Plains of Gold

The Mars You Never Knew

Mars was once a thriving planet with a highly advanced civilization. But in 1619, a rogue planet called Koya passed through the solar system, bumping into Mars. Although the impact did not destroy Mars, it did wipe the surface of its atmosphere and oceans. What was once a warm and benign planet turned overnight into a dry and bitterly cold place that could no longer support life.

This random act of violence laid waste to hundreds of thousands of years of advanced Martian civilization. Two thirds of the population died when Koya arrived. The rest managed to ride-out the impact in a vast network of underground tunnels and chambers carved out of the rock over thousands of years.

It was here, in the place the Martians called the Underground, that the survivors began to rebuild their society. The Martian civilization was restored. For the next three centuries, the Martian civilization continued to advance, unlocking the secrets of space and matter.

But something was wrong. They were sick. More and more of them were dying from the cold and damp conditions in the Underground. Surrounded by rock, with no way to return to the surface, they were losing the battle of survival.

Unless a way could be found off of their planet, the Martian civilization was facing the likelihood of extinction.

Then, in 1976, two amazing spacecraft arrived on Mars. The Viking landers were the first spacecraft to successfully touch-down and operate on the surface of another planet. The pictures sent by the Viking 1 and Viking 2 landers revealed a dry and rocky planet that might have once held water. But the dry, dusty surface of Mars gave no clue to what Mars was like just a few hundred years before. As far as Earth scientists knew, Mars had no life.

But they were there - huddled and shivering deep in the Underground. By the time of the NASA Viking mission, the population declined to just a few thousand survivors.

In a place called the Plains of Gold, The Viking 1 lander performed its duties, sending a steady stream of scientific data back to Earth. It was the Viking 1 lander and its small radio transmitter that gave the Martians their first bit of hope that they might leave their dead planet.

One brave Martian named Kai volunteers for an audacious mission. He will ride on that Viking 1 radio signal to reach Earth. When he gets there, he hopes to find humans willing to help save his dying people.

Plains of Gold is the story of Kai - the first being from another planet to make contact with humans. His arrival on Earth could be a game changer for humankind. Kai's immense knowledge could solve some of the most difficult problem Earth faces.

But Kai arrives into a swirling mass of international crises. The human race might not survive if things continue as they are. Kai's mission to save his people now depends on first saving the human race from destruction.

If you like stories about Mars, science, and technology with generous helpings of humor, human behavior, and political intrigue, get your copy of Plains of Gold now on Amazon.com.