Mars, the Red Planet, farthest flung outpost of the British Empire. Under the benevolent reign of the Empress Eternal, commerce and culture are flourishing along the banks of the great canals, and around the shores of the crater lakes. But this brave new world is not as safe as it might seem. The Russians, unhappy that Venus has proved far less hospitable, covet Britain’s colony. And the Martian creatures, while not as intelligent and malevolent as HG Wells had predicted, are certainly dangerous to the unwary.

What, then, of the young girls of the Martian colony? Their brothers might be sent to Earth for education at Eton and Oxbridge, but girls are made of sterner stuff. Be it unreasonable parents, Russian spies, or the deadly Martian wildlife, no challenge is beyond the resourceful girls of the Crater School.

I recently connected with Chaz Brenchley on Facebook, and as is my practice when I connect with a fellow author, I looked up his books. He has just released book 3 in his Crater School series, but I stubbornly decided to look at book 1. The sample provided on the shores of the Big River was enough to convince me to plunk down some money and buy it.

Three Twins at the Crater School is an adorably silly story about a British girls’ school on a Mars with surface water and a breathable atmosphere. The point of view characters, mainly 14-yr-old girls, are sturdy and mostly sensible. The teachers and staff are strict but caring, and the gruff, somewhat mysterious handyman proves to be more than he appears.

The adventures begin in chapter one, our intrepid schoolgirls being trouble magnets of the first water. I was looking for a palate cleanser, and I quite found one in this novel. It’s H.G. Wells’ vision of our solar system — the one we wish we had, in which zeppelins carry us across the planets and aetherships carry us between them. If our sister planets aren’t as hospitable as home, well, that’s to be expected, isn’t it?

Three Twins at the Crater School was a romp and a fun read. Highly recommended. You can find purchase links here.