Lakes of Mars by Merritt Graves

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Lakes of Mars

Aaron Sheridan doesn’t want to live anymore. His entire family had just died in a shuttle crash and he’d been the one flying it. Unable to deal with the guilt, he signs up for the Fleet expecting a fatal deployment to the Rim War, but instead ends up at their most prestigious command school, Corinth Station.
Initially, he’s detached from the brutality of his instructors and the Machiavellian tactics of the other students there, but after he sticks up for his only friend he makes himself a target of the most feared cadet on the station, Caelus Erik. Unsure of whom to trust and worried that anything he does will make others on his flight team targets as well, Aaron retreats deeper and deeper inside himself. However, when he discovers that officer training is not the station’s only purpose, it becomes increasingly clear that risking everything is the safest thing he can do.
Contains: Strong language and some violence

A military school in space? Sounds cool…but also freaky.

Lakes of Mars by Merritt Graves is an enthralling book. I have to say that I like how he structured it in the three-part acts. It is a pretty fascinating book and made me think of three things while I was reading it. They are:

•  It reminded me of The Maze Runner. For that I mean it has the first-person point of view. Along with that, it is a young adult science fiction.
• It also reminded me of the show called The Expanse. The show has a Federation so does this book. And the show has a colonized Mars which this book does too.
• And it reminds me of Riddick. The movie with Vin Diesel. Now I can’t exactly say with why unless you have read the book and get what I’m implying about the Riddick part. Otherwise, that is a big spoiler. Now it’s not to say that the author stole anything. It is just what I thought of when certain elements were clicking in my head as I was reading it.

What I liked about this book:

• The fact that we don’t start way off on some planet but with the main character heading to a space station to see what his orders are and where he’s assigned. Along with some people that will play an essential role in Aaron’s life. So, he can do what he needs to do.
• Without the main character coming out to say it, the reader gets the feeling that it’s in the future. I think that part is pretty cool since we have a lot of other important things to learn about the main character.
• The main character is a guy named Aaron. Aaron has had a good life until something terrible has happened, and he thinks the only way out is to die. Then his only chance of dying was taken from him. Now he’s trying to navigate this strange new school without knowing why he feels something is off.
• I also liked how it felt so real and that it was happening to me as I was reading it.

What I disliked about the book:

What I disliked about this book is it was a little slow at times and that we get some big sciencey words put in. At times I didn’t know if I was going to get through the book. I did finish it though, and now that I’m looking back I can see why Mr. Graves did what he did, even though it was slow it explained some things that you may not have figured out.

Then the ending was a cliffhanger, but that is how most series go. I guess to keep the reader hooked.

Five Stars

Lakes of Mars by Merritt Graves is a pretty compelling story. In that, there are a lot of things going on, but the underlying thing about is survival, and that trusting people. Trust is a big thing when you are at a military school in space cut off from the rest of the world. This book isn’t for everyone, but it is a great book. Despite it taking almost a full week to read this book I did enjoy it, and I am giving it a five-star rating. I will be recommending this book to anyone that likes this young adult with that science fiction side.

Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge

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