Hell on Mars by J. Z. Foster and Justin M. Woodward is a sci-fi horror series. I started, as you would, with Book One of the Reality Bleed series, and I’m impressed and invested in this world. This is the type of space horror I need in my life.
Hell on Mars Review
When I picked up Hell on Mars, Book One of the Reality Bleed series, I seriously thought it would be like the video game Doom.
Doom is one of my favorite games ever, and I was excited to read something with a similar storyline.
I neglected to read the back of the book, which details how different the plotline is from Doom. But in my head, I thought: Hell army base, teleportation portals, demons… It’s going to be just like Doom! Fun. Let’s do this.
The storyline is different in many ways. However, let’s address that in the next section.
Hell on Mars Plotline
So, what’s Hell on Mars about? Hell on Mars follows the crew of the Perihelion ship. When Mars Felicity Station goes dark, the Perihelion ship is the closest ship for months. Naturally, they are redirected to check out the distressed station. Their mission is to see why it went dark.
Little did they know the horrors they would encounter when they arrived.
They find no signs of life when they arrive, but the radar scans are off. So, is there life somewhere?
It feels eerie. Things don’t look so good for the crew on Felicity Station.
Then, all hell breaks loose.
How is it different from Doom?
The attack happens from within. Doctor Braun opens a portal that attracts otherworldly beings. Not demons, aliens.
However, these aliens are infecting the crew with some form of contagion.
In other words, a portal to hell was not open. But it is in space, and there is a portal. Otherwise, the storyline reads more like a cross between The Thing and Event Horizon, and that’s not a bad thing whatsoever.
What impressed me the most
The world Foster and Woodward created is believable. For a timeline when the Cold War never ended, where we as a planet are space-bound, everything feels grounded in reality. Or at least the reality we believe science fiction to be.
The details they’ve placed on these pages are astonishing.
One thing that surprised me the most was how they had a relatively short time to have you invested in the characters and the storyline, and it worked out well for them.
I must admit, the first few chapters were a bit slow, but once it takes off, it really takes off, and you can’t put the book down. And that’s not even that far into the book.
Not to mention, they’ve added a lot of bonus content that is a lot of fun. Downloading it, which is available for free, by the way, once you’ve finished the book, provides additional insight into the characters.
This additional material consists of stories and crew logs, which provide a glimpse into their lives, where they come from, and why they are the way they are. It creates a culture, a backstory, and mythology that brings these characters to life in a way a video game does.
It’s fantastic.
The characters are not over-the-top. Their dialogue is believable, especially for the situations they’re in. Their actions are well executed and expected.
I’m trying not to give too much away, but there’s one scene where they’re carrying a crew member while shooting some of these twisted alien monsters, and it’s incredibly vivid.
The monsters
Foster and Woodward have a wild imagination. The details of the infection and the transformation of the monsters are beautifully graphic. They sear the most original, twisted, full of tentacles, sores, and weirdness into your brain, and it works.
If you’re into monsters in space or simply weird and evil creatures, this is the type of book you’re looking for.
It’s hard to write about creatures that don’t exist and make someone else understand what you’re imagining.
The writing
They have a clear and engaging writing style that is easy to read. While it may not be the simplest book I’ve encountered, it is relatively easy to understand.
What I didn’t like
There are a lot of characters. There were a few moments when I had to really focus on distinguishing between them. Sometimes, I had to go back a few pages because (I felt) a couple of characters came out of nowhere, but it did not detract from the excitement on the pages.
Also, I might have mentioned this above, but the first three chapters felt a little slow. Or perhaps it was a feeling of “been there, done that” you often receive from space horrors. However, I’m glad I got through it because this book is excellent and original, and that makes all the difference.
So, What’s The Final Verdict?
Hell on Mars is exactly what I want my sci-fi and horror movies, books, and games to be like. I love the blood, the gore, and the weird, twisted entities, and I love that they’re not afraid to go there. I mean, there’s one crew member who’s turning into a monster, naked, swinging his dick around. That’s what I want: Insanity!
But in a well-thought-out, organized fashion, the way Foster and Woodward provided with Hell on Mars.
I would give them a 4.5 out of 5 bloody hatchets, but since I don’t do half points, I’m rounding up to five bloody hatches.
I’m thrilled I stumbled upon the Reality Bleed series. I am looking forward to reading the Season (as they call it).
But I want to know what you thought of it. How many stars would you give them? And what’s your take on it? Leave it in the comments below.
