Jake didn't ask to be born on Mars. His dying colony is abandoned by Earth, and Mars yields none of the minerals they need to survive.  He drifts among tasks in his tiny settlement, never finding the purpose he craves. When a spaceship lands half a planet away, newcomers bring technology his sick family desperately needs. But they refuse all attempts at contact.Breaking through is Jake's chance to redeem himself. When he connects with a Chinese ceramicist in the group, the man can't resist his offer of Martian clay, and the silence is broken. Jake travels to a new colony filled with vibrant settlers, including children. There, he meets strangers for the first time in his life.Their ideas clash with what he's been taught, but Mars makes the same demands on every human for survival. He finds friends. Enemies too. What sacrifices will they demand in exchange for salvation? Jake's story is a sci-fi adventure grounded in the real science of the Red Planet. If you wonder what settlers will face, if you ever imaged yourself exploring another world, read Born on Mars. Travel across the vast planes of Mars today.