Cold Solar is the first book in The Inner Solar War series by Anthony C. Robinson and a compelling story for fans of science fiction with a strong dystopian setting. In 2020 while governments are mismanaging their financial resources, a private company lands on Mars and establishes ziberium mines, a new fuel source. They discover an artifact of unknown origin, one that emits radiation that alters the DNA of any human exposed to it and gives them the maximum potential of the human gene. Aether Corporation buys out the debt of world governments and takes entire control of the globe. But in 2048, the Martian colonists come down for vengeance. Follow Bowen, the CEO’s son, and competition fighter; Vladimir, an alcoholic and a great archer; Low, the government hacker with Martian abilities, and other characters as they struggle to stop the onslaught of Martian vengeance from decimating Earth.

This is a solid read with deft plotting and bold writing. Anthony C. Robinson creates a realistic setting in 2020 and shows how the mismanagement of government funds can lead to disaster, a reality that many countries are experiencing now. Mammoth corporations can actually buy many world governments, so the premise of this novel is not just bold but realistically compelling. The author’s handling of character is impeccable and I liked the way the characters relate to each other. Bowen believes that saving the naïve Martian princess can bring an end to the war, but he can’t avoid a collision with Joanna, the warrior and personal guard of the princess who is attracted to him yet utterly suspicious. Vladimir embodies the humor that lightens the read, a well-developed character that is uncomfortable with the fact that Low is constantly putting surveillance on him and his group. Cold Solar is a fast-paced, action-packed novel that is as compelling as it is thought-provoking.

Cold Solar - A Dark and Gritty Sci-Fi Action Thriller is the first novel in The Inner Solar War series by Anthony C. Robinson. Set in the year 2048, Earth has colonies on Mars to fight against the Martian Empire. However, nothing is as it seems. Tasked to bring the Princess of the Martian Empire to safety, Bowen realizes that he must work with Joanna to protect the people he loves and end this senseless war. But Joanna is stubborn and does not want to cooperate with Bowen. On the other side, we have Vladimir and Low. The two of them work hard to do anything that would stop this war once and for all. When the four meet, the tension will run high, and the attraction will ignite sparks. Can they keep their personal lives on hold and focus on ending the war?

Thick with drama, romance, and suspense, the story follows the efforts of four like-minded individuals as they figure out a way to bring down the evil government and establish peace once again. I don’t know how Anthony C. Robinson did it, but he somehow made romance, science fiction, mystery, and suspense work perfectly. The four protagonists are complete opposites of each other, but they gel together really well. Low is spunky, Vladimir is sarcastic, Joanne is fixated on the war, while Bowen is obsessed with bringing peace into their lives. While romance plays a vital role in the story, the suspense behind the war and the Martian Empire’s struggles to claim their empire back truly drive the story forward. The plot is intricate, paced just right, and the narrative builds anticipation for readers. The descriptions are perfect, the dialogues are crisp, and the characters are believable. The jumps in different points of view make the story even more enjoyable. Brilliantly composed to be cohesive and entertaining, this novel is a solid start to the series, and I cannot wait for the next one to come out!