George P. Saunders

While on a mission to discover the source of a signal emanating from the moon, Astronaut John Mars encounters an alien robot that kills his crew and injects him with a homing device. When he returns to Earth, no one believes him and he is retired from NASA. He ultimately ends up as an airline pilot.

The makers of the robot, the Sels, are a species committed to conquering and assimilating inhabitants of other planets throughout the universe. They are intrigued by John's warrior abilities and learning more about him and the inhabitants of Earth. They kidnap him and others, while killing many more for whom he feels a responsibility, bringing the kidnapped to their home planet to participate in war games with the Sels in an area of their planet with many other dangers as well.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were well enough developed that I was sorry to see some of them die and to feel others deserved it. Most of the story was believable (considering it is science fiction), but there were a few things, like the fact they never considered food or drink, that made it less real for me. The ending was sufficient, but it was left so there will obviously be a sequel. I look forward to the next story of John Mars.… (meer)