CSFF Blog Tour: Offworld Day One

Imagine, if you will: you are an astronaut returning from the first manned mission to Mars. On your way home, your ship suffers an apparent communication failure and you find yourself unable to call home. Then you get home and discover that the problem wasn't with your ship. It was actually with Earth itself. Everyone has disappeared without a trace.

That's the premise of this month's book, Offworld by Robin Parrish. The astronaut in question is Commander Christopher Burke, the leader of a four person team. He and his teammates arrive back from Mars to discover that everyone everywhere is gone (as it says on the back of the book). There's no indication of where they went. The only clue they have leads them to Houston. But it seems like someone ... or something ... doesn't want them to make it. Now Burke has to struggle to keep his team together while he also grapples with memories of something that happened to him on Mars. Can they find out where everyone has gone? Or will they be the next victims?

Offworld was a good read. A quick one. Parrish has a compelling visual style to his writing. I often felt like I was watching an action movie. As a matter of fact, if I had to describe Parrish's style, it'd be that of a summer tentpole movie. Lots of action, a healthy dose of explosions, and a bunch of one-liners from a smart-alecky crewmate. If I were going to pick someone to write an action blockbuster, Robin Parrish is the person I would go to.

But in many ways, I was a bit disappointed with this book. But I'll save that for tomorrow.

One other thing that I almost forgot! I have a copy of this book to give away! If you want to win it, just leave me a comment on this post saying that you wish to enter the drawing. Also include your e-mail address in disguise (such as "name" [at] "domain" [dot] "whatever") to avoid the evil of spammers.

For now, go check out what the other tourists have to say:

Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Gina Burgess
Canadianladybug
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Eve Nielsen (posting later in the week)
Nissa
Lyn Perry
Steve Rice
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Stephanie
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Elizabeth Williams