Kate Rauner

This is the 5th book in the Mars Colonization series. Now that basic survival needs have been taken care of, the colonists have time to focus on their own interests. From childhood, Zeker has been receiving special neuroplasticity treatments, designed to auto-correct his psychopathic tendencies. Zeker travels from his home at the northern ice mines to join the elite guilders at the Tower Guilds. As an apprentice, Zeker is forced to work on others projects, rather than his ambitious project show more of ending the storms on mars. When Zeker turns off the neorplasticity treatments, he chafes against the tasks he has been assigns and leaves the apprenticeship. Zeker ends up in a lawless community, ruled by two rival factions. Surrounded by people who are only out for themselves and unused to bargaining for his basic needs, Zeker must find his own way to survive.

This was an interesting next-step in the Mars Colonization series. Zeker was an unexpected, yet fascinating character. It was interesting to see how the neuroplasticity treatments curbed his natural tendencies, and how Governor interacted with him one-on-one. Like the other books, this was well written and a quick read. I look forward to reading more in the series. Overall, highly recommended. show less

Emma has volunteered to be one of the first colonizers on Mars. Days before her crew of four is launched, one of the eight settlers on Mars commits suicide. Once landed, it becomes pretty obvious that something isn’t quite right on Mars.

This was a great book. I thought the characters were rich and dynamic. It was interesting reading about their environment and adaptations. I hope there is a sequel, I will definitely check it out.

This is the final book in the Titan trilogy. Fynn has moved onboard the space station, and Kin are rotating to the station to avoid gravity sickness. When a blackout occurs on the space station, Kin panic and flock back to the colony.

This was a strong finish to the series. The characters are well developed, and very relatable. I found the cult aspect of the series fascinating. It really added an interesting dynamic to the book. Kate is an expert at world building, and adding the details to show more make everything feel realistic. I look forward to reading more from this author! show less

Kate Rauner is back with a new series. In Titan, a cult like group called the Kin, have hijacked a space craft and are setting off to colonize Saturn's moon. Fynn, the son of one of the Kin's leader, wakes up from stasis, only to learn that he can no longer return to Earth. As the Kin adjust to their new environment, factions of their group begin acting oddly, imposing discipline for seemingly minor infractions.

I thought this was a well written, dynamic story. The characters were well show more developed and interesting. I enjoy the author's attention to detail, particularly with the colonization process. I found myself wanting more details about the Kin as a whole, particularly how they were formed, and how they functioned on Earth. Overall, highly recommended. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. show less