High Stakes, Fast Paced Adventure in Last Day on Mars [Review]

Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson

Series: Chronicle of the Dark Star #1

Cybils 2017 finalist
★★★½    

Last Day on Mars, the first book in a planned series called Chronicle of the Dark Star, explores how humans might survive once Earth is no longer habitable. The year is 2213. Liam Saunders-Chang has spent his entire life on Mars. After the sun unexpectedly began expanding 30 years prior, humans fled to Mars to avoid being engulfed, but now they are preparing to move again as the sun continues to grow. Now, they will embark on a 150 year journey in hopes of colonizing an Earth-like planet. Last Day on Mars takes place over the course of one day – the day on which Liam and his family and friends are set to board the final starliner departing Mars. Both Liam and his best friend Phoebe’s parents are scientists conducting experiments vital to humanity’s survival in their new home. When a suspicious cave in occurs as Liam and Phoebe await their parents’ final run of their experiments, they find themselves racing to rescue their families and board the last starliner on time – if they can overcome the mysterious forces trying to thwart them.

The story emphasizes action and adventure in space. Readers who can be patient through the first third of the book, which establishes context and characters, will be rewarded with fast paced action. A handful of twists will keep them wanting to know what happens next. Some scenes hint at a grander plot (aliens with a [possibly justified] vendetta against humans and watches that enable time travel are introduced), but many mysteries remain unexplained – the story focuses on Liam and Phoebe’s race to catch up with the starliner.

Last Day on Mars is a solid example of speculative fiction, answering the question “What would humans do without Earth?” but skipping over life on Mars and pushing right into finding an Earth-like planet. Liam has never experienced life on Earth and does not understand his parents’ nostalgia for the planet, while his parents do not understand how Liam can feel sad about leaving Mars. National identities are a thing of the past. Liam’s grandmother once told him his family background consisted of over a dozen ethnicities, but “to Liam, they were just words for bits of land on a planet he’d never known. He was fine being one thing” (40). The idea that divisions based on borders and ethnicities no longer exist because humans had to band together to survive Earth’s destruction is an optimistic one, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Last Day On Mars could be used to spark discussions about identity, home, and nostalgia. Although the motivation for humans leaving Earth is not one of our own making (it’s a natural phenomenon that pushes them out), this book could be paired with information texts on climate change and climate refugees, as well as space exploration. Further activities described in the book’s teaching guide include creating an advertisement or travel article about humanity’s new home or creating a representation about what you would miss and what you would take with you on the starliner (Walden Media, 6-7).

Further Reading

• Author website
• Read an excerpt
• Review by Karen @ Ms. Yingling Reads
• Review by Katy @ A Library Mama
• Review by Erik  @ This Kid Reviews Books
• Review by Elizabeth @ Fuse8