By Rachel M. Anderson, Freelance Writer

When he first came on the scene in the 1981 film, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Indiana Jones, played by actor Harrison Ford, became a true hero. No matter what the cost, he was the one person willing to do whatever it took to make sure good won out over evil.

A young man named Brett, the main character in the new sci-fi novel, "The Devil in Eden" by Jeffrey Peter Clarke, has that very same spirit. Brett is a transport pilot for the colonies now established on planet Mars.

"Mars will be the next human frontier in coming centuries," explains Clarke. "It is a place where Brett thrives because he is a loner and a dreamer. He has rejected the artificially induced illusions most people live by on Earth. He has left behind the pressures of a clamorous, overcrowded, over-regulated world. His only diversion on Mars has been the beautiful Karin, a female science officer working for the Europeans."

But one day a dark shadow falls. The paradise Brett has found is put into jeopardy by the fanaticism and greed of one man. With the backing of a political group and covert fundamentalist faction back on Earth, Chief Executive of the Frontier Enterprise mining consortium, Virgil Gorman, plans to boost exploitation of the resources to be found on Mars, and in the process take over control of the colonies to fulfill his hidden agenda.

The author touches upon a number of parallels between the events in his book and the colonists who left Europe to settle in America so long ago. "Someone comes out of the blue with intolerant, uncompromising ideas. He sees on Mars a canvas to be painted in his own colors and, if necessary, the blood of others. So he pushes on, determined to increase the productivity of the mining operations at any cost. Fueled by enhanced profits, aided by the rule of the gun, he plans to seed the planet with his fundamentalist religious idealism and become a virtual dictator. Nothing and no one will be allowed to stand in his way - including Brett and Karin."

What he didn't bargain for was a challenge - not from the unarmed colonists but the bizarre native life forms of Mars. Humanity had co-existed peacefully, yet unknowingly, from the beginning with these secretive yet highly intelligent creatures. But when Gorman's operations threaten their habitat, they have no choice but to react. As total annihilation of the human colonies looms, it is to Brett, the dreamer, the Martians will speak. Stirred into action, Brett will hold the key to survival. 
"The Devil in Eden opens up the stark vistas and perils of Martian scenery. It has its share of romance. It has its share of drama, tragedy and raw violence. Someone has to win - someone has to lose," says Clarke.

So where did the idea for the book come from? Clarke says he has strong interests in ancient history, science, space and the current world situation as well. "Wherever humans go, they will take their problems and their answers with them," he says. "It is the lesson of history."

"The Devil in Eden" sells for $6.99 and is available for download on www.ebooksforpleasure.com in ePub format and Mobi for Kindle. Clarke's "Weird Tales," a collection of short stories about situations anyone can be involved in that end very unexpectedly, is also available for purchase on the site. It sells for $4.99.

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About Jeffrey Peter Clarke

Jeffrey Peter Clarke is a commercial photographer and graphic designer who lives and works in England. His passions are traveling the world with his wife, photography and writing. Clarke's favorite science fiction authors include Ray Bradbury and John Wyndham. He is currently hard at work on two other works of fiction; one based on the adventures of Theseus, hero of ancient Athens, the other on the Epic of Gilgamesh, oldest story in the world.

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About ebooksforpleasure.com

Ebooksforpleasure.com is an independent ebook publisher, offering the main ebook formats: ePUB, which has been established as an international standard by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) in an effort to standardize ebook formats; and Mobi, the format used by Amazon's Kindle. PDFs of some books are also available. To learn more about how to submit a manuscript for publication, log on to www.ebooksforpleasure.com and click on the "Author Resources" link.