Synopses & Reviews
Mars is supposed to be dead
Bizarre quakes are rumbling over the long-dormant tectonic plates of the planet, disrupting its trillion-dollar mining operations and driving scientists past the edges of theory and reason. However, when rocks shake off their ancient dust and begin to rollseemingly of their own volitioncarving canals as they converge to form a towering structure amid the ruddy terrain, Lt. Jain and her JSC team realize that their routine geological survey of a Martian cave system is anything but. The only clues they have stem from the emissions of a mysterious blue radiation, and a 300-year-old journal that is writing itself.
Lt. Thomas Weatherby of His Majestys Royal Navy is an honest 18th-century man, doing his part for King and Country aboard the HMS Daedalus, a frigate sailing the high seas between continents
and the immense Void between the Known Worlds.
With the aid of his fierce captain, a drug-addled alchemist, and a servant girl with a remarkable past, Weatherby must track a great and powerful mystic, who has embarked upon a sinister quest to upset the balance of the planetsthe consequences of which may reach far beyond the Solar System, threatening the very fabric of space itself.
Review
"A true genre bender. It mixes alchemy, quantum physics, and historical figures in ways you havent seen before. [...] adventurous, original, and a blast to read."
Tor.com
Review
"Genre bending often come at great peril, but Martinez pulls it off with an assurance that makes all the pieces slot together perfectly."
Buzzfeed.com, "The 14 Greatest Science Fiction Books of the Year" (2013)
"Martinez's debut is a triumph of genre-blending.... With a cast of superbly drawn characters, Martinez's title is a mesmerizing tale of two universes that briefly cross paths, leaving both worlds forever changed."
Library Journal (starred review, SF/F Debut of the Month), included in Best Books 2013: SF/Fantasy end-of-year wrap-up
"...an ambitious and fun romp...entertaining and fun to read and despite its delays in publication, I hope it reaches its deserved audience, and that the author has the opportunity to explore the universe of the Daedalus, especially, much further."
SFSignal
"A true genre bender. It mixes alchemy, quantum physics, and historical figures in ways you havent seen before. [...] adventurous, original, and a blast to read."
Tor.com
About the Author
Michael J Martinez: After nearly 20 years of writing other peoples stories as a journalist and professional writer, including stints at ABCNEWS.com and The Associated Press, Michael J. Martinez decided hed try his hand at telling his own tales. So far, its worked out better than he thought.