After the death of his mother in an orbital station accident, young Elliott Taylor is trying to navigate life, his school studies, bullies, and football practices. He’s known nothing but life on Mars in the colony of New London: raging dust storms, space suits, and surface walks at age twelve are the norm as a Martian. Tensions are rising as his colony unites with New Beijing, bringing opportunities for transportation and technology and unity. When Elliott begins his apprenticeship within the terraforming division alongside his father and his newest friend, Mei, a scouting mission on Mars’s volcano reveals a startling mystery—a discovery that will change the course of humanity’s interstellar progress. But the discovery also uncovers a plot to destroy the Martian colony, with enemies lurking closer than anyone realizes.

The world building in Stephen B. Haunts’s DIARY OF A MARTIAN: THE DISCOVERY is sleek, yet believable: a regimented world with highly personalized AI assistants, magnetic shoes, and ultra-fast transport. It imagines a hopeful future for humanity, one where progress and prosperity are stronger than the hate and bigotry that still manage to linger in a few places. A cautionary tale about climate change, this novel highlights the ability of the human race to adapt, survive, innovate, and come together. At the book’s heart are messages that will resonate with readers just beginning their journey into adolescence: discussions of grief, bullying, speaking up against bigotry, responsibility, and the strength of friendship and family. All of these valuable lessons are told through the irreverent and often humorous voice of Elliott, the novel’s protagonist. Take this excerpt, for example:

“Every day in the colony is the same. It’s routine, routine, routine. Wake up, go to school, go home, repeat. The views from the atrium are amazing, but I wish I had been born on Earth. They have forests, beaches. On Earth, you can go outside without suffocating and dying an agonising death as your blood boils. It kinda sucks here.” 

Fast-paced football matches, day-trips to vibrant New Beijing, and the dangers lurking inside and outside the colony ensure that there’s never a dull moment in Elliott’s life. His discovery of alien life on Mars—complete with artificial atmospheres, advanced medical technology, and interstellar space travel—changes not only the colonists’ but Elliott’s place in their society. On top of academics and his apprenticeship, he juggles being pushed into the spotlight and the unexpected dangers that come with it.

While the sci-fi tech is extremely well-rendered, it’s the characters and their relationships that really carry the story and build the perfect foundation for a brand new series. Elliott shares good-natured banter and playful teasing with his dad while they both grapple with the loss of his mother. Mei, a colonist from New Beijing, befriends Elliott over the course of the novel, as the two explore cultural differences and help unravel the latest mysteries tied to the alien discovery and the violent attacks plaguing their colonies. Elliott’s tense relationship with his bully—both in the classroom and on the football pitch—takes a surprising turn, which is handled with wonderful nuance. Each plot line is deftly layered throughout, the mystery and tension heightened with each turn, culminating in a satisfying resolution—heartfelt and emotionally weighty.

The first installment in a fast-paced upper middle-grade adventure that offers a fun, heartfelt sci-fi story with messages of a sustainable future, DIARY OF A MARTIAN: THE DISCOVERY is a gripping debut by Stephen B. Haunts.

~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader