Culture shock on a newly discovered hostile planet is inevitable, even if you aren't the only inhabitants...

On an extremely hot, desert planet, a race of monstrous lizards have developed a complex civilization.

When an Earth colony's emergency landing becomes permanent, the colonists baptize the new planet Mars II and begin to create their own civilization.

After several encounters, both lizards and humans demonstrate a willingness to understand each other. But all too quickly, their relationships deteriorate beyond remedy... despite the best intentions of individuals from both sides.

Everything on the colonized planet is hostile to humans: the heat, rarity of edible food and scarcity of water. Struggling to survive on their own, a confrontation with the planets natural inhabitants seems inevitable.

Culture shock has sunk in - violence and horror reign and not even the most devoted pacifists can prevent the worst from happening.

Sylvie Bérard was born in Montreal in 1965. She completed her graduate studies at UQAM and holds a Ph. D. in Literature. She joined Trent University in 1998 and, after spending a year at Queen's University in 1999, returned to Trent and has been teaching Quebec literature in the Modern Languages and Literature Department there since that time.

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"Well-written, the story will appear to the reader of science fiction as well as students of history, colonialism, and race relations. A gripping tale of the shock and misunderstandings arising when two very different cultures clash." - Ronald Hore, CM Magazine