.

SB has created a totally believable future and filled it with awesome characters and technology and possible problems and danger.

I've read all these books seven many times and loaned them to anyone who doesn't mind a little sci-fi.

Re-read comment: Now I'm finally reading them to my husband! Oh, I wish there were audiobooks of these.

Writer thoughts: Brouwer's just about the best (in his children's books) at moving time forward, skipping any less-than-absolutely-necessary parts. He really knows how to "start late and end early," which just means that you shouldn't write on and on about stuff the reader can guess or isn't vital to the plot. Some writers put in purple prose or extra paragraphs of unnecessary descriptions (or characters falling asleep or eating breakfast). Brouwer doesn't do that. If you want to learn to write less, read his books.

[Chance Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's June 20/2039 in SPACE! I still remember only reading one of these growing up, and this wasn't the one. Let's see how it is as I go through the series.
(I'm going spoiler free.)

Cover
Overall the cover is pretty generic in a 2000s kind of way. The blue base is a nice way to cut the amount of red on the color. The date is a nice touch and having it as Mission numbers on the cover was a smart idea.

Interior
Overall it's a introduction to the series so I don't want to go to heavy on everything feeling a bit flat but it did. Head director is typical save-face jerk, Mother was a bit preachy, Rawling is that likeable character you put your heart into and Tyce is just fitting that main character roll with a few quirks. Seeing VR technology being writing about back in 2000 is kind of cool. It also doesn't hold it's punches when it comes to religion and faith. The ending feels a little too comfortable with there being not too much risk involved.
Over all it isn't too bad of a way to start up a series.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyce was the first and only person born on Mars. Now he is 14, and the dome is running out of oxygen. Can this boy in a wheelchair be the one to save the people before they run out of oxygen? Virtual reality, robots, technology, mysteries around why Tyce has no use of his legs, power hungry leaders... interesting story.

Faith aspect of this book:
Tyce does not believe in God. His mom does and prays that Tyce will come to faith. Through his mom's willingness to sacifice herself and seeing how she does not fear death, Tyce begins to see the work of a loving God in his life and believes.