Review: Ticket to Mars

Ticket to Mars is a gripping, sci-fi, dystopian adventure, with a poignant story of family and loss at its heart, that completely enthralled me.

Thirteen-year-old Veon Windbourne dreams of a new life with his mum in the city of Harmonia on a colonised Mars. Both are eager to escape the flooded ruins of Newer York, but their hopes are destroyed when a hidden fortune, and their ticket to a new life, is stolen. Determined to seek revenge, Veon follows the trail of the thief and finds himself on board a ship to Mars … Will he be able to find the culprit who has stolen his future, and fight for the fortune that will help him save his mother? Could the promise of a utopian dream on the red planet be nothing more than a lie?

I’m a huge fan of sci-fi and love that more high-quality books are being written for children – and this is a brilliant addition that kept me eagerly turning pages as I became totally invested both in Veon’s revelations about his life on Earth leading to his journey to Mars and the unexpected and explosive discoveries he makes when he arrives in Harmonia. This is a fantastically fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi adventure packed with unexpected twists and turns, edge-of-your-seat tension and plenty of danger that Veon faces with real courage and tenacity.

I really liked that this story includes flashbacks which give an insight into Veon’s life an Earth in the aftermath of an environmental catastrophe which has forced people to live in towers due to rising sea levels. Switching between his past and present builds a gripping, tense narrative that allows the reader to understand Veon’s motives and empathise with his predicaments once he arrives on Mars.

This new life Veon was promised is not what he expected it to be … and this leads to a compelling adventure as he is drawn into a fight for survival and freedom against a corrupt system whilst remaining determined to seek revenge against the person who is responsible for destroying his family and future. I really enjoyed the exploration of the effects of corrupt political and economic systems in this adventure, and think that this would open up some wonderful discussions with young readers.

A stellar sci-fi adventure, perfect for readers of 10+.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a digital copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.