Food - (Generation Mars) by Douglas D Meredith (Paperback)

About the Book

The actions of a misaligned AI force a group of kids to make a desperate journey to Mars.

Book Synopsis

Swimming on Mars? Not likely. There is water on Mars, but it is frozen solid beneath the surface. In the future, not long from now, that ice will prove invaluable for those that live there. It will provide not just their water for drinking and growing crops, but also their air, their fuel, and their economic ties with Earth. And in this book it will provide a terrifying experience and a grueling fight for survival for sisters Cas and Ori and their classmates.

Cas and Ori are among the first children born on Mars. The Generation Mars series follows their adventures as they grow up in an environment unlike any in which children have grown up before. Each book in the series uses a fundamental element of survival as title and jumping off point: Air, Shelter, Water, Food.

In book three, Water, the children are touring an abandoned ice mine from the colony's early years when an unpredictable seismic event traps them in a dark and shifting labyrinth of ice. Escape will require resilience and sacrifice beyond anything they have experienced.

Review Quotes

Douglas Meredith delivers another fantastic installment in the Generation Mars series both kids and adults won't be able to put down. The action and suspense hit hard from the outset and never let up, but this book also tackles so much more. Doug's incredible at making hard science fun and essential while weaving profound human truths into a narrative that never underestimates his audience. What I appreciate most about the series is his portrayal of families and children mature beyond their years who, while flawed, deeply love and respect each other as they strive to be better even while facing life threatening jeopardy, difficult decisions and painful loss. He refuses to simplify complex moral terrain as he tackles profound themes with remarkable nuance, never shying away from unfortunate realities while maintaining hope and agency for his protagonists. The result is science fiction that respects both the intelligence of younger readers and the genuine complexity of the challenges humanity faces as it reaches toward the stars. Put more simply, it's a great ride that resonates on so many levels!