Offworld by Robin Parrish
It’s the year 2033. Commander Christopher Burke and his team are halfway back to Earth after a successful exploratory mission to Mars when all communication with NASA is cut off. Not only that, but as they near their home planet, they cannot pick up signals from any other source, either. After crash-landing at Kennedy Space Center, they discover the base to be deserted. As is the entire planet, as near as they can tell.
They find a working power grid and patch into a system scanning for life. But the only thing they find is a stupendously large beam of light coming out of Houston, Texas. Whatever has caused the disappearance of all mankind must be linked to that unnatural beacon, so Burke and his team find a couple of vehicles and begin the trek across the country, dodging abandoned vehicles and scrounging for food. They find one person, a girl named Mae, who seems a little off in her head, but they take her along.
Before long they suspect that there is someone else out there. Someone who doesn’t want them to reach Houston. Is that the same someone who is launching them into slipstream experiences offworld? Or does the team have two significant but unrelated problems?
In this science fiction thriller, Robin Parrish puts a unique twist on this story of the disappearance of humanity. If you love nonstop action, chase scenes, and wild shoot-outs you will love Offworld. It’d make a great action movie!
I’m going to review the book soon, but for now, I’m giving away a copy of Offworld at ResAliens Blog. Drop by and enter the drawing. Thanks, Lyn
Hi Valerie! I found your blog.
Not really my kind of book, but I have a wannabe astronaut so I may read it to see whether it’s something I could recommend to him in years to come.
Patricia, this book isn’t mostly about being an astronaut. It’s mostly about what happens when they land and find the earth vacated. If you want real Mars books, check out Randy Ingermanson and John Olson’s Oxygen, and Austin Boyd’s Mars Hill Trilogy.