Tripping Toward Mars by Greenleaf Book Group

Service Provider

Tripping Toward Mars

Astronaut Addy Johnson and his wife, Bria, beat the odds (and dodge a publicity scandal) to be on NASA’s first crewed mission to Mars, along with another astronaut couple. The foursome are best friends and chart-topping bandmates in the runup to their mission, supporting each other as they grapple with personal conflicts and the rigors of training in Antarctica. After the “Boeing Deepthrust” rocket launches the astronauts toward the stars, tensions run high when Addy, misjudging the impact of defying Mission Control—and the wishes of Bria and the other crew members—ponders a risky gambit to outrace their Chinese competition to the Red Planet. Facing a challenge that could end their deep space voyage, they experiment with the peculiar cargo someone smuggled onboard.

Reviews

Scott's debut, set in the mid-21st century, launches readers on a thrilling journey into the future of space exploration. The story follows the crew of Arcadia 7 on a NASA mission to Mars, as they navigate the complexities of interplanetary travel, personal relationships, and the relentless pursuit of scientific discovery. Addy and his wife Bria, on track to depart for Mars with NASA, are thrown for a loop when disruptor Noel Roma bursts onto the scene, offering them an alternate mission with more money and more risk—and a goal of colonization instead of research. Complicating matters further is Addy’s ex-girlfriend, Scarlett, whose shocking personal news for Addy puts the entire mission at risk.

Scott's narrative is a skillful blend of hard science fiction and human drama. The technical details of space travel are meticulously researched, providing a realistic backdrop for the story's events, and Scott’s background in high-tech is evident in his precise descriptions of spacecraft operations and the challenges of interplanetary living. Characters are vividly realistic, each with their own motivations and flaws, none more so than Addy, whose obsession with being the first to land on Mars drives much of the plot—and his own downfall at times. His relationship with crewmates, particularly Bria and fellow astronaut Sally, add surprising depth to the story while highlighting the psychological strains of long-duration space missions.

Tripping Toward Mars shines when illuminating the ethical dilemmas that crop up during space exploration. Addy’s willingness to conduct an unauthorized engine burn to beat the Chinese to Mars raises questions about the cost of ambition and the boundaries of acceptable risk, and Scott presents such complex issues in a way that encourages readers to ponder humanity’s future in space. This is not just a story about reaching Mars; it is a reflection on human nature, the drive for discovery, and the sacrifices made in the name of progress.

Takeaway: Entertaining space mission augmented by human drama.

Comparable Titles: Kate Rauner’s Glory on Mars, Richard Rimington’s Defiant Space.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Find out the latest indie author news. For FREE.

Password Reset