I admit, going into this book I was not expecting to be particularly impressed. It is a self-published YA novel by a pair of authors I had not heard of. But I was ever-so-pleasantly surprised on all fronts. It is a YA novel, but I enjoy those when they are well done. In the Shadow of Ares is exceptionally well plotted, weaving several narrative threads together in complex ways. There are a couple of mysteries the main character is chasing down, and the authors kept me guessing until they were ready to show their hands. While the bureaucratic bad guys are a little overblown, even JK Rowling resorted to that sort of thing when it suited. And occasionally the good guys' freedom-loving rhetoric gets a little florid. But they keep it fairly short and it doesn't derail the story.

But where these authors really shine is in their science and technology. They get it all right. They don't lose track of the difference in gravity. They understand Martian weather and geology. None of the tech feels forced or made-up; everything is plausible. I really appreciate that.

Bottom line: strongly recommended. ( )

I started this book thinking it would be an out-of-this world adventure and I was right. I really enjoyed the complex storyline and character development and it was quite captivating from the start, much like books I've read by Crichton. It is a fast-paced and suspenseful read and l enjoyed traveling to Mars each night before bed when I read this. ( )