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Author: Ian Douglas
Publisher: Avon/EOS
Year: 1998
ISBN: 0380788284
Description: 376 pages
The story starts in the year 2039. The world is falling apart -- global warming has hit the climate and world agriculture hard. Resources are depleting quickly and the population of the world has hit 9 billion. Politically, the planet has been polarized into two power bloqs -- the United Nations and the United States. The US has been weakened economically and politically and has been expelled from the UN for refusing to cede all national rights to the fledgling world government who has taken it upon itself to try and save mankind from the impending scarcity disaster. A state of high tension exists between the UN and the remaining independent countries -- the US and Russia. As a pretense to declaring war against the US, the UN is insisting that there be a referendum that would see Mexico annex the southwestern US states. In space, scientists are investigating the mysterious "Face" that seems to exist on the surface of Mars. Already there are 50 UN troops, whose purpose seems to be murky at best.
Due to economic and financial woes, the US government is considering ending the US Marine Corps. In desperation, the Commandant of the US Marine Corps talks the government into sending 30 Marines to Mars "to protect US interests" at the scientific outpost at Cydonia.
Soon after the Marines arrive at Mars, war does break out, and the Marines are taken by surprise and taken to a remote hab module 450 miles from the closest base. Led by the resourceful Major Mark Garroway, the Marines traverse the inhospitable distance, intent on re-taking the outpost at Cydonia, even though they are, in essence, unarmed and outnumbered.
Meanwhile, at Cydonia, a disturbing discovery has been made, that will change everything back on planet Earth.
Score: 83 out of 100. A well-written, tight story full of tension and suspense. A book you'll find difficult to put down.
