In the Red
by Christopher Swiedler (Author)
A harrowing, pulse-pounding race for survival that New York Times bestselling author D. J. MacHale says "will leave you breathless."
Michael Prasad knows he shouldn't go out on the Mars surface alone. It's dangerous. His parents have forbidden it. And the anxiety he feels almost every time he puts on a spacesuit makes it nearly impossible for him to leave the safety of the colony. But when his best friend, Lilith, suggests they sneak out one night, he can't resist the chance to prove everyone--including himself--wrong. As the two ride along the Mars surface in a stolen rover, miles from the colony, a massive solar flare hits the planet, knocking out power, communication, and navigation systems, and the magnetic field that protects the planet from the sun's deadly radiation. Stranded hours from home with an already limited supply of food, water, and air, Michael and Lilith must risk everything if they're to get back to the colony alive.
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School Library Journal
Gr 6 Up--Panic attacks have kept Michael Prasad from getting his space suit certification and keep him locked inside the safety of the Mars colony. But after he nearly passes the advanced qualifying test, his best friend Lilith arranges for them to sneak out onto the surface. One stolen rover and a long jaunt later, a solar flare knocks out all communication and navigation, leaving them stranded with little food or water and a quickly depleting oxygen tank. All they have now are their wits and Michael's knowledge of navigation and locations of possible sources of supplies from outlying facilities. Working together is the only way they might make it back to the colony alive. Michael and Lilith are well-written characters with whom students will quickly identify. While their decision to "borrow" a rover isn't well thought out, their teamwork and ingenuity in the face of danger are admirable. This is a wonderful adventure novel filled with so many twists and turns that it seems the characters very well may not survive. The story manages to invoke a real sense of danger, and at times hopelessness, as the teens fight to survive a hostile environment without help or resources. The writing is reminiscent of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet and Andy Weir's The Martian--it maintains a skillful blend of science and survivalism to keep readers engaged and invested in the outcome. VERDICT A smart choice to read individually or as a group to further explore the possibilities of life on Mars and the science behind the fiction.--Elizabeth Speer, Weatherford College, TX
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV001010 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure | Survival Stories
JUV053020 - Juvenile Fiction | Science Fiction | Space Exploration
Adventure stories
Survival
Science fiction
Space colonies
Mars (Planet)
Solar flares
