This grand epic adventure from six-time Hugo Award-winning author Ben Bova tells the irresistible story of man’s first mission compared to that great unconquered frontier, Mars-a planet pocked by meteors, baked by ultraviolet light, and covered by endless deserts the color of dried blood. Technically plausible and compellingly human, Bova’s tale explores the politics, scientific, and social repercussions of our biggest quest yet: the search for evidence of life beyond Earth’s boundaries.

Half-Navajo geologist Jamie Waterman has been selected for the bottom team from the 1st manned expedition to our mysterious neighbor world. Joining an international group of twenty-five astronauts and scientists, he endures the rigors of teaching, the dangers of traveling an incredible range in space, the difficulties of the alien scenery, and the non-public and political issues that occur when the team must face probably the most shocking discovery of most.

Mars can be an unforgettable portrait of space, politics, research, and humanity that captures forever the secret and wonder of the alien frontier.