In the Red

Michael Prasad knows he shouldn’t go out on the Mars surface alone. It’s dangerous. His parents have forbidden it. And the anxiety he feels almost every time he puts on a spacesuit makes it nearly impossible for him to leave the safety of the colony.

But when his best friend, Lilith, suggests they sneak out one night, he can’t resist the chance to prove everyone—including himself—wrong.

As the two ride along the Mars surface in a stolen rover, miles from the colony, a massive solar flare hits the planet, knocking out power, communication, and navigation systems, and the magnetic field that protects the planet from the sun’s deadly radiation.

Stranded hours from home with an already limited supply of food, water, and air, Michael and Lilith must risk everything if they’re to get back to the colony alive.

Reviews

“By telling the story from Michael’s perspective, Swiedler offers a fresh take on heroism through an honest portrayal of the emotional struggle of overcoming anxiety. The friendship between Michael and Lilith feels real and grounded as they confront family issues, mental health, and their own relationship, and readers will be left breathless by stunning descriptions and harrowing feats of survival as two tweens face death, danger, and emotional upheaval.”
Booklist

“The writing is reminiscent of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet and Andy Weir’s The Martian—it maintains a skillful blend of science and survivalism to keep readers engaged and invested in the outcome [...] A smart choice to read individually or as a group to further explore the possibilities of life on Mars and the science behind the fiction.”
School Library Journal

"Swiedler’s debut is a clever and exciting read that casts a key female character as an intrepid explorer and a supportive friend."
Kirkus

"You know those awesome survival books where someone gets stuck on a mountain somewhere and barely makes it out alive? Well, this is that, but on MARS!"
Feed Your Fiction Addiction

"A science fiction story that feels like it could be telling the future. Kid vs. Nature in a setting that is more hostile than anything on earth."
Sonder Books Review

“In The Red is a thrilling combination of wide-eyed imagination and gritty real science, starring courageous young heroes using their smarts to battle impossible odds. A non-stop, pulse-pounding adventure!”
Kevin Emerson, author of Last Day on Mars

“Hang on to your helmets. Christopher Swiedler takes you on a nail-biting, sci-fi adventure where every page holds unexpected peril for his bold heroes. He makes the impossible seem plausible in a universe where strolling on Mars can be normal, wondrous and at times, terrifying. It will leave you breathless.”
D.J. MacHale, New York Times bestselling author