Andrew Orange

The Secrets of Mars” by Andrew Orange is a gripping science fiction novella that delves into the life of Dick, an orphaned son of a Russian military man and his African wife. Dick’s life in Moscow is complicated by his clandestine love affair with Julia, the daughter of a powerful and dangerous man. When Julia’s father decides to forcibly marry her off, shattering their relationship, Dick is compelled to leave Russia. His journey takes him to the South Pacific, on the small island of Sidonia, where he accepts an invitation from the mysterious International Scientific Institute of Space. The story unfolds as a thrilling adventure, blending elements of a thriller and dystopia. The narrative explores themes of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge, set against the backdrop of space exploration and scientific discovery.
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November 23, 2023
As they say, I received this ARC for an honest review from Library Thing. And thank you. I didn't feel like I was reading a novel so much as having one described to me. This disconnect stems largely from the clunky translation. Amusingly there is a point in the book where the main character says he only speaks Russian and if he had to explain anything in English he'd be in trouble. Profanity is thrown in at random points seemingly as proof that the translation isn't in trouble. It all hurt my ears. The time travel concept was interesting -- a unique take on the actual travel technique -- and I did appreciate the author mixing religion and Marxism into a far flung dystopian stew but the set up before time travel was too long for such a short work. And it is unpleasant. When he finally does arrive in the future he asks all the wrong questions for a person in his position -- he is asking questions to move the story not questions that come from who he is or reveal how he feels (he should be scared but instead seems annoyed). The final crushing blow was a character in the future world called Junior. He is an uneducated child member of a slave race that seems to know everything and can express complicated sociopolitical concepts like he just rolled out of a community college. His full name should be Junior Exposition. The long set up before the time travel begged for more of a wrap up upon his return than there is. The novel just kinda drifts to a stop… (más)