As a season armchair traveler, I almost never turn down a trip to Mars. Besides, I read the first book in this series, so I figured I’d see what’s next.
What’s next is apparently a great potato famine the likes of which not seen since Ireland. Specifically, the fancy, genetically supped up potatoes that are meant to feed the Martian colonists. The scientist behind the crop is accused of sabotage and sets off to prove her good name and uncover the conspiracy of who might be behind such an evil plan.
My favorite thing about this book and the one before it is all the logistics of building and sustaining a colony on Mars. The author goes into many fun, more-or-less plausible details that do a great job of worldbuilding.
It isn’t a great literary novel by any means. This is about efficient logistics of getting from point A to point B. More about worldbuilding and plot than inner lives of the characters. Which seems perfectly reasonable for a series based on a boardgame. Nevertheless, it’s a fun read and a nice trip to the Red Planet. Thanks Netgalley.

Jane Killick is the author of nine novels. Edge of Catastrophe was published in 2022 and is the second in her Terraforming Mars series. This is the 81st book I completed in 2022.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! I categorize this novel as PG. It is the 26th century, and the colony on Mars is thriving. Ecoline scientist Mel Erdan is on the cutting edge of research. Her work may go a long way in helping to feed the growing population. But her work is still an experiment in the lab.

When fields of crops turn from lush green to black, it signals a catastrophe for Mars. It becomes a personal tragedy for Erdan when the dead and dying plants are traced back to her research. She is arrested for sabotaging the crops.

The resulting food shortage threatens the entire population of Mars causing violent riots. Erdan feels that she has already been convicted. No one is looking for the truth.

She seizes on an opportunity and escapes from custody. The only way she will avoid a conviction is to find the truth herself.

I enjoyed the 7+ hours I spent reading this 330-page science fiction novel. The basic plot was good, but the conspiracy behind the crop failure seemed weak. This is not an edge-of-your-seat thriller. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3.9 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

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As mentioned in the blurb, this book series is based on the popular boardgame Terraforming Mars – a fact that I hadn’t realised until I came to review the first book. And if I hadn’t told you, you wouldn’t know on reading the book, so please don’t give it a thought, unless you’re a particular fan of the game and want to spend more time in the world.

As you might think from a spin-off, the world is well established with a strong backstory and believable history, with a nicely detailed social and political landscape that collide as tensions grow and food supplies dwindle. I really like Mel, whose dedication and sense of duty drives her to try and put right the horrible error that creates the virus. However, this time around there is a sub-plot around a group of young workers who are deeply unhappy with the status quo and want Mars to have more freedom from Earth. In the earlier stages of the story, I found it difficult to fully sympathise with their actions – although I’m well aware that the stunts they pull are all too realistic.

I guessed who the main villain was behind the troubles well before the denouement, although that didn’t particularly impede my enjoyment as by that stage the story is rocketing along at a fair lick. While this story doesn’t have quite the tension and finesse of the previous book, it still provides plenty of excitement and page-turning action that had me sorry when it all came to an end. While I obtained an arc of Edge of Catastrophe from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

I greatly enjoyed this book. Fast paced and interesting story all the way to the satisfying end. Will be recommending to others.

500 years in the future and Mars is now home to a thriving colony with a terraforming project in full swing Potatoes are the main crop grown on the red planet, but when a lab experiment goes horribly wrong, with drastic implications for the planet's food supply, Dr. Mel Erdan suddenly finds herself on the run, trying to prove her innocence while saving food production on Mars.

This was a quick read and if you like light sci-fi, then this may be a good fit for you. My family enjoys the Terraforming Mars board games, which this series is inspired by, so I wanted to give it a chance. If you enjoyed Andy Weir's book, Artemis, then this would be a good fit for you as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jane Killick, and Aconyte Books for providing me an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Edge of Catastrophe is the second tie-in to the boardgame, Terraforming Mars, but can be read as a stand-alone from the book and the game. Dr. Mel Erdan is a botanist researching how to maximize production of potatoes, a vital food source on Mars. Lest you think this is a The Martian ripoff, this Mars has been settled for decades.

She discovers her most recent experiment has failed at the same time as many of the agricultural crops, leading to rationing of food, and Mel is the number one suspect.

Mel evades the police while trying to prove her innocence.

The story was engaging and well written, with distinctions between Earth-born and Mars-born citizens, corporate hierarchy, and ecological equity, while also maintaining a frenetic pace like a great action thriller.

I definitely will be picking up book 1, and any future books.

As always I want to start by saying that I was given a copy of this to review as part of a @AconyteBooks book tour. My review is honest and left voluntarily. #NetGalley #AconyteBooks #TerraformingMars #TieinFiction

I have to say recently I have gotten more into Martian fiction and I have to say that probably started with Jane Killick’s In the Shadow of Deimos followed by the brilliant Mortal Mission by Pip Skinner. I have yet to get around to Andy Weir’s work but when I saw that Killick’s newest novel in the Terraforming Mars tie ins was on Netgalley I was more than a little excited. Then again with an author who has penned several amazing Babylon 5 novels (Babylon 5 was my gateway into Sci-fi and I will ALWAYS love it) I knew it was going to be good.

The Edge of Catastrophe is a brilliant sci-fi novel that ticks all the boxes you could want and more besides. A sort of who-done-it on Mars with memorable characters and a lot of action. In fact it is safe to say the action hardly ever lets up. I honestly wasn’t sure how thrilling a tale could be of sabotaged potato crops but I should not have doubted Kilick for one second.

This is certainly a novel with a lot happening and you do need to concentrate on the characters but I feel that is what makes it such a good thriller. You are put in a situation where you are trying to find out who the culprit it is and it could really be anybody.

Another thing I love about the novel is that you do not need to know or have played the Terraforming game to enjoy this novel or The Shadow of Deimos, of course it helps and if you love the games you will love the novel all the more, but Kilick makes this their own. It’s a truly wonderful novel that I adored reading and will be definitely rereading.

I am a massive fan of Martian fiction. I think it was probably Andy Weir that helped me on my way but finding credible sci-fi women writers with the accent on the 'sci' is problematic. I know that's not a fashionable position but it's my truth. However, Killick delivers on both fronts. A cracking thriller with that desperate claustrophobia that all good Martian fiction should provide, backed up with science and smarts. The only reason it didn't get a 5-star for me was the description of everyone's skin colour. I find this distracting but it's a personal thing, I like to visualise characters for myself. A thumping good thriller which has forced me to start reading the author's backlist. Can't get a better recommendation than that? Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A pretty good sci fi mystery. This has tech, science, and more, and I enjoy this overall. I plan to go back and read the first one soon.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

The second book in the Terraforming Mars series, which is based on the popular board game, faces the challenges of establishing the colony and providing for its growing population. A viral enhancer suddenly transforms healthy plants into a bunch of blackened dead crops. Violence and riots occur and Mel Erdan must prove that she didn't cause the problem and find a fix. Supplies are dwindling and the entire city could collapse.
This is an exciting read.

If you didn't hear my cry of delight when "Edge of Catastrophe" became available on NetGalley, then you must have been on Mars! The first book in this series ("In the Shadow of Deimos" - check it out!) was set in an earlier time, meaning we get a whole cast of new characters and a more advanced setting with book 2. It's a fantastic story with excellent writing, great characters, and a gripping plot... and it's set on Mars - who needs more?

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

[Blurb goes here]

Terraforming Mars: Edge of Catastrophe, is the second installment in the stand alone stories based on the award-winning boardgame. While I didn't read the first book (In the Shadow of Deimos), I came across this one, and the blurb just pulled me in.

Who said that a book about potatoes was not a fun read? Boil em, mash em... you get the gist.

Mel, a scientist working in a modified version of a potato is on the brink of a life changing discovery. Using a viral enhancer, she has given the tubers rich nutrients, and the capacity to grow in the red planet's harsh conditions. Her research could be applied to other plants, thus helping feed the growing population inhabiting the world, since immigration numbers had been steadily on the rise, along with those of natural born martians.

One fateful morning, Mel arrives at her lab. Today is the day that will make her, or brake her. To her dismay, she finds her testing crops all rotten. Maybe she did something wrong? Fortunately her now putrid crops are contained inside the lab, there's no way the infection could spread among other farms. This idea, a needed respite, proves to be wrong. The enhanced virus spreads all across the planet. Fault resting upon her shoulders. She's found guilty, jail awaits. But there's something nagging at Mel's mind. Something that forces her to escape: the certitude of sabotage.

Here's where the action starts. Mel has a few good friends, and she's going to need their help to prove foul play.

Jane Killick writes a great who-done-it, while (truth be told) at times it slows down to a crawl. I liked most of the characters; some are not so fortunate, and feel like jagged paper cut-outs. I loved the science, while intricate, is not too hard on the reader. With an intriguing and intricate plot, the story has its fair share of twists and turns.

At times, IMHO, the dialogs feel a bit empty...nonsensical, even. Let me clarify: that's not the norm, but something to be mindful of. Killick will push the envelope, hitting you with corporate conspiracies, criminal gangs, and dwindling resources, making Edge of Catastrophe a very interesting read.

Even if you're not a fan of the boardgame, or haven't read the first book: if you're up for an entertaining adventure, I recommend you have a go at this story. It wetted my appetite for "In the Shadow of Deimos."

The plot is intriguing and immediately drew me in. However, the book felt too long. It dragged on in some areas around the middle while other parts seemed rushed. The dialogue was also somewhat dry for my taste. I can see why some people might enjoy Edge of Catastrophe. It’s a decent book with a strong plot. However, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Mars is a thriving community, that is self sufficient. Martians are terraforming the planet. Suddenly there is a food shortage. There are terrorists attacks. Who's responsible?

ARC Copy...it was very fast and intriguing page turner that I really wanted to find out how this all turns out and I would say even if one is not familiar with the "Terraforming Mars" universe, still is a decent sci-fi noir read.

I always enjoy books in different game universes, this was what I wanted. I had enjoyed the first book "In the Shadow of Deimos" in the Terraforming Mars series. I had high hopes for this book and it fulfilled all of them. Jane Killick has a great writing style and works really well as a scifi novel, I don't play the game but I've been enjoying the two books in this series, it promotes the game in a good way and I hope there is more in this series.

"The jewel that was Deimos City sparkled in the afternoon sun as the train pulled away. Deverau had forgotten how beautiful it looked from the outside, with each panel of armored glass cut to perfection and catching the light at a different angle."