When Zak's parents are called to go to Outpost Zero, a small Antarctic research base to help prepare a group of volunteers for a one-way trip to Mars, to help fix a problem with the drone Spiders that made, Zak and his sister go as well. But when they and their pilot get there, something is very wrong. The power is out, everyone who's meant to be living there has vanished and there are insect shells all over the floor.
Then the pilot vanishes.
Something is happening to Outpost Zero - something below the ice - and if they are not careful, Zak and his family might be the next to vanish...
This was a surprisingly addictive little clean-teen thriller that, at times, had a feel of that Doctor Who episode - Kill The Moon - and those Doctor-less episodes such as Blink and Midnight. It had a good speed and with the chapters jumping back and forth in time and location (this does make sense when you read it), it kept me turning the pages.
However, I do have one or two problems, (this is me - of course I'm going to nitpick! I can do this to my favourite novels and have no problems sleeping that night) most of which comes down to length. I wish this was a little longer. If it was, it could fleshed out and drawn out certain elements. Plus, with this having the vibe of being the first book in a series, having it a tad longer would, I feel, have worked in its favour.
But this was fun little scifi thriller - very different from what I normally read (am a fantasy person) - and I will be intrigued to see where the author goes next with these characters...
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