by Eric Flint
First published 2014
Boris Savinkov boards the British aethership Agincourt bound for the red planet. The year is 1900, and Cecil Rhodes has transformed Mars into his personal domain, extending British imperial power across space. Rhodes envisions the Empire ruled by his chosen elite, the "right" people who will shape humanity's future among the stars. But Savinkov carries dangerous intentions. The legendary revolutionary and killer plans something that could shatter the Martian colony Rhodes has built. Russian secret agents pursue him across the void between worlds, racing to stop whatever scheme he has devised. As the Agincourt approaches Mars, two visions of power collide. Rhodes represents imperial order and calculated expansion. Savinkov embodies chaos and violent change. Their confrontation will determine whether Mars remains a monument to British ambition or becomes the stage for revolutionary upheaval that echoes across two worlds.
Genres: science-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, action, 19th-century, alternate-history
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, power-struggle
Setting: Mars, Britain, Russia
Period: 1900
214 pages · Hardcover · Phoenix Pick