Science-worshipping fascists seek to take over Mars, and only Morgan Asher stands in the way of their ambition in

"The Guns of Mars!"

Morgan never wanted to be a colonist, but to fulfill his wife's lifelong dream he consigns himself to that fate. Only, after arriving on the Red Planet, he discovers a sinister plot is afoot. Scientific Fundamentalists (Scifes) have infiltrated all levels of colonial society, and they hold a deadly weapon in their arsenal, one capable of rewriting a person's thoughts and desires. Threatened with obedience or death, Morgan must find a way to expose these enemies of liberty before their conquest is complete, but how can he hope to manage that and keep his mind intact?

The Guns of Mars is the 3rd novel in the "Virtual Saga," and it is a departure from the first two volumes. "Virtual Wiles" and "Prisoner of Time" both placed much emphasis on Virtual Reality technology, whereas this novel takes place exclusively in the physical world. It turns out that reality can sometimes be even stranger than fiction.

In April of 2009,"The Guns Of Mars" was selected as semi-fnalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards contest, making it one of only 7 Science Fiction novels to achieve that high status. During that process, it was given the following review by a writer at Publishers Weekly:

What's not to like about a feisty young woman who goes into a virtual reality, encounters her childhood hero in danger, helps rescue him, and falls in love? Lorna Forsyth and her wealthy hero, Morgan Asher, emerge from simulated world Fantasan and embark together on Lorna's dream of space exploration. But moments later, Morgan's alone on Mars, near death, and the reason, which involves a tantalizingly mix of futuristic science and social-engineering, occupies the next two-thirds of the book. The discovery of a DNA alteration that reverses aging, a push for planetary colonization to deal with Earth’s overpopulation, forced teleportation that may alter personalities, espionage, and war all play a part in this exacting, exciting fantasy thriller. In short order, the Mars colony where Lorna and Morgan have been sent becomes the battleground for a clash between Earth's major political factions. While the book sometimes stumbles on awkward language, the author is skilled at revealing a new character with just a few words or a single line of dialogue, which makes for colorful, fast-paced reading. The first two-thirds of this ambitious, and cleverly plotted SF novel is in a league with Robinson's "Red Mars." The final third feels a bit rushed, though there are certainly plenty of spine-tingling surprises as characters employ futuristic weapons and old-fashioned double- and triple-crossing to win the Martian war.

Since this review was written, I have corrected much of what I believe the reviewer was talking about, concerning "awkward language," and I've weeded out typos that were interspersed throughout the rough draft I sent to the ABNA. I didn't have enough time before the contest to properly polish the manuscript, and have since done so. It is clear that the reviewer enjoyed "The Guns of Mars," despite the flaws in the early draft. Truly, this is encouraging news.

Update: February 12, 2010

I am pleased to announce that The Guns of Mars has been accepted for publication by Pill Hill Press of Nebraska. The contract has been signed! I'll keep you informed about the publication progression, and let you know as soon as I have the official release date.

The Guns of Mars is coming!