A Fascinating, Spellbinding, Engaging Portrayal of Future Life

The Great Frontier: In The Beginning (The Reborn) by Ron Jenkins is an answer to the question “What could life be like on Earth and in space hundreds of years from today?” The book is a fascinating, spellbinding, engaging portrayal of future life, almost epic in the sense the characters are working to create the best life possible through their top level scientific research and technological advances, while embracing values of family, love, connection, and community, ultimately defending all they hold dear against what seems like eternal forces of encroachment, disruption and destruction in the form of an Earth based corporate and criminal Cartel, more powerful than any government, seeking control and riches, while co-opting space’s only military force run by the United Nations. 

The quality of the writing and storyline draws readers in. As scientist Mara emerges from her research facility in the shuttle to check for survivors in a starship on a collision course with her asteroid, she is struck by the beauty and vastness of space, “The shuttle's canopy framed the cosmos like an artist's masterstroke, and Mara's breath caught within her throat. The shuttle's cockpit became a cathedral of silence and starlight, her mouth agape as she glided through the void. The stark white and rainbow of colors of many distant suns pierced the inky blackness. She felt as if she could reach out and stir the constellations with her fingertips and rearrange the universe to her liking.” So moved, she calls out to her associate back in the asteroid, "’Joe, are you seeing this?’ ’Affirmative, Mara. It's quite a view every time.’ Joe's reply was tinged with the familiarity of one who'd seen it many times yet could still appreciate its majesty. ‘View? No, it's more than that,’ Mara said. ‘It's like looking at eternity itself.’”

The well developed characters keep readers invested until the book’s end, and most are intelligent, competent, courageous, and relatable.  Mara rescues Tom Henderson III from his runaway craft. He’s intelligent, funny, and deeply thoughtful, as he and Mara develop a strong bond. While doing a medical evaluation of him, she learns he’s a Chimera. There are quite a few moments of humor, "’Nice rack sweetie. Is this heaven?’ the man slurred, his voice a hoarse whisper that seemed to be tinged with pain and something else, was it mischief? Mara paused, her hand hovering over his arm. The comment should’ve irked her, but instead, her lips curled into an involuntary smile…’Far from it,’ she replied, though he had already slipped back into unconsciousness…’Maybe, I'm just starved for interaction, even if it’s unsolicited compliments from delirious patients.’” Dri-Na is a female pilot who recovered the ore Tom had jettisoned out of his ship which managed to elude her grasp. She thinks to herself, "’It’s time to head for China Station and cash in on the recovered ore I’ve already liberated from that Cartel stooge.’ Her hands touched the control panel, setting a new course. The Dreadnought, like its captain, was not one to linger in uncertainty, the decisive roar of engines, and the allure of riches recovered from the cold grip of space moved them quickly away.”

There are many strong females in the narrative, top respected scientists, a doctor, a research hospital department head, starship pilots, some running their own business, and rebel leaders fighting effectively for Mars’ freedom from the strangling influence of Earth’s Cartel and UN military forces, the latter also has women pilots and high level administrators. Some of the main characters include research scientist Mara Moriarity and her half sister, Dr. Astra Moriarity who collaborates with Mara’s research. Mara and lab facility associate Kate discuss Tom, "’He’s a complete Chimera, including his brain cells.’ ‘Really?’ Kate arched an eyebrow, surprise evident in her voice. ‘He didn’t seem addlepated to me.’ A smile broke across Mara's face…‘This one seems to have some very interesting adaptations in his brain structure. Our brain cells normally don’t migrate into a fully functioning individual...’ ‘Adaptations?’ Kate leaned in closer, curiosity piqued…Mara continued…’You know, that’s the part my sister Astra is looking into? She has a whole range of brain damaged volunteer subjects.’"

The consistent plot tension threads all through the storyline keep reader interest up throughout the book. Dri-Na feels the Cartel is setting her up to take a fall, "The Cartel is blaming me for stuff they’re clearly responsible for. Now, their lackeys on Mars are calling me a Pirate. And worst of all, they’re denying me Trade rights on Mars! That’s messing up my business model, really good!…Dri-Na's mind was plotting her next move in this vast chess game. She knew that come morning, the fire in her belly would reignite, stoked by the Cartel. And so would her rebellion.” Meanwhile on Earth radioactive sands from conflict in the Middle East have moved into the jet stream, and pose a risk potentially for hundreds of years, including the United States.  UN Space Force Commander Knight warns “…population dislocation has already driven famine and war into many places on the Earth. At best, it’s a huge strain on any country’s infrastructure." It appears the only usable lands left on Earth to seek refuge are the polar climates. 

 Astra is hounded by her department head, Cartel connected Angela Rigg who wants access to the research she and Mara are doing, but so far the Chancellor has run interference for them. There are concerns the Cartel wants to get a copy. At one point the sisters shared their fears, "’Can you imagine what could happen if the Cartel ever got their hands on this?’ Mara's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it cut through the silence like a scalpel, precise and chilling. Astra's body convulsed slightly, a shiver that told more than words ever could…Playing a torture sequence over and over again, it didn't matter who thought which thought, or planting false memories... hacking into your brain, controlling your thoughts and actions. For a moment, they were both trapped within their own minds, contemplating scenarios too grim to voice.”

Another tension thread involves what many believe to be the Cartel’s intent to take all of Mars, with its rich mining operations, for its own, doing whatever it takes to secure the planet. Mara and Astra grew up in the subterranean cities of Mars where their father ran a mining operation. The idea of the Cartel disenfranchising the people of Mars of their heritage is unacceptable to them. As war tensions grow, Astra learns her department head is on her own warpath, and the Chancellor tells her to get her patients out of that medical center ASAP, and he will assist her. 

This is a magnificent story, that I would recommend even to those who might not ordinarily read Science Fiction. I read the Young Adult version, but believe this version would interest readers from tweens to adults. The compelling stand alone book has a second in the series, 'The Great Frontier: Foundations' due to be released sometime before Christmas 2024.