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Dangerous Times #1
Offworld
The return of NASA's first manned mission to Mars was supposed to be a momentous day. But when the crew loses touch with ground control before entry, things look bleak. Safe after a treacherous landing, the crew emerges to discover the unthinkable--every man, woman, child, and animal has vanished without a trace. Alone now on their home planet, the crew sets out to discover where everyone has gone--and how to get them back--only to discover they may not be as alone as they thought.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2009
162 people are currently reading
1484 people want to read
About the author
Robin Parrish
28 books216 followersInfusions of Faith, a colorful, artful collection of Robin Parrish's finest nonfiction work, is available NOW exclusively at Barnes & Noble.
Robin Parrish is the author of more than a dozen novels across multiple genres, including Nightmare, Offworld, Vigilante, Corridor, the Dominion Trilogy, and his exciting new series The Riftwalkers. He lives in High Point, North Carolina with his wife and two teenagers.
Robin Parrish is the author of more than a dozen novels across multiple genres, including Nightmare, Offworld, Vigilante, Corridor, the Dominion Trilogy, and his exciting new series The Riftwalkers. He lives in High Point, North Carolina with his wife and two teenagers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
November 21, 2013
Yep you saw it right, I am reviewing a Christian Fiction book. I was caught WAY off guard about 2/3 of the way through when a character states:
I stopped and went hmmmmm OK, but I highlighted it and saw all the commenters who had also highlighted it and they were obviously Christian readers (insert "Praise Jesus.." "God is Love.." etc.. So I had to go look here on GR to see if this was Christian Fiction I had picked up. Want to talk about a DUH moment? But I was 67% through and it was not bothering me. Heck I just had complained about another book tricking me into reading a rabid conservation commentary and spiritual agenda and this was far from that. It was a great read so far! And I cannot say I was tricked!
And then I finished it, and it was full of Christian symbolism in the end, but it was a message of hope and a message of warning, like many of these books but you know what else it was? It was a fun sci-fi thriller. It was post-apocalyptic-ish. It had all the conventions of sci-fi thrillers and PA books are suppose to have. It has a strong message, there is love, heartache, but there is also a lot of violence, so watch it there if you are expecting it to not have any of that because it was written by a well known Christian Author (which I learned later).
I really liked it! So, I am giving it 4 stars, and it is well deserving. I would recommend this to any readers even those who do not read Christian Fiction. I am not Christian, I am a proud pagan priestess. I dig Tolkien, CS Lewis, Frank Herbert and Orson Scott Card and they are all writers who construct stories with strong Christian mythos, ethics, lessons etc. But they are not preaching or witnessing between the written word. They just are telling me a tale, and this was one heck of a great tale!
PREMISE: What happens to a group of astronauts who come back to earth after being the first men on Mars. Back to a world which seems to be completely empty. No humans, no animals, nothing, they all seem to have disappeared. How do people who already have been living in confined isolation cope to living in a world with infinite empty spaces where there should be walking talking people. What if they are not as alone as they thought? What if there seems to be something out there that cannot be explained, can they accept it on faith alone?
Triggers - violence and I was triggered by the idea of an empty world. It was a dark read but the ending made it worthwhile.
"Life is poetry," said Mae. "Stop. Watch. Listen. There's poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It don't write itself"
I stopped and went hmmmmm OK, but I highlighted it and saw all the commenters who had also highlighted it and they were obviously Christian readers (insert "Praise Jesus.." "God is Love.." etc.. So I had to go look here on GR to see if this was Christian Fiction I had picked up. Want to talk about a DUH moment? But I was 67% through and it was not bothering me. Heck I just had complained about another book tricking me into reading a rabid conservation commentary and spiritual agenda and this was far from that. It was a great read so far! And I cannot say I was tricked!
And then I finished it, and it was full of Christian symbolism in the end, but it was a message of hope and a message of warning, like many of these books but you know what else it was? It was a fun sci-fi thriller. It was post-apocalyptic-ish. It had all the conventions of sci-fi thrillers and PA books are suppose to have. It has a strong message, there is love, heartache, but there is also a lot of violence, so watch it there if you are expecting it to not have any of that because it was written by a well known Christian Author (which I learned later).
I really liked it! So, I am giving it 4 stars, and it is well deserving. I would recommend this to any readers even those who do not read Christian Fiction. I am not Christian, I am a proud pagan priestess. I dig Tolkien, CS Lewis, Frank Herbert and Orson Scott Card and they are all writers who construct stories with strong Christian mythos, ethics, lessons etc. But they are not preaching or witnessing between the written word. They just are telling me a tale, and this was one heck of a great tale!
PREMISE: What happens to a group of astronauts who come back to earth after being the first men on Mars. Back to a world which seems to be completely empty. No humans, no animals, nothing, they all seem to have disappeared. How do people who already have been living in confined isolation cope to living in a world with infinite empty spaces where there should be walking talking people. What if they are not as alone as they thought? What if there seems to be something out there that cannot be explained, can they accept it on faith alone?
Triggers - violence and I was triggered by the idea of an empty world. It was a dark read but the ending made it worthwhile.
May 27, 2015
Offworld by Robin Parrish is not just bad, it's bullshit. It deceives the reader. It demeans the reader. It cloaks itself in the established tropes of science fiction only to culminate in the most anti-scientific rubbish possible: it was God all along! Mr. Parrish perniciously co-opts the science fiction genre, twisting it into some sort of grotesque Judaeo-Christian farce. Offworld is more than stupid: it is offensive.
September 20, 2010
Off-kilter.
There's something off-kilter about this book, and I'm not sure I can put my finger directly on it. It's not as simple and petty as the author's unbalanced name (shouldn't it be Robbin Parrish, or Robin Parish?); nor is it the cinematic implausibility of the scrapes the protagonists get into, and even more implausibly out of. Nor is it the denouement, which wraps up and ties off pretty much every thread.
Maybe it was the prose itself, which—while workmanlike—occasionally became difficult to parse. From late in the book, for one specific example, this description: "it was a man-made construct; it was random and imprecise in the extreme, entirely function over form." Which does not really say what the author seems to intend it to say... "function over form" indicates neither randomness nor imprecision, though it does mean that the elegance of the construct might have been lacking. This isn't really wrong, as a description, but it does take a little more effort to work through than is desirable.
Offworld's setup is simple enough: four astronauts on a months-long mission to Mars lose contact with Earth, and when they get back home, they discover that every human being—indeed, every animal, including insects—has vanished, leaving behind no widespread destruction and no obvious explanation for their disappearance.
Uh-oh... here we go again. This is basically the same setup as in Thomas Glavinic's Night Work, which I reviewed awhile ago—the astronauts find similarly functional unattended systems, and do have to deal with the shock and distress of losing their loved ones, though their self-discipline keeps them from going quite so much off the rails as Glavinic's singular protagonist. The astronauts have more clues to work with, too, especially including a bizarre bright light emanating from the area of Houston, Texas...
There are good points to this book: it definitely keeps moving, and it does resolve the issues it raises, for the most part. And it kept me guessing; I did not really anticipate the ending, though it was in keeping with what went before. But, still, this book did not really impress me. Maybe it was that there didn't seem to be much here that was new or original; we've seen this stuff before—the almost-empty Earth, and the massive property damage that occurs as Our Heroes make their way towards a rather arbitrary goal. Maybe it was the rushed and cavalier ending, which was something of a let-down despite its consistency with the plot and the characters.
Offworld is, in the end, a serviceable diversion; I just wish I could offer it more praise than that.
There's something off-kilter about this book, and I'm not sure I can put my finger directly on it. It's not as simple and petty as the author's unbalanced name (shouldn't it be Robbin Parrish, or Robin Parish?); nor is it the cinematic implausibility of the scrapes the protagonists get into, and even more implausibly out of. Nor is it the denouement, which wraps up and ties off pretty much every thread.
Maybe it was the prose itself, which—while workmanlike—occasionally became difficult to parse. From late in the book, for one specific example, this description: "it was a man-made construct; it was random and imprecise in the extreme, entirely function over form." Which does not really say what the author seems to intend it to say... "function over form" indicates neither randomness nor imprecision, though it does mean that the elegance of the construct might have been lacking. This isn't really wrong, as a description, but it does take a little more effort to work through than is desirable.
Offworld's setup is simple enough: four astronauts on a months-long mission to Mars lose contact with Earth, and when they get back home, they discover that every human being—indeed, every animal, including insects—has vanished, leaving behind no widespread destruction and no obvious explanation for their disappearance.
Uh-oh... here we go again. This is basically the same setup as in Thomas Glavinic's Night Work, which I reviewed awhile ago—the astronauts find similarly functional unattended systems, and do have to deal with the shock and distress of losing their loved ones, though their self-discipline keeps them from going quite so much off the rails as Glavinic's singular protagonist. The astronauts have more clues to work with, too, especially including a bizarre bright light emanating from the area of Houston, Texas...
There are good points to this book: it definitely keeps moving, and it does resolve the issues it raises, for the most part. And it kept me guessing; I did not really anticipate the ending, though it was in keeping with what went before. But, still, this book did not really impress me. Maybe it was that there didn't seem to be much here that was new or original; we've seen this stuff before—the almost-empty Earth, and the massive property damage that occurs as Our Heroes make their way towards a rather arbitrary goal. Maybe it was the rushed and cavalier ending, which was something of a let-down despite its consistency with the plot and the characters.
Offworld is, in the end, a serviceable diversion; I just wish I could offer it more praise than that.
August 5, 2011
This is a decent scifi story which could have been better. The premise is excellent and the characters believable. The author lost me when he waded into the religious waters. The ending seemed to not fit the tone of the rest of the story and felt rushed. Overall I enjoyed the book but was a bit disappointed
July 27, 2021
I WAS DUPED!
Maybe I should've been wary when the characters compared experiencing a flood to Noah. Maybe I should've grown more concerned when the main character kept asking an undisclosed higher power for help. Maybe I should have noticed how light on violence and absolutely free from profanity the whole book was. Maybe I should have heeded the red flags when one character -- basically out of nowhere -- asks another character if they believe in God. MAYBE I SHOULD'VE NOTICED THAT THE SELF-SACRIFICING MAIN CHARACTER WITH A TROUBLED PATERNAL RELATIONSHIP WAS NAMED CHRIS.
But nothing in the preview or library designation of this book managed to mention that it is a part of a heretofore unknown-to-me genre of speculative fiction called CHRISTIAN SCIENCE FICTION, but BOY DID I FIGURE THAT OUT BY THE END.
Listen: (only minor spoilers -- this is basically book-jacket stuff) the book starts with a fabulous premise. A small group of astronauts are returning to Earth from a mostly-smooth mission to Mars when they encounter some sort of anomaly and then get back to Earth and find everybody is GONE. It's not too hard science-y, which I don't mind if you're spinning a sci-fi yarn for a greater purpose. The characters were a little flat and had some emotional responses that just didn't track. Trisha, the only female astronaut, turns out to be VERY hung up on whether or not her Earth boyfriend would wait for her, which didn't ring at all true. Parrish wanted her to be both hapless lady-in-emotional-distress and also kick-ass Marine, and I don't think he pulled it off. She's the only character who cries frequently -- oh, and who is weakened by birth. Also problematic, the lone black guy, Owen, is the only good guy okay with violence. (And, of course, we have a token minority and a token woman, and two white dude astronauts, even in the future when we can fly to Mars.) Same with the main character, no-nonsense Chris, who is both calm and cool under pressure but also TOTALLY MELTS DOWN at certain predictable emotional points.
The book really starts to fail once the action gets going. Parrish's writing of action sequences is highly unbelievable, and he uses one character as an out for almost every scenario (that character is just SO GOOD at fighting, he can stop everybody). Then, the inter-character dynamics go all loopy and delve into some very familiar tropes ("Tell me we're not going after this guy because you're mad at your father!" is a thing a character says IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYBODY IS MISSING. NO, KAREN, WE'RE GOING AFTER THIS GUY BECAUSE HE MAY HAVE MADE ALL THE PEOPLE DISAPPEAR. WHY SHOULD WE NEED TO JUSTIFY THAT?)
Anyway... the book goes further and further off the rails until the coup-de-grace, which I won't reveal, obviously, but... it's Christian Science Fiction, so take a wild guess. Then my Kindle takes me to the about-the-author bio and chooses to inform me of the writer's place in the pantheon of great Christian Science Fiction writers -- information that would've been helpful BEFORE I read this godawful (heh) book.
Maybe I should've been wary when the characters compared experiencing a flood to Noah. Maybe I should've grown more concerned when the main character kept asking an undisclosed higher power for help. Maybe I should have noticed how light on violence and absolutely free from profanity the whole book was. Maybe I should have heeded the red flags when one character -- basically out of nowhere -- asks another character if they believe in God. MAYBE I SHOULD'VE NOTICED THAT THE SELF-SACRIFICING MAIN CHARACTER WITH A TROUBLED PATERNAL RELATIONSHIP WAS NAMED CHRIS.
But nothing in the preview or library designation of this book managed to mention that it is a part of a heretofore unknown-to-me genre of speculative fiction called CHRISTIAN SCIENCE FICTION, but BOY DID I FIGURE THAT OUT BY THE END.
Listen: (only minor spoilers -- this is basically book-jacket stuff) the book starts with a fabulous premise. A small group of astronauts are returning to Earth from a mostly-smooth mission to Mars when they encounter some sort of anomaly and then get back to Earth and find everybody is GONE. It's not too hard science-y, which I don't mind if you're spinning a sci-fi yarn for a greater purpose. The characters were a little flat and had some emotional responses that just didn't track. Trisha, the only female astronaut, turns out to be VERY hung up on whether or not her Earth boyfriend would wait for her, which didn't ring at all true. Parrish wanted her to be both hapless lady-in-emotional-distress and also kick-ass Marine, and I don't think he pulled it off. She's the only character who cries frequently -- oh, and who is weakened by birth. Also problematic, the lone black guy, Owen, is the only good guy okay with violence. (And, of course, we have a token minority and a token woman, and two white dude astronauts, even in the future when we can fly to Mars.) Same with the main character, no-nonsense Chris, who is both calm and cool under pressure but also TOTALLY MELTS DOWN at certain predictable emotional points.
The book really starts to fail once the action gets going. Parrish's writing of action sequences is highly unbelievable, and he uses one character as an out for almost every scenario (that character is just SO GOOD at fighting, he can stop everybody). Then, the inter-character dynamics go all loopy and delve into some very familiar tropes ("Tell me we're not going after this guy because you're mad at your father!" is a thing a character says IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYBODY IS MISSING. NO, KAREN, WE'RE GOING AFTER THIS GUY BECAUSE HE MAY HAVE MADE ALL THE PEOPLE DISAPPEAR. WHY SHOULD WE NEED TO JUSTIFY THAT?)
Anyway... the book goes further and further off the rails until the coup-de-grace, which I won't reveal, obviously, but... it's Christian Science Fiction, so take a wild guess. Then my Kindle takes me to the about-the-author bio and chooses to inform me of the writer's place in the pantheon of great Christian Science Fiction writers -- information that would've been helpful BEFORE I read this godawful (heh) book.
December 4, 2013
What if you were all alone in this world ? .. What if you weren't ?
Astronauts go through a huge deal of training to prepare them for the unexpected millions of miles away from home. The first manned mission to Mars was no different. But the biggest challenge they face, the biggest "unknown unknown" for them is waiting right here back at home. Losing all contact with home on way back, they return to an world that's completely uninhabited. They set off an a journey to determine the cause and run into more than they can handle.
And then there's some unexpected things happening - buildings burning down, unexplained black outs - which leads to the only logical conclusion : There is some..er.."thing" out there. And these brave astronauts might not be as "alone" as they thought they were.
This book keeps you guessing right from the very beginning as to what could be the reason behind this sudden disappearance. Is it an alien abduction? Is it a conspiracy ? Is it a divine interjection ? Is this their minds playing tricks ? Is it a sick joke ? Or is it just a bad, bad dream ? - The answer is stranger than you'd expect.
Having just a handful of characters in the entire storyline is needle that the author has threaded quite expertly. You get to know the characters in quite the depth, but you still feel like you've barely scratched the surface. You might get to know them very well, but you'd rarely trust any one of them as all of them have this hidden facet to their personality, some hidden agenda which makes you question each and every one and their motives right from page 1. .
Especially this one survivor they meet along the way. The only one to still be "there" wile the rest of the world's evaporated away. The fact that you know so very little about this person haunts the reader at every turn of the page.
I guess the story would be best summarised by this quote form the book itself :
"Life is poetry.
Stop. Watch. Listen.
There’s poetry all over.
And the thing about poetry?
It don’t write itself."
Astronauts go through a huge deal of training to prepare them for the unexpected millions of miles away from home. The first manned mission to Mars was no different. But the biggest challenge they face, the biggest "unknown unknown" for them is waiting right here back at home. Losing all contact with home on way back, they return to an world that's completely uninhabited. They set off an a journey to determine the cause and run into more than they can handle.
And then there's some unexpected things happening - buildings burning down, unexplained black outs - which leads to the only logical conclusion : There is some..er.."thing" out there. And these brave astronauts might not be as "alone" as they thought they were.
This book keeps you guessing right from the very beginning as to what could be the reason behind this sudden disappearance. Is it an alien abduction? Is it a conspiracy ? Is it a divine interjection ? Is this their minds playing tricks ? Is it a sick joke ? Or is it just a bad, bad dream ? - The answer is stranger than you'd expect.
Having just a handful of characters in the entire storyline is needle that the author has threaded quite expertly. You get to know the characters in quite the depth, but you still feel like you've barely scratched the surface. You might get to know them very well, but you'd rarely trust any one of them as all of them have this hidden facet to their personality, some hidden agenda which makes you question each and every one and their motives right from page 1. .
Especially this one survivor they meet along the way. The only one to still be "there" wile the rest of the world's evaporated away. The fact that you know so very little about this person haunts the reader at every turn of the page.
I guess the story would be best summarised by this quote form the book itself :
"Life is poetry.
Stop. Watch. Listen.
There’s poetry all over.
And the thing about poetry?
It don’t write itself."
April 29, 2023
Grabbed my attention pretty quick, and kept it till the end! Twists and turns, making you want to find a solution for all of them. Really good read
December 23, 2022
I really gave this one the benefit of the doubt, and read the whole thing. But it was so disappointing.
I hated all the characters - they were so flat and cliche. And inconsistent. Trisha is supposedly the oldest of 7 kids, but then doesn't have even the tiniest shred of maternal instinct toward Mae? Chris is the leader who'll do anything for his team - except step down when he's compromised by random blackouts.
Trisha supposedly suffers from fibromyalgia, but she's a tough astronaut, so she manages pretty darn well. When she gets a migraine, her medicine only takes 10 minutes to start working. *Insert eye roll here.* The author clearly doesn't know what it's like to live with chronic illness.
The romance was ridiculous and unnecessary. (I actually picked this book up because I was told there wasn't any romance in it, so that really annoyed me.)
And the ending? It was far too easy, complete with magical characters who explain everything to the protagonists.
All this on top of the book being too long and boring in several parts, especially the first half.
There were definitely parts where I got my hopes up, thinking "this will be the part where the author redeems himself!" - but they never lasted.
I hated all the characters - they were so flat and cliche. And inconsistent. Trisha is supposedly the oldest of 7 kids, but then doesn't have even the tiniest shred of maternal instinct toward Mae? Chris is the leader who'll do anything for his team - except step down when he's compromised by random blackouts.
Trisha supposedly suffers from fibromyalgia, but she's a tough astronaut, so she manages pretty darn well. When she gets a migraine, her medicine only takes 10 minutes to start working. *Insert eye roll here.* The author clearly doesn't know what it's like to live with chronic illness.
The romance was ridiculous and unnecessary. (I actually picked this book up because I was told there wasn't any romance in it, so that really annoyed me.)
And the ending? It was far too easy, complete with magical characters who explain everything to the protagonists.
All this on top of the book being too long and boring in several parts, especially the first half.
There were definitely parts where I got my hopes up, thinking "this will be the part where the author redeems himself!" - but they never lasted.
June 8, 2019
I can't believe it took me this long to read a Robin Parrish book. Astronauts have been on a mission to Mars for a couple years. When they come home expecting to be greeted as heroes, nobody is there. Everybody on earth is gone, even the animals.
This was a great Science fiction, action packed book. The writing was great and I loved all the characters. I felt like I got to know them in depth through their journey as they try to find out what happened to all mankind.
I thought the story was unique and a great ride right up to the conclusion.
This was a great Science fiction, action packed book. The writing was great and I loved all the characters. I felt like I got to know them in depth through their journey as they try to find out what happened to all mankind.
I thought the story was unique and a great ride right up to the conclusion.
September 13, 2017
Non-stop action
When I choose a book, I read these reviews so if you are reading mine, GET THE BOOK!!!!! I loved the idea of astronauts that were on Mars coming home to no one left on Earth. The obstacles they face are heart stopping. You won't be sorry to have gotten this book.
When I choose a book, I read these reviews so if you are reading mine, GET THE BOOK!!!!! I loved the idea of astronauts that were on Mars coming home to no one left on Earth. The obstacles they face are heart stopping. You won't be sorry to have gotten this book.
November 13, 2023
Adventure packed with interesting characters. The ending could have been expanded to provide as much detail as the body of the book. It was a bit too short and seemed a little disconnected from the overall story.
March 10, 2024
This was an emotional roller coaster packed with action that kept me going till the end!!!!!!
September 11, 2009
I finished “Offworld” by Robin Parrish. Parrish’s writing style was very smooth and easy to read. I liked how action packed it was. The characters were interesting, and the storyline kept you guessing right until the end. I love that the book dabbles with different realities and the people disappearance. I was thinking it was going to a “Left behind” type book, but it was not.
What’s the book about:
“Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared.” Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity’s greatest explorers. They’ve finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth. Everyone…everywhere…is gone. It’s not a dream. It’s not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission:find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.”
My favorite line ins the book is:
“Life is poetry,” said Mae. “Stop. Watch. Listen. There’s poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It don’t write itself.”
But.. here’s my but.
I have no clue why this would even be considered a Christian book. Sure there a few flighty moments of talk about faith and it does a weak attempt of saying that faith is something we should seek over fact (re. a bunch of scientists and astronauts- I mean read Lee Strobel than talk about faith and facts okay?)… it was just “off” to me. The whole sci-fi thing it worked, but as a Christian it did not work for me. If they would have left it as a shard of something alien it would have been fine, but because they hinted it was God I have an issue with it. I don’t think there is enough of any depth of Christianity even on the surface to classify this as Christian, so as Christian fiction I’m totally disappointed.
As a sci-fi book, I enjoyed it and wouldn’t have thought twice about it as anything but an action/thriller story if it classified as such. I think Parrish is talented and though I’ve never read any of his other books, I’d probably pick one up if I was looking for a thriller that wasn’t overtly mainstream gore/junk, but I’m mostly disappointed that this is under the category of Christianity… I just don’t see it…I hate to be so harsh, but I don’t like books that are posers… the few parts that were almost Christian fell short of any actually biblical truth and it could have been any religion, not necessarily Christian. While the concept that someone else is in control was submitted I don’t feel like it was every really presented enough for anyone to take it seriously.
I’m not sure how others found this book, and I hate to be so critical, but it actually made me mad. I am left wondering why this is called a Christian sci-fi ? Sorry
What’s the book about:
“Every Person on This Planet Has Disappeared.” Commander Christopher Burke and his crew are humanity’s greatest explorers. They’ve finished their mission on the red dirt of Mars and now they just want to get back to Earth. To see friends, family, and loved ones. To be home. But even with communication to ground control cut and a perilous landing, nothing could prepare the crew for what they discover when they step foot back on planet Earth. Everyone…everywhere…is gone. It’s not a dream. It’s not a trick. Now Burke and his team have one mission:find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.”
My favorite line ins the book is:
“Life is poetry,” said Mae. “Stop. Watch. Listen. There’s poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It don’t write itself.”
But.. here’s my but.
I have no clue why this would even be considered a Christian book. Sure there a few flighty moments of talk about faith and it does a weak attempt of saying that faith is something we should seek over fact (re. a bunch of scientists and astronauts- I mean read Lee Strobel than talk about faith and facts okay?)… it was just “off” to me. The whole sci-fi thing it worked, but as a Christian it did not work for me. If they would have left it as a shard of something alien it would have been fine, but because they hinted it was God I have an issue with it. I don’t think there is enough of any depth of Christianity even on the surface to classify this as Christian, so as Christian fiction I’m totally disappointed.
As a sci-fi book, I enjoyed it and wouldn’t have thought twice about it as anything but an action/thriller story if it classified as such. I think Parrish is talented and though I’ve never read any of his other books, I’d probably pick one up if I was looking for a thriller that wasn’t overtly mainstream gore/junk, but I’m mostly disappointed that this is under the category of Christianity… I just don’t see it…I hate to be so harsh, but I don’t like books that are posers… the few parts that were almost Christian fell short of any actually biblical truth and it could have been any religion, not necessarily Christian. While the concept that someone else is in control was submitted I don’t feel like it was every really presented enough for anyone to take it seriously.
I’m not sure how others found this book, and I hate to be so critical, but it actually made me mad. I am left wondering why this is called a Christian sci-fi ? Sorry
August 30, 2009
I have not read Robin Parrish's other series of books (Relentless, Fearless, Merciless) but have heard such good things about them (and they are on my TBR list) that I was thrilled to see he had a stand alone book coming out that I could get my hands on. So "Offworld" comes in and I start reading and by the end of chapter 1, I can not put it down! The style is intense and pressing and I just kept turning the pages... 2:00 in the morning - who cares! I'm reading "Offworld" here people! I wasn't sure how he could make an interesting book with only really 4 characters, but boy did he. And all may not be as it seems anyway... or is it???
The first manned mission to Mars comes home after 2 1/2 years excepting lots of hoopla and celebration... only one problem, no one is there to greet them. No one. Anywhere. Period. So the four astronauts set out to figure out what happened and where everyone is. The most obvious destination for answers is in Houston where an enormous shaft of light is emanating.
Along the way they run into a few issues, but what will they find, and will they make it? I was absolutely sucked into the world of "Offworld". There were only two places where I was kind of like, okay already - the tornado and Chris Burke's flashbacks to Mars. Otherwise this book is a roller coaster that shoots out of the starting gate and doesn't stop til the last page! I can't wait to read more by Robin Parrish!
The first manned mission to Mars comes home after 2 1/2 years excepting lots of hoopla and celebration... only one problem, no one is there to greet them. No one. Anywhere. Period. So the four astronauts set out to figure out what happened and where everyone is. The most obvious destination for answers is in Houston where an enormous shaft of light is emanating.
Along the way they run into a few issues, but what will they find, and will they make it? I was absolutely sucked into the world of "Offworld". There were only two places where I was kind of like, okay already - the tornado and Chris Burke's flashbacks to Mars. Otherwise this book is a roller coaster that shoots out of the starting gate and doesn't stop til the last page! I can't wait to read more by Robin Parrish!
February 15, 2014
Offworld is a gripping and fast-paced tale about the disappearance of every human, and animal, on Earth. I was initially a bit skeptical about the book, Robin Parrish not being an author I have read before. But I'm glad I gave it a try because I really did thoroughly enjoy it.
Stories where people have vanished, or living creatures, are quite common in books, film, and TV. Recent examples would be I am Legend, and Revolution (albeit for vastly different reasons). These stories are often badly done; for the tale to be entertaining and, more importantly, engaging, there has to be a reason, or a purpose, for everything that has happened.
Offworld fulfills this obligation extremely well, and from the very beginning you are focused on the purpose of the story, and are never left wandering aimlessly wondering why you're reading it.
I won't go into too much detail to avoid giving away any spoilers, but if you're a fan of science fiction, or are looking for an easy to read and fast-paced thriller (of a similar vein to Matthew Reilly, or Clive Cussler), then Offworld is a good choice.
Stories where people have vanished, or living creatures, are quite common in books, film, and TV. Recent examples would be I am Legend, and Revolution (albeit for vastly different reasons). These stories are often badly done; for the tale to be entertaining and, more importantly, engaging, there has to be a reason, or a purpose, for everything that has happened.
Offworld fulfills this obligation extremely well, and from the very beginning you are focused on the purpose of the story, and are never left wandering aimlessly wondering why you're reading it.
I won't go into too much detail to avoid giving away any spoilers, but if you're a fan of science fiction, or are looking for an easy to read and fast-paced thriller (of a similar vein to Matthew Reilly, or Clive Cussler), then Offworld is a good choice.
July 15, 2012
The return of NASA's first manned mission to Mars was supposed to be a momentous day. But when the crew loses touch with ground control before entry, things look bleak. Safe after a treacherous landing, the crew emerges to discover the unthinkable--every man, woman, child, and animal has vanished without a trace. Alone now on their home planet, the crew sets out to discover where everyone has gone--and how to get them back--only to discover they may not be as alone as they thought.
an interesting premise, with lots of action, but slightly flat characters (although the ex-Marine with fibromyalgia was good).
an interesting premise, with lots of action, but slightly flat characters (although the ex-Marine with fibromyalgia was good).
May 29, 2018
Offworld is based on a pretty interesting premise - what would you do if everyone on the planet disappeared? Unfortunately, as the book progressed I found the scenarios the main characters found themselves in to be more and more unbelievable and fake-feeling, even thought thoroughly explained at the end. While book is intended to be a Christian sci-fi book, there really isn't a religious element to the book until the very end, and then it feels forced and out of place. It was an interesting enough story that I read it in two days, but the book pushed suspension of disbelief to the breaking point.
November 25, 2018
I thought this book was a waste of time. It started off with a nice, believable story and then everything sensible was thrown out the window. I think astronauts are some of the smartest people in our society, far above the caliber of person represented in this book. The story becomes too unbelievable to finish with anything other than a bad taste for sci-fi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2014
An interesting read, kept me guessing. The following 2 quotes really stood out for me: "We need to be around the people we care about most" and "Life is poetry....Stop, watch, listen, there's poetry all over..... it don't write itself".
August 9, 2010
Great concept and exciting beginning...until I found out what really was going on. I didn't think it was very believable and I had too many questions afterwards.
July 3, 2017
Hours of my life that I will not get back
October 22, 2024
It is 2033. The first crewed mission to Mars is about two months away from its return to Earth when all communication with Mission Control suddenly stops. As they come in for final approach, there is still radio silence. No signals of any kind from anywhere on Earth. Relying on contingency plans, the crew prepares to land at Kennedy Space Centre. As they enter the atmosphere, their ship appears to lose all power and inky blackness appears outside their windows. This is not the blackness of space, but something different, emptier.
The opening chapter is taut and tense, a promising beginning. After the crew survives an automated but very rough landing, they discover that everyone on Earth appears to have vanished into thin air at the exact moment two months earlier that they lost radio contact. Technology continues to function, at least in some places. The crew taps into a satellite network to discover a visible anomaly in Houston, Texas. So, with no other clues, they set out on a road trip to Houston from Florida, scavenging transportation, food, and supplies from the vacant towns and cities they pass through and hoping that Houston will explain what caused what they come to call Disappearance Day.
From here, the novel becomes uneven in tone and quality. The crew encounters a series of near-disasters which they barely escape. To be fair, author Robin Parrish has the characters recognize the improbability of these events, and he eventually provides an explanation for them. Each individual escape sequence is well written and suspenseful, but their combined implausibility becomes a bit much to accept. There is a villain behind all this, although the villain and their motive are as cartoonish as something from one of the lesser James Bond films.
The climax of the novel takes place in a setting that sounds like something from a comic book, a maze of catwalks, pipes, futuristic equipment, and even occasional bursts of steam or smoke. The whole environment is shaking and trembling from overloaded equipment that may explode at any moment. The resolution of the climax was not a surprise to me; the almost literal deus ex machina exposition that comes exactly when the characters needed it made it pretty clear what had to happen at the end.
I get the feeling that Parrish is a science fiction fan, but is perhaps not a student of the genre. There are elements here that reminded me of The Lord of the Rings, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (but without the satirical humour), Star Trek, and, as I mentioned earlier, comic books. At least one vehicle stunt feels like something from a Mission: Impossible film. There is an abrupt tonal shift in the final act when Parrish transforms the story from technology-focused SF to religious fiction with an SF underlay.
There is a bunch of interesting scenes and ideas here, but the blend doesn't always work. Some are grounded in reality, but some are highly fanciful. There are various scientific inaccuracies. To give just one example, the Mars crew has been in low- or zero-gravity for over two years. Upon returning to Earth, they would normally have weeks to re-acclimate to Earth's gravity, but instead they immediately plunge into this adventure that requires some very vigorous action sequences.
Ultimately, it's an okay story, but it's also a potpourri of styles, tones, and ideas that don't gel. The end result lacks the emotional impact I think Parrish was aiming for. The book is billed as the first of a trilogy, but this is a complete story with an acceptable conclusion. Indeed, the blurbs for the other books don't mention any of the characters from this one.
The opening chapter is taut and tense, a promising beginning. After the crew survives an automated but very rough landing, they discover that everyone on Earth appears to have vanished into thin air at the exact moment two months earlier that they lost radio contact. Technology continues to function, at least in some places. The crew taps into a satellite network to discover a visible anomaly in Houston, Texas. So, with no other clues, they set out on a road trip to Houston from Florida, scavenging transportation, food, and supplies from the vacant towns and cities they pass through and hoping that Houston will explain what caused what they come to call Disappearance Day.
From here, the novel becomes uneven in tone and quality. The crew encounters a series of near-disasters which they barely escape. To be fair, author Robin Parrish has the characters recognize the improbability of these events, and he eventually provides an explanation for them. Each individual escape sequence is well written and suspenseful, but their combined implausibility becomes a bit much to accept. There is a villain behind all this, although the villain and their motive are as cartoonish as something from one of the lesser James Bond films.
The climax of the novel takes place in a setting that sounds like something from a comic book, a maze of catwalks, pipes, futuristic equipment, and even occasional bursts of steam or smoke. The whole environment is shaking and trembling from overloaded equipment that may explode at any moment. The resolution of the climax was not a surprise to me; the almost literal deus ex machina exposition that comes exactly when the characters needed it made it pretty clear what had to happen at the end.
I get the feeling that Parrish is a science fiction fan, but is perhaps not a student of the genre. There are elements here that reminded me of The Lord of the Rings, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (but without the satirical humour), Star Trek, and, as I mentioned earlier, comic books. At least one vehicle stunt feels like something from a Mission: Impossible film. There is an abrupt tonal shift in the final act when Parrish transforms the story from technology-focused SF to religious fiction with an SF underlay.
There is a bunch of interesting scenes and ideas here, but the blend doesn't always work. Some are grounded in reality, but some are highly fanciful. There are various scientific inaccuracies. To give just one example, the Mars crew has been in low- or zero-gravity for over two years. Upon returning to Earth, they would normally have weeks to re-acclimate to Earth's gravity, but instead they immediately plunge into this adventure that requires some very vigorous action sequences.
Ultimately, it's an okay story, but it's also a potpourri of styles, tones, and ideas that don't gel. The end result lacks the emotional impact I think Parrish was aiming for. The book is billed as the first of a trilogy, but this is a complete story with an acceptable conclusion. Indeed, the blurbs for the other books don't mention any of the characters from this one.
December 17, 2025
•Offworld•
-
Commander Burke and his crew have been stationed on Mars for over 2 years, working to collect data and make groundbreaking discoveries. When the time comes to return to earth, their communications fail, leading to a perilous landing where they discover everyone... everywhere... is gone.
Now Burke and his team have one more mission: find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.
-
Thoroughly enjoyed this action packed, suspense fiction with sci fi elements woven into the story. I actually thought this would be heavier on the sci fi, but I was on the edge of my seat the whole time because shit just kept going wrong for Burke and his crew on their journey to Houston 😱
I liked the characters in this, their perseverance was inspiring, but Owen and Mae take the cake.
Things took a different direction than I thought with the how/why behind everyone disappearing, and a couple of twists that dropped really surprised me. Nothing better than twists that make you say things like "wtf" or "oh shit" aloud! 👌🏻 and the ending broke and mended my heart in a few short pages 🥲🥹
-
"Is history still history if no one is around to remember it? Learn from it?"
-
"Christopher Burke is not in the habit of failing. At anything".
-
"Life is poetry. Stop. Watch. Listen. There's poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It doesn't write itself". 😍
-
"Just follow the light".
-
"The stars, the heavens, they whisper in song.
Unbound from earth, her soul here belongs.
As life and death wrestle forlorn years,
Let sleep wipe free her distant tears".
🥹🖤
-
Commander Burke and his crew have been stationed on Mars for over 2 years, working to collect data and make groundbreaking discoveries. When the time comes to return to earth, their communications fail, leading to a perilous landing where they discover everyone... everywhere... is gone.
Now Burke and his team have one more mission: find out who or what is behind the disappearance of all mankind.
-
Thoroughly enjoyed this action packed, suspense fiction with sci fi elements woven into the story. I actually thought this would be heavier on the sci fi, but I was on the edge of my seat the whole time because shit just kept going wrong for Burke and his crew on their journey to Houston 😱
I liked the characters in this, their perseverance was inspiring, but Owen and Mae take the cake.
Things took a different direction than I thought with the how/why behind everyone disappearing, and a couple of twists that dropped really surprised me. Nothing better than twists that make you say things like "wtf" or "oh shit" aloud! 👌🏻 and the ending broke and mended my heart in a few short pages 🥲🥹
-
"Is history still history if no one is around to remember it? Learn from it?"
-
"Christopher Burke is not in the habit of failing. At anything".
-
"Life is poetry. Stop. Watch. Listen. There's poetry all over. And the thing about poetry? It doesn't write itself". 😍
-
"Just follow the light".
-
"The stars, the heavens, they whisper in song.
Unbound from earth, her soul here belongs.
As life and death wrestle forlorn years,
Let sleep wipe free her distant tears".
🥹🖤
July 24, 2020
Though I'm probably 1/3 of the way through, within the past 50 -70 pages everything changed for me. Maybe it's the normal progression of a novel of this variety, but I feel it deeper than that and I believe it is the times in which we are now living. In some ways, it feels as if we are on this planet or space all alone, only occasionally seeing and speaking with other humans (thank goodness for phone, and weekly church). But, as the characters of this novel settle into a rather unsettling reality, it really seems to parallel our times (let's call it Corona Times) quite well.
People are always there most considerate, and tempers seem to flare with the very thought or impression that another may be thinking in the very opposite strand from you - politically, socially, spiritually and more. Every post will find that one vile, abrupt challenger, that makes you believe there are really people like that wondering around on their own accord.
The book - like current times - features an overwhelming belief that we will make it beyond this challenge, we are better than this, and good will prevail. But the storm in one setting and the turmoil in our own also provide ample reason to pause, pray and hope like there is no tomorrow. Our characters enter the story's lens with their NASA masks on, and secure; but, such are dropped as they encounter some real adversities. We, on the other hand, face a wide array of 'maskers' who are able to spill out the most file ugliness in posts and responses - but keep their masks up, maybe prohibiting us from really seeing who they are. "For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)
I highly recommend you start and finish this book!
People are always there most considerate, and tempers seem to flare with the very thought or impression that another may be thinking in the very opposite strand from you - politically, socially, spiritually and more. Every post will find that one vile, abrupt challenger, that makes you believe there are really people like that wondering around on their own accord.
The book - like current times - features an overwhelming belief that we will make it beyond this challenge, we are better than this, and good will prevail. But the storm in one setting and the turmoil in our own also provide ample reason to pause, pray and hope like there is no tomorrow. Our characters enter the story's lens with their NASA masks on, and secure; but, such are dropped as they encounter some real adversities. We, on the other hand, face a wide array of 'maskers' who are able to spill out the most file ugliness in posts and responses - but keep their masks up, maybe prohibiting us from really seeing who they are. "For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)
I highly recommend you start and finish this book!
June 27, 2023
Imagine someone tried to combine The Martian by Andy Weir and Gone by Michael Grant....but also took none of the amazing writing from either of those books. You got something that's probably akin to this. The premise is interesting and the book itself isn't terribly written, but it's nothing I would really recommend without a good reason.
Despite our main characters being astronauts, it's clear that Parrish wanted them to be soldiers instead, with one person of our group (without exaggeration) even being from an organization that is basically just the Division from Tom Clancy's works. Our main character is hypocritical in how he conducts himself, demanding things from his team he himself would never give them, and many of the tropes here play out to the cliche they're clearly based on.
And obviously, as many other reviews might point out, this book is actually a Christian book that cleverly conceals itself in a science fiction facade. Now, Christian books are not necessarily a deal-breaker for me, nor is the subject matter of Christianity as a premise or theme. However, this book uses it poorly, concealing its true intentions for most of the book and just....exploding out of nowhere with a ton of religious stuff that wasn't built up to, crumpling away that Science Fiction setting it had set up and saying: IT WAS GOD ALL ALONG! Which....is just bad writing in general.
Honestly, I would just recommend the books its trying to emulate rather than the book itself.
Despite our main characters being astronauts, it's clear that Parrish wanted them to be soldiers instead, with one person of our group (without exaggeration) even being from an organization that is basically just the Division from Tom Clancy's works. Our main character is hypocritical in how he conducts himself, demanding things from his team he himself would never give them, and many of the tropes here play out to the cliche they're clearly based on.
And obviously, as many other reviews might point out, this book is actually a Christian book that cleverly conceals itself in a science fiction facade. Now, Christian books are not necessarily a deal-breaker for me, nor is the subject matter of Christianity as a premise or theme. However, this book uses it poorly, concealing its true intentions for most of the book and just....exploding out of nowhere with a ton of religious stuff that wasn't built up to, crumpling away that Science Fiction setting it had set up and saying: IT WAS GOD ALL ALONG! Which....is just bad writing in general.
Honestly, I would just recommend the books its trying to emulate rather than the book itself.
July 7, 2020
Apparently this book heavily implies Christian morals and faith but while reading the book I found no such link between religion and the story. Once you delve into the story it feels more and more like an episode of ‘Lost’ but with all the mysteries and answers seemingly lead to even more questions just like the show the book fumbles with the ending leaving you with a sense of disappointment. Off world is a book about 4 astronauts who are returning to earth from a mission on Mars, once they land back home they find they’re the only people left excluding the antagonists. The premise itself is enough to give the book a three star rating but it had the potential to be an even greater arcing story but instead the story saves the best parts for the last chapters which in some stories that could work but frankly with this story it just ends up being lost potential. What makes the book so intriguing is the mystery of how everyone on earth disappeared then once that’s answered it leads to an even better mystery but instead of fully explaining and exploring these topics the book rather focuses on the journey it takes the astronauts to stop another catastrophe. The characters are interesting but the mystery of The how and the why are much more interesting and sadly that is not the main focus of the book which is why there is so much lost potential.
January 27, 2019
I would call this a clean science fiction book, but not a Christian market book. Calling out to the "universe" for help is not a Christian value, and that disappointed me. I was expecting a Christian sci-fi. There was probably two mentions of God and that was it.
As for the story, it started strong. The writing was a little stilted at times and I didn't really like the explanations of the science. The intended audience of the book are those who understand the science behind what was happening. So every time something was explained, it took me even longer to get back into the story.
The idea of a tear in the veil that the other side (when alluded to Heaven) seemed a little too far-fetched. God is God, so whether in fiction or not, He would be able to fix/repair anything. So that was a little hard to get past.
The ending....sigh. I expected a little bit more.
Otherwise, it was a good soft science fiction book that I read in a couple of days. I loved the idea of the story, the plot within it. Some of the action was a little over the top, but it reminded me a little of books written my Matthew Reilly.
As for the story, it started strong. The writing was a little stilted at times and I didn't really like the explanations of the science. The intended audience of the book are those who understand the science behind what was happening. So every time something was explained, it took me even longer to get back into the story.
The idea of a tear in the veil that the other side (when alluded to Heaven) seemed a little too far-fetched. God is God, so whether in fiction or not, He would be able to fix/repair anything. So that was a little hard to get past.
The ending....sigh. I expected a little bit more.
Otherwise, it was a good soft science fiction book that I read in a couple of days. I loved the idea of the story, the plot within it. Some of the action was a little over the top, but it reminded me a little of books written my Matthew Reilly.
May 20, 2024
My rating: 3.5 stars
It has been a minute since I read a dystopian novel, so "Offworld," was a breath of fresh air.
I have never read a sci-fi book with a similar premise, so I found this book to be unique and interesting. Honestly, a majority of the things that happen could happen irl, which makes it kinda scary. It made me wonder what I would do if soundly most of the population on earth vanished.
Besides the premise, I also liked how action packed this book ones. There were no dull moments! I also liked the plot twists, which I truly didn't see coming.
The only thing I didn't love about this book were the characters. Most of them didn't feel fully fleshed out and I only felt truly attached to 2 or 3 of them. I wish the author would have given us more about their pasts, as all we get are brief references to their backgrounds. I think if the author had made the book about 50 or so pages longer and dedicated that to highlighting their backgrounds and personality, this book would have been great!
I'm glad I gave this book a try on a whim! I would pick up other books by this author in the future.
It has been a minute since I read a dystopian novel, so "Offworld," was a breath of fresh air.
I have never read a sci-fi book with a similar premise, so I found this book to be unique and interesting. Honestly, a majority of the things that happen could happen irl, which makes it kinda scary. It made me wonder what I would do if soundly most of the population on earth vanished.
Besides the premise, I also liked how action packed this book ones. There were no dull moments! I also liked the plot twists, which I truly didn't see coming.
The only thing I didn't love about this book were the characters. Most of them didn't feel fully fleshed out and I only felt truly attached to 2 or 3 of them. I wish the author would have given us more about their pasts, as all we get are brief references to their backgrounds. I think if the author had made the book about 50 or so pages longer and dedicated that to highlighting their backgrounds and personality, this book would have been great!
I'm glad I gave this book a try on a whim! I would pick up other books by this author in the future.
November 3, 2025
This is an awesome read with four astronauts returning from a trip to Mars, where strange things happened to the commander lost in a sandstorm. On the trip to Earth they lose communications with Houston and the International Space Station. Things go from bad to worse once they arrive home to a planet devoid of people—or so they think.
Offworld (although containing two major plot holes and one paragraph of omnipresent text) is a pretty decent read. Everything is there for an action-packed adventure. Offworld (although containing two major plot holes and one paragraph of omnipresent text) is a pretty decent read. Everything is there for an action-packed adventure.
Don’t let the fact that this writer is a Christian writer fool you; nowhere will you find references to God or whatever strewn in the pages as with other Christian writers.
Damn fine book. I will be reading more from this writer.
Offworld (although containing two major plot holes and one paragraph of omnipresent text) is a pretty decent read. Everything is there for an action-packed adventure. Offworld (although containing two major plot holes and one paragraph of omnipresent text) is a pretty decent read. Everything is there for an action-packed adventure.
Don’t let the fact that this writer is a Christian writer fool you; nowhere will you find references to God or whatever strewn in the pages as with other Christian writers.
Damn fine book. I will be reading more from this writer.
July 19, 2017
After reading several book from Alton Gansky, I decided to read this one which I've had in my possession for some time. My view on books is pretty straightforward. I want them to speak to me, one way or another. At first this book didn't appeal to me, so it wasn't my first choice of reading when I had time to spare. It looked gloomy and off putting. However, when I started to read I noticed that I couldn't put it down. I just had to read on. This may be attributed to the cliffhangers in nearly every chapter or the plot development. I don't really know. I do know that I found this book to be a page turner.
I don't think that this book classifies as purely SciFi. Developments and (some) events described could occur if you:
- follow developments in quantum physics (e.a. CERN)
- are aware of the existence of multiple dimensions (string theory)
I don't think that this book classifies as purely SciFi. Developments and (some) events described could occur if you:
- follow developments in quantum physics (e.a. CERN)
- are aware of the existence of multiple dimensions (string theory)
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