Customer Reviews

The Return (Mars Hill Classified, Book 3)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was very unique and interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Do not worry about it being the third in a series the author does a good job of laying things out. I am sure for those that have read books one and two that book three probably had them squealing at various points. I know I did once things starting coming together. It read smooth and drew you in and did not let you go until the end. I love the ending. I highly recommend this book esp. if you are looking for something a little different in a good way.

P.S. I had the song Rocket Man by Elton John running through my head.

Visit me at http://www.abookloverforever.blogspot.com

I need to go on record here...I'm not a sci-fi lover. So when I picked up The Return, the next book on my stack not knowing what to expect and turned to the first scene set on Mars, date 2020, I nearly choked.

This novel is 460 pages long, give or take a few.

But, I had committed to reading the book and writing a review. And since I try to find good things to say in my reviews, I was a little concerned that I could find something good at all to praise.

Then I started reading.

Well done, Mr. Boyd.

Boyd nails character, story and believability. I'll admit that there were a few techie spots that I skimmed. Seriously, details on titanium from Russia and DNA strands and windows for rocket launch do nothing for me. But I was seriously impressed with Boyd's skill with characterization, plotting and his solid and sometimes beautiful writing style. He takes the reader to Mars through the mind of a grieving astronaut and into the thoughts and heart of a confused fifteen year old girl, as well as another dozen or so characters throughout this novel.

After a few paragraphs I turned the book over and read all about Austin. Talk about a techie genius...Yikes. But a techie genius who writes poetry.

Not only has he mastered the basics, he has a great touch with realistic spirituality. Though Christian conversions happen within this novel, they are thoughtful and believable and lack the platitudes that have bothered those who complain about unrealistic pie-in-the-sky Christian fiction.

I'm not going to suggest that those who detest sci-fi run out and grab a copy. But I will suggest that anyone who likes a great story check further into Austin Boyd.

Very, very impressed, Austin Boyd.

Austin Boyd is one of the best new authors I have read. He brings it all to the table: mystery, science, romance, and the Christian message. He has a way of getting the reader hooked before he, in a non preaching way and non threatening, brings in the message of Christ's difference. He keeps your attention, and the discussion questions at the end are ones that make a person really do some soul searching. This series would be a wonderful set of books for a Bible study and/or discussion group.

I wish it was as good as the first.His latest book does not hold your attention nor grab you.I pick it up and read some and put it down and start another book and then return to his book and repeat the same proceedure over again.

Boyd concludes his three book series in a spectacular way. His imagination mixes technical authenticity with science fiction in a way that made me as a "rocket scientist" wanting to believe it the whole way through. His conclusion kept me on the edge of my reading chair. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Boyd and he is an impressive man with great moral values to go along with his writing talent. I look forward to his future works.

You might want to read my review of the first 2 and a half books before you pick this one up

If you read the first two books, you must finish the series. While the end seemed to wrap up too quickly, I thought, overall it was good. I would love to have had better descriptions as to the capture and ideation behind the main protagonists. It was almost as if Boyd had a great idea he just couldn't quite grasp on paper. Why did this stuff happen? What was the connection that brought the bad guys together? And March 21 was past by with no mention of an anniversary date to the original attacks.

Mars exploration continues for grief stricken John Wells, but nothing could prepare him for what he discovers on this mission. Meanwhile, the CIA, FBI and other government agencies begin to fit the final 3/21 puzzle pieces together. The elaborate plot they uncover reaches beyond anything they could have ever imagined.

The final book in the Mars Hill Classified trilogy is definitely a page turner. It grabs the reader from the opening chapter and keeps them reading to the end. Boyd definitely demonstrates his writing talent and keeps a rather elaborate plot together and complete to the end. With the amount of information, story lines, and characters involved in this trilogy, combined with the long period of time these books cover, keeping this story moving and together was certainly a writing feat. In The Return the characters are really allowed to develop and start showing their actions and emotions. An element I felt was missing in the early part of the series. In the end, all is revealed and we're rewarded with an ending that appropriately fits this series. God is always in control--nothing is outside of His plan.

I felt that this book, while reasonably entertaining, failed to deliver the excitement and uncertainty provided by the first two books in the series. It seemed all along like everything was going to work out fine, and very little happened during the book that surprised me at all. The problems that do arise are worked out very quickly by the main characters in the story, without much suspense or action. There are very few surprises during the course of the plot, which was disappointing after the various shocking events in the first two books.

Overall, the read was still enjoyable. As I noted in my reviews of the first two books, Boyd does a fantastic job of explaining his view of being an Evangelical Christian without forcing it down the reader's throat, and he does it in an entertaining and believable (for sci-fi, anyway) way. John Wells is a character that is easy to relate to, and his struggles seem real. The characters surrounding him seem believable as well, which helps the reader understand Boyd's perspective in writing the book even more clearly.

this book was very good. It was a great finish to the triligy. It was actually the best book of all three. I enjoyed it.