The Mars Imperative, Book One of The Imperative Chronicles, is a contemporary science-fiction story with strong potential, although I had to read through the first 60 pages before there was even a hint of the conflict. The plot is rather simple, without too much in the way of sub-plots or other complexities, but this only makes the text easier to read rather than diminishing the effect in any way. It doesn't get into mind-numbing scientific themes or theory, either, although there is plenty of science to occupy the die-hards. For all of this, it's still a good book and I enjoyed reading it.

The story is about a young man named James McKie—an "areologist," or a geologist of the Martian surface—who leaves Earth for a three-year stint with a mining company on Mars. Mars is still mostly unlivable and the process of terraforming is in the early stages—even after nearly a hundred years of human occupation.

Although there is little crime in space, there are rumors of unexplainable "terrorist incidents" that begin to occur just before James' arrival and escalate soon after. James then experiences a number of adventures, beginning with an escapade through space with his friend Lim in nothing but EVA suits. He also endures the harsh reality of life and work on Mars and barely survives each event. Then, after accidentally discovering organic matter, he deals with the evil machinations of a man determined to get rich—even if it means committing murder.

The characters seem alive and three-dimensional from the very beginning, which is what kept me reading despite the slow start. James and his friends Lim and Kim are very likable and often just plain fun to read about. In one passage, Lim playfully refers to the group as an exclusive club called the "Im-Crowd," since all of their names end with "im" (Jim, Lim, Kim). Then, at times when they're lucky enough get together, they continue to joke about it and play on words with the prefix "im."

The antagonist is somewhat flat, but since his protagonists are portrayed so well I think Mr. Chapman can be forgiven for that.

The author doesn't disappoint when it comes to the science, either. His descriptions of space elevators, space travel, the conditions on Mars, and the possibilities of extraterrestrial microbial life are exquisite and well researched.

Personally, I was delighted that James didn't stumble upon an ancient Martian city hidden deep beneath the surface. The idea was interesting the first few times it was used, but now its about as trite as two moons in a fantasy world. What James does find might be more realistic in light of current theory, and might have almost as far-reaching an impact on humanity.

The Mars Imperative is a serious science fiction with excellent character work and dialogue, and a thrilling adventure into the not-so-distant future. It's easy to read and will keep the reader enthralled to the very end.