The Mars Imperative

When young James McKie leaves Earth for his first job in space, he has no idea what he’s getting himself into. Traveling to Mars is harrowing enough, with sabotage and a kidnapping that leads to a literal leap of faith (in space). Surviving the Red Planet is another matter entirely. Mars is a dangerous place. Deadly dust storms, rockslides, and a near-vacuum atmosphere threaten everyone—and then there’s the terrorist.

The story is chock full of technology, from hyperplanes to Mars Cats to space elevators. If you like hard sci-fi with realistic science, engaging characters, and peril galore, you’ll love THE MARS IMPERATIVE.

Despite being part of a series (The Imperative Chronicles), THE MARS IMPERATIVE (Book One) and THE TESSERENE IMPERATIVE (Book Two) can be read in either order, or individually. They are complete, stand-alone stories set iin the same universe but two decasdes apart. You don't necessarily have to read both—but, of course, you’ll want to!

For more about the author and his books, see his website at http://MarkTerenceChapman-Author.com or his blog at http://tesserene.blogspot.com.

Additional praise for The Mars Imperative:

Wenonah Lyon for Novelspot.com: The Mars Imperative, by Mark Terence Chapman, joins the long list of speculative fiction about our planetary neighbor, Mars. C.S. Lewis, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Kim Stanley Robinson and a dozen others have been fascinated by the Red Planet. Chapman, like Robinson, produces hard science fiction using the narrowest of definitions of SF. Nothing written conflicts with current scientific knowledge; any advanced technologies are theoretically possible. If the attention to science is like Robinson, the society and characters are pure Heinlein: technology, character and true grit conquer all. Unlike Heinlein, this is hard science fiction, with no McGuffins to take care of unpleasant science facts: no warp drives, worm holes, FTL, teleportation. It's good exciting stuff with likable characters and the continuing scientific and ecological realism are woven naturally into the action. This is traditional science fiction, describing the future in terms that emphasize the possible. I enjoyed it. If you like Robinson, Heinlein and hard SF, you'll probably like The Mars Imperative.

Cicily Janus, associate editor of Bust Down the Doors and Eat All the Chickens magazine: Mark has a vivid sense of urgency and imagination throughout this book, with a style that engages the reader, makes sense of the science behind the book and it is obvious that his attention to detail only serves to enhance the story, not detract from it. I am not a huge Sci-fi fan, normally, but this book was very enjoyable and kept me turning back the corners for page after page.

Michael Southard, editor of Tower of Light fantasy magazine: The characters seem alive and three-dimensional from the very beginning, which is what kept me reading despite the slow start. James and his friends Lim and Kim are very likable and often just plain fun to read about. The Mars Imperative is a serious science fiction with excellent character work and dialogue, and a thrilling adventure into the not-so-distant future. It's easy to read and will keep the reader enthralled to the very end.

Chris Bartholomew, editor of Static Movement magazine: Mark’s easy writing style makes these characters come alive. I found this novel to be an excellent blend of science and reality, and the fixes that the characters find themselves in to be sometimes humorous, and suspenseful, but always believable because this writer has a great imagination and is able in every way to deliver. I highly recommend this science fiction novel to readers who just want to escape into another world.