The Martian Contingency

In Mary Robinette Kowal's latest installment of the Lady Astronaut series, Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, embarks on a mission to establish a new home on Mars following a catastrophic global event on Earth. As the team aims to create a sustainable habitat while preserving Earth's diverse cultures, they encounter unsettling signs of a hidden disaster from a previous expedition. Facing unexpected challenges and secrets that threaten their progress, Elma and her crew must navigate a landscape filled with silence and obfuscation to uncover the truth. Their success could mean the difference between humanity flourishing on Mars or facing further peril on a dying Earth.