Containment by Christian Cantrell
In the future humans have started a colony on the planet with gravity most like our own – Venus. An enclosed colony has been created because of the harshness of the environment. Only one problem baffles the colonists, how to create more oxygen so they can increase their population. This problem is the focus of Arik’s work. He is one of the hundred babies born to Gen V, the first group of colonists born on Venus. The colony will not currently support more life.
The book opens with Arik recovering from an accident that occurred outside while suited up. He has no memory of the incident that happened months previous. But when he awakens he finds his wife is pregnant and if he doesn’t solve the air problem soon his child will not be able to survive. He hopes that supplies can be sent from Earth to give him more time, but air can’t be sent from Earth – contact has been lost.
This is more psychological thriller than SciFi exploration. I want to say so much more, about how I was really impressed with how the story unfolded and why…but that would give away too much. If you want a well-crafted story with a mystery and a moral quandary to chew over through its pages give this one a try.
