A Rebel's History of Mars
Published on 15. July 2025
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-78758-945-2 (ISBN)
Description
Kezza, an aerialist in the Martian circus, can never return to Earth - but she can assassinate the man she blames for her grim life on the red planet. Her murderous plans take an unexpected turn, however, when she uncovers a sinister secret. A thousand years into the future, Azad lives a safe but controlled life on the beautiful desert planet of Nabatea. His world is upended when he joins a crew of space-traveling historians seeking to learn the true reason that their ancestors left Mars. Separated by time and space, Kezza and Azad's stories collide in the Martian desert.
Reviews / Votes
"Sharp, vivid, and thoughtful, A Rebel's History of Mars tells a story with a cosmic scope of the risks and joys of building community." -- Reactor Mag "A Rebel's History of Mars isn't short on entertainment. Afifi finds space for moments of beauty (Kezza's trapeze performances), dollops of tension (the taut climax), and, importantly, the possibility of hope - that truth might one day prevail. " -- Locus "A Rebel's History of Mars is a fresh take on some old science fiction ideas." -- Concatenation "Nadia Afifi triumphs as an interstellar ringmaster-juggling a captivating, breakneck adventure, tenacious characters, and terrifyingly cool worldbuilding with profound themes of corruptive power, oppressive class systems, environmental crises, and the undeniable gravity of understanding our darkest historical moments, so that we may never repeat them." -- Rachel Fikes, author of Keeper of Sorrows "This thrilling cosmic history will have readers racing to turn the pages." -- Publishers Weekly "Combines the best qualities of suspenseful thriller, wide-ranging space opera and mystery quests [...] Afifi has written a wonderfully engaging and atmospheric work that both thrills and engages our sense of wonder at the possibilities of the future, something all too few contemporary SF authors address." -- Phantasmagoria Magazine "A fascinating tale." -- Henry Lazarus "A Rebel's History of Mars by Nadia Afifi is an exciting sci-fi tale of revenge, colonization, and a future historian's look into how badly humans screwed up when they conquered other planets." -- Manhattan Book Review Praise for Nadia Afifi's previous book, The Sentient:"Afifi's staggering and un-put-downable debut offers a fresh and feminist-forward take on cloning [...] This riveting debut is a must-have for any sci-fi fan." - Publishers Weekly starred review
"Afifi's first novel is a science fiction noir [...] The worldbuilding is a particular strength, as every locale feels well-realized and lived-in. This is an excellent book for fans of Mira Grant and Michael Crichton, or readers who love a thrilling narrative and welcome moral and philosophical questions in their science fiction." - Booklist
"Nadia Afifi is a brand-new voice, and one you should become familiar with [...] Exciting, mesmerizing, and full of cutting-edge science, 'The Sentient' is an excellent beginning to what's sure to be a successful career." - Analog SF
"Honestly, this book was big on character, big on plot, and a well written science fiction piece, all good things I love as a bookworm and a scientist!" - The Nerd Daily
"A piece of ethical excellency, a cry of freedom, and a thought-provoking debut is what Nadia Afifi has delivered for those who love to plunge into the gray morality of stories, as well as the riveting explorations of science fiction and the theory of the multiverse." - Bookwyrm's Guide to the Galaxy
More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Flame Tree Publishing
Edition type
New edition
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
470 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78758-945-2 (9781787589452)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Nadia Afifi is the author of The Sentient and numerous science fiction short stories. Her debut novel was lauded as 'staggering and un-put-downable' in a starred Publishers Weekly review and recommended by Booklist for 'readers who love a thrilling narrative and welcome moral and philosophical questions in their science fiction.' Analog Magazine describes her as 'a brand-new voice in our field, and one you should become familiar with.' The Sentient is the first novel in a near-future series about a controversial cloning project, human consciousness and a high-stakes conflict between religious fundamentalism and science. Her short fiction has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction ('The Bahrain Underground Bazaar') and Abyss & Apex ('Exhibit K').
Nadia grew up in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where she read every book she could get her hands on, but currently calls Denver, Colorado home. She is a member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's organization. Her background as an Arab American who lived overseas has inspired her fiction writing, particularly her passion for exploring complex social, political and cultural issues through a futuristic lens.
When she isn't writing, she spends her time practicing (and falling off) the lyra (aerial hoops), hiking through Colorado's many trails, jogging through Denver's streets and working on the most challenging jigsaw puzzles she can find. She also loves dogs, travel and cooking. Follow her latest musings and adventures on her website (nadiaafifi.com), Twitter (@nadoodles) or Facebook (nadiawritesscifi).
Nadia grew up in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where she read every book she could get her hands on, but currently calls Denver, Colorado home. She is a member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's organization. Her background as an Arab American who lived overseas has inspired her fiction writing, particularly her passion for exploring complex social, political and cultural issues through a futuristic lens.
When she isn't writing, she spends her time practicing (and falling off) the lyra (aerial hoops), hiking through Colorado's many trails, jogging through Denver's streets and working on the most challenging jigsaw puzzles she can find. She also loves dogs, travel and cooking. Follow her latest musings and adventures on her website (nadiaafifi.com), Twitter (@nadoodles) or Facebook (nadiawritesscifi).