BotW – Denver Moon: The Minds of Mars

In February, I went to Las Vegas for a relaxing vacation. Plane flights always = reading books, so here is the 1st of 2 reviews of the books I finished during that trip.

Denver Moon: The Minds of Mars by Warren Hammond & Joshua Viola

https://www.amazon.com/Denver-Moon-Minds-Warren-Hammond/dp/0999773666/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1678487728&sr=8-3

Earth is dying. Luna is uninhabitable. Mars is our last chance.

Once considered humanity’s future home, Mars hasn’t worked out like anybody hoped. Plagued by crime and a terraforming project that’s centuries from completion, Mars is a red hell.

Denver Moon, P.I., works the dark underbelly of Mars City. While investigating a series of violent crimes linked to red fever–a Martian disorder that turns its victims into bloodthirsty killers–Denver discovers a cryptic message left by Tatsuo Moon, Mars City co-founder and Denver’s grandfather. The same grandfather who died two decades ago.

Twenty-year-old revelations force Denver on a quest for truth, but Tatsuo’s former friend, Cole Hennessy, leader of the Church of Mars, has other plans and will stop at nothing to keep Denver from disclosing Tatsuo’s secrets to the world.

Hell-bent on reclaiming her grandfather’s legacy, Denver–along with her AI implant, Smith, companion android, Nigel, and shuttle pilot, Navya–set out on a quest to find the answers they hope will shed light on the church’s true agenda, the origin of red fever, and the mysteries surrounding Tatsuo’s tragic death.

Amazon Summary

Written by local Colorado authors

This book is such a fun read. I love Denver! Her attitude fits the world super well and she has a good combination of stubbornness, compassion, empathy, and nihilism. I enjoyed her interaction with the other characters in the book from her gun’s AI, Smith, to Navya and Nigel. The mystery is fast-paced and includes enough cleverness and oversight (on Denver’s side) to keep the tension up but also make it believable.

It was a little predictable with regards to who the actual antagonist would be (rather than who was set up as the antagonist), but that’s not a huge turnoff for me because the characters acted naturally rather than intentionally idiotic/obtuse just to keep the story going. And honestly, when Denver found out she’d be wrong all along, she made the right decisions rather than sticking to her wrong assumptions.

Lastly, the world and the backstory is vivid and very engaging. I want to read more! Definitely recommend.

More Info

Denver Moon is a series of 3 books plus other comics/graphic novels. Check them out at your favorite book buying place!

Lyndsie Clark

Hi! I’m Lyndsie! Writer. Artist. Linguist. Swordfighter. Cosplayer. Model. I grew up in Boulder, Colorado, the only child of hippie parents. As a bored extrovert, I spent a lot of time in my imagination. Encouraged from an early age to write stories, I immersed myself in fantastical realms and completed my first novel at 15 years old. I have learned much since then writing more epic fantasy and dipping my toe into modern science fiction. Nowadays, my creativity has taken a darker turn as I explore dystopian worlds and post-apocalyptic futures. My cyberpunk series, The Savant Uprising, is currently in progress. I am in the process of submitting the first book, In Memoriam, for publication. I love cats, the sun, and my crazy life. Come join me on this adventure!

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