Book excerpt: It's the third decade of the twenty-first century and man has finally landed on Mars. Air Force Pilot Lt. Col. Harold T. Kane has led an expedition to the red planet, but, as Martian Legacy opens, he is upside down in a rover trapped in a Martian crater, cursing himself for ruining this historic event. Harry manages to right the rover and carry on with his mission, and, eventually, he and his fellow crew member, Dr. Karen Hansen, collect enough samples and return to Earth. Once there, they first are carefully cleaned with the latest anti-microbial procedures, then hailed and feted as the heroes of the moment. They leave behind a second crew of two on Mars that continues the explorations, looking for extinct creatures, and, hopefully, an ancient civilization. But, what has Harry's Crew #1 brought back? In this engaging story of the near future, present day fears are examined and a contemporary doomsday scenario plays out with surprising results. The reader is expertly led down many scientific byways, while at the same time being drawn along by the appealing human story. Martian Legacy combines our best hopes and worst fears as they are played out together.