Xenon Hybrid, the Red Planet’s ceremonial head-of-state, has not been seen for many years after withdrawing to an isolated enclave in the far north where he steadily built up a following of citizens seeking out an alternative lifestyle. They bother no one, and no one bothers them.
But when an Earth-bound ship explodes on the launchpad in Jezero City, and the DNA from two bodies recovered at the site are found to be an exact match, Dr. Jann Malbec is convinced that they are the product of a covert cloning program. More troubling still is that the DNA is a very close match to the reclusive and enigmatic Xenon.
Meanwhile, newly promoted Mars Envoy, Mia Sorelli, finds herself stuck on the planet after her ride back to Earth is now a charred hunk of metal. She begins to get an uneasy feeling that someone may be trying to assassinate her, and Mia’s suspicions start to focus on a clandestine group of Xenon’s followers.
As these parallel investigations begin to converge, it becomes apparent to both Jann and Mia that the peaceful and simple lifestyle of the Xenonists is not all that it seems. There is a darker ideology bubbling underneath the surface, one that threatens to bring catastrophe to the entire population on Mars.
But will anyone believe them in time?
About Plains of Utopia:
This is the sixth book in a Sci-Fi series set in a human colony on Mars. The science depicted is, for the most part, plausible. In other words, what’s technically possible with either current technology or taking experimental research a step or two further. That said, you won’t need a calculator or a slide-rule to enjoy the story.
Reading Order:
Book 1: Colony One Mars
Book 2: Colony Two Mars
Book 3: Colony Three Mars (Completes the trilogy)
Book 4: Jezero City, Colony Four Mars (Can be read as a stand-alone novel)
Book 5: Surface Tension, Colony Five Mars (Can be read as a stand-alone novel)
Book 6: Plains of Utopia, Colony Six Mars
The Belt Series:
Book 1: Entanglement
Book 2: Entropy
Book 3: Evolution
Book 4: Enigma
Book 5: Exodus
Book 6: Emergence