Livid Skies

Book excerpt: A fresh start, a queer social liberal dream, and a planet that wants to kill you. Carving out a life on Mars is no easy feat. With Earth in the throes of a devastating pandemic, autistic scientist Devon and her fellow colonists are faced with the momentous task of establishing a new society – one that learns from the past and prioritises sustainability over short-term gain. Noble aspirations are easier said than done, though – especially when the entire planet wants to kill you. Grappling with the realities of human nature and with their batteries slowly dying, the colony’s 150 women and 10 men must overcome their differences to create a lasting community. But things aren’t always what they seem and maybe the colonists aren’t as alone as they thought… Perfect for fans of Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut series and the writing styles of Robert J. Sawyer and Becky Chambers. This thought-provoking sci-fi novel blends classic science fiction ideas with neurodiverse and LGBTQIA+ themes. * * * * * * * * * Reviews ‘This beautifully queer civilisation on Mars was absolutely delightful to read.’ —Amanda Khong, Bookish Brews ‘An engrossing and enjoyable read.’ —Melinda Fierro, Goodreads user 'A wonderful blend of characters, cultures, and beliefs give a modern take to the classic scientific dream – colonising Mars.' —Max Watson, author of Chains of Nurture * * * * * * * * * Fans of these other spec-fic authors may also enjoy this series: Gareth Powell, Robert J Sawyer, Becky Chambers, Charlie Jane Anders, Lindsay Buroker, John Scalzi, John Wilker, Matthew Metzger, Kaia Sønderby, Corinne Duyvis, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dave Walsh, Mike Chen, P. Djèlí Clark, Charles Stross, Laura Lam, Elizabeth May, Temi Oh File under: fully automated luxury gay space communism, hard science fiction, feminist sci-fi, quirky characters, misfit characters, Canadian, British, strong female characters, lesbian characters, asexual, autistic characters, found family, outsiders, London, Scotland, near-future, impending disaster, queer fiction, Mars colony, fledgling colony, pandemic fiction, post-traumatic stress in fiction, fictional pubs, dogs in fiction