Book Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Oxygen Farmer by Colin Holmes

THE OXYGEN FARMER

Colin Holmes

Science Fiction / Space Mystery

Publisher: CamCat Books

Date of Publication: December 5, 2023

Number of Pages: 338 pages

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After 35 years of living on the Moon, cranky old oxygen farmer Millennium Harrison has stumbled onto a hidden facility in the shadows of the Slayton Ridge Exclusion Zone with a radiation leak and a deadly secret. Mil’s discovery leads to the death of a young astronaut, sabotage, murder, and cover-ups that may go all the way to the Chief Administrator of the space agency. Unfortunately, she happens to be Mil’s estranged daughter, busy trying to secure her own legacy—the first international mission to Mars.

With time ticking down to a limited launch window, enemies, friends, and even family may do anything to ensure the truth doesn’t come out. Or will history finally catch up with a deadly scheme that has the potential to destroy the moon and eradicate all life on Earth? It seems the planet’s only hope is a cantankerous guy who never really liked those people in the first place.

PRAISE FOR THE OXYGEN FARMER:

“An action-packed thriller perfect for fans of Andy Weir and Jack McDevitt.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This space mystery is a page-turner rooted in its convincing and compelling protagonists and their well-written relationships . . . SF fans will enjoy this rich novel full of good world building, mysterious space intrigue, and dry humor.” —Booklist

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5 stars!

Heart-stopping action by memorable characters made this a stellar reading experience!

The Oxygen Farmer is an excellent new sci-fi mystery/thriller by Texas author Colin Holmes slated for release early next month and just in time for Christmas gift-giving. Its lunar setting, heart-stopping action, and memorable characters made for an absolutely stellar reading experience.

The main character, Millennium “Mil” Harrison, has lived and worked on the moon longer than anyone else. He’s a legend on Earth and among the employees assigned to Armstrong Base. Pushing 80, he’s cranky and cantankerous, and after dedicating his life to making the lunar settlements sustainable, his patented oxygen farming process is being replaced by new technology. However, he was fairly accepting of being “retired” and living the rest of his life out on his farm, focusing on his other interests, including his relationship with Emma, the only doctor on the moon. Just because there’s snow on the roof, you know. In Mil, the author has created a truly multidimensional character.

The story begins years after the moon settlements have been established; Mars is now the target of Earth’s exploration and expansion aspirations. The author does a great job creating a long-established lunar setting with mentions of past station commanders, making Armstrong Station a routine duty station that employees transfer in and out of, and descriptions of dusty, abandoned equipment and historic sites for tourists to visit that commemorate important milestones in the Earth’s space race past.

The action and mystery begin immediately, and surprising plot twists keep the suspense running at top speed. A small thing I enjoyed during Mil’s sojourn in Japan were the use of pop culture names for some of the characters such as Ash, Yoshi, Hina. Yet, in this vision of a better future, as the multinational mission to Mars on a space vessel named Humanity prepares to get underway, some humans still revert to type to pursue personal gain while others sacrifice everything for the greater good.

I recommend THE OXYGEN FARMER to science fiction readers, especially those who enjoy a planet-side story.

Before the pandemic, Colin Holmes toiled in a beige cubical as a mid-level marketing and advertising manager for an international electronics firm. A recovering advertising creative director, he spent far too long at ad agencies and freelancing as a hired gun in the war for capitalism.

As an adman, Holmes has written newspaper classifieds, TV commercials, radio spots, trade journal articles and tweets. His ads have sold cowboy boots and cheeseburgers, 72-ounce steaks, and hazardous waste site clean-up services. He’s encountered fascinating characters at every turn.

Now he writes novels, short stories and screenplays in an effort to stay out of the way and not drive his far-too-patient wife completely crazy. He is an honors graduate of the UCLA Writers Program, a former board member of the DFW Writers Workshop and serves on the steering committee of the DFW Writers Conference. He’s a fan of baseball, barbeque, fine automobiles and unpretentious scotch.

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Signed hardcover of THE OXYGEN FARMER

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 11/22/23)

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