Discover new selections
$3.99

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

COLD RISING: A Cold Rush Novella Kindle Edition

4.5 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

Mars is a dystopian cesspit of corporate exploitation. A child labourer must turn the heart of a ruthless enforcer to save her friends, her family, and Mars itself.

The first book in the ‘Cold Rush’ Verse follows nonbinary special agent Olgo as their corporate masters send them on a mission to Mars.

But improving the working conditions in the planet’s underground cities proves more challenging than the agent could have imagined. Olgo must negotiate with the underhanded Martian Guild, union upheaval and a squad of trigger-happy mech marines. An unlikely friendship turns Olgo’s world upside down as they struggle to prevent spilling more blood on the Red Planet.

Click BUY NOW to grab a copy of this space adventure.

‘A ripping good read’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
'A gritty, gripping cyberpunk tale' ⭐️⭐’⭐️⭐️⭐️
'A truly brilliantly visual and visceral story'⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Equal parts heartfelt, emotional journey and gleeful romp through space’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re a fan of the Expanse, Velocity Weapon, or Prime Meridian, you will enjoy this book.

Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 2 books in this series.
This option includes 2 books.
  • Kindle Price:
    $8.98
    By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

Customers also bought or read

Loading...

From the Publisher

Equal parts heartfelt, emotional journey and gleeful romp through space

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book was an unexpected treat. I had vague Bladerunner meets Total Recall thoughts from the blurb and description, before I started. But the novel forged its own path and one was soon immersed in the author's own unique world." - INFINITY WANDERERS MAGAZINE


"This is a gritty, gripping tale in the tradition of Golden Age sci-fi but with very contemporary sensibilities.★★★★★" - Rachel A Rosen, Author of "Cascade, the sleep of reason."


"This is a quirky, fast-paced, innovative, and easy-to-read novella, with a flavour of cyberpunk and a low-sci approach.★★★★" -- Livia J. Elliot author of "Unearthed Stories."


"An impressive first book by an innovative new author. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.★★★★★" -- Barry Harrington author of "The Beyond"


"Cold Rising is a truly brilliantly visual and visceral story that resonates in our current times.★★★★★" -- Lori Peterson Goodreads.

From the Back Cover

After a job gone wrong, Special Agent Olgo is trapped within the bowels of Mars with no means of escape. The device that imprisons the trauma within them is about to fail, and the past terrors kept hidden by it must be contained for Olgo's sanity and everyone's safety.
From the darkness comes a tiny voice, and a tinier hope: "Hello?"

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C97RVRMT
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lower Decks Press (September 1, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 201 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 46 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Rohan O'Duill
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Rohan is an Irish science fiction author descended from the oral storytellers of both the ancient Celts and Vikings… probably. Telling stories has been an essential part of human culture for thousands of years. Stories give us joy but they also teach us lessons and pass wisdom down through the generations.

That yearning to become a storyteller started young in Rohan, but a school system designed for academics and not the chaotic brilliance of a dyslexic mind stymied that aspiration.

But that smoldering desire to pass on stories, to express his creative soul, couldn't be contained. Inspired by the words of Rohan’s doppelganger Commander Riker, “Fear is the true enemy, the only enemy,” he started to write. At first Rohan spewed words onto the page like he had contracted the simian flu. But, with the help of his friends, Rohan began to sculpt those words into something palpable, something both ancient and new. An invite to everyone to share in the story and, most importantly, have some fun.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
46 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2024
    When you pit corporate greed against corrupt governments, it gets a little dicey trying to figure out who the bad guys are. In COLD RISING, Agent Olgo treads masterfully along the devilishly-turning gears between these powerful entities, working to right wrongs with the aid of a couple of intense and violent cohorts, Stevie and Glebe.

    Traveling to Mars on assignment, though, things flip upside down amidst riots, social unrest and nefarious corporate dealings, and Agent Olgo goes from negotiator to prisoner, cast into the dismal and dangerous tunnels of the red planet without the help of Stevie and Glebe, Olgo’s “mostly” faithful associates.

    Alone now, Olgo’s fate falls to a young girl, Suong, a Martian tunnel-dweller since birth and no stranger to hardship, unlike Olgo, an Earther who has benefitted from a memory/emotion suppressing implant after a childhood experiment went freakishly awry. As Olgo follows the young girl’s direction, Suong attempting to lead them to safety, Olgo’s implant is about to fail, potentially unleashing hellish inclinations long held dormant by technology.

    Infused with stellar world building, COLD RISING is a taut and intelligent sci-fi adventure that navigates the precarious edge between good and evil, and has enough heart for two novels.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2023
    Olgo comes from Earth to Mars on official business, and the Martians are like: Oh no, we're not just interested in talking about what our workers are experiencing here, actually we've got quite a bigger ask for you, it's our dream-big time. Meanwhile, some young people are just trying to get out of their tunnel or at least to make the most of it. I suppose I relate to both approaches--I mean, there can be different levels of struggle and different ways of asking for what we want, and these are all in service of the big dream of breaking through. I'd rather live on Earth, but wherever we are, we have to work to make it habitable.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2024
    Cold Rising by Rohan O'Duill delivers on an alternate universe where humankind has mostly abandoned Earth in favor of colonizing Mars. And while O'duill isn't immune from tropes, I believe his authorial voice makes this concept his own, with exciting tactical warfare and harrowing action that leaves you on the edge of your seat.

    I found the pacing falter at times wherein I would have to backtrack my place to see what is going on, but the author's sheer knack for descriptive characters and precise worldbuilding makes this issue more tolerable. I couldn't recall a dull moment for the duration of the brief 160 pages. Cold Rising knows what it is, and isn't afraid to have fun with the concept.

    Definitely check this book out if you are a fan of Hyperion or Blindsight!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2024
    A punching story revolving around the heinous nature of corporate greed, and the flip-side of the extreme conditions for the working class in underground Mars. From Earth to Mars, we follow the story of Olgo, and agent from Earth, who encounters a young girl in the mines. Together they discover emotional truths about themselves. A gritty, dark and engrossing read, a sci-fi enthusiasts delight! I am eager to read the sequel to see what happens next.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2023
    I heard this book was pissing off some gender crit folks?? 😂 I found some fun and fast sci fi, following an agent Olgo who goes to Mars to clean up some issues regards worker abuse, and ends up joining forces with one of these young workers, a girl called Soung. The plot moves fast and the dialogue pops along--also, loved the illustrations inside.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
    I read Cold Rising, and binged the last 2/3 of it in one sitting! It's a fun story, well-told, and offers a believable and ugly future where hope remains the powerful force.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2023
    I enjoyed the basic elements of this story. The settings were well thought out and interesting, especially the disconnect between the cultures of Earth and Mars and how Mars came to be like it was. The beginning of the plot felt fairly basic and derivative for the genre but quickly got more interesting and original once the main character journeys to Mars. I found the depiction of emotion in the characters lacking, and major emotional events blurted out and then glossed over, leaving flat, one-dimensional characters. Overall it was an okay story lacking in finer detail and depth. Heavy social justice and gender ideology themes.

    I received a free copy of this book for review and my opinions are my own.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2023
    Olgo, an agent appointed by Micron and UN, and possibly by God, is sent to Mars, a divided working planet of the future, to improve workers’ plight. Several twists and turns of fate later, they find themselves in the bowels of a strange planet, with only a 12-year-old girl, Suong, to help them. They have an emotional blocker, and to say more about it would be a spoiler, but this part of their body doesn’t work according to plan. Neither does anything else. Rohan is a master at action sequences, and I fully believed his vision of the red planet to be the true one. Highly recommended for lovers of classic sci-fi and anyone else who loves great storytelling and well-drawn characters.

Top reviews from other countries

  • D.M.Barnham
    5.0 out of 5 stars A solid bit of Solar Bound Scifi.
    Reviewed in Australia on January 24, 2024
    First of, I just want to say I used to follow Rohan on Twitter back in the day and we got along great. But please don’t think that influences my rating. I rarely give 5 stars, and I usually tell writers I know that I’ll review it honestly. If I post 5 stars then I think that means 5 stars … or at the very least a 4.50.

    I felt the beginning was a little bumpy. The prose is fantastic and the prologue is amazing, but the first quarter(ish) of the book was very cyber-punky for my personal tastes. Nothing against the genre but it feels a little game-like to me (and I do enjoy 2077) so tend to switch off a bit. I was worried that it might be a bit too derivative/cliched (not bagging derivative writing btw, It’s just that I usually don’t love them enough to hit the 4 star rating, let alone 5 stars) – but that changed when we visited Mars. The entire feel shifted to something fresher and more interesting (to me anyway). Exploring a Victorian/depression-era socio-economical situation in a futuristic off-world setting was pretty cool. The whole union fight vibe reminds me heavily of my dad’s stories of the union-busting that occurred in the 70s. I actually bought a physical copy because I think he’d appreciate that side of the story (he doesn’t do ebooks).

    Odd bits I liked:
    It’s always a pleasure to see writers using the appropriate dialogue marks for their country. As an Australian I weep whenever I see Aussie, kiwi or UK authors use the American double quotation marks for dialogue. It feels like a dying art and that makes me weep. So I cheer whenever someone is brave enough to keep that torch burning.

    Travelling in space. I’m a firm believer that science fiction and science fantasy are two different genres. I love both, but I’m a bit saddened that people lub them together. Of course, most sci-fi has some level of fantasy within. But I feel there comes a point where you have to question if it’s actually just fantasy in space. There is no question with Cold Rising. It’s pretty firmly on the sci-fi side. Perhaps some of the characters' abilities fall into the fantastical, but the universe side of things are pretty solid. And it’s always a joy to be in a system where ships have to account for Hoffman transfers and long travel times due to issues with fuel storage and efficiency.

    Other Observations (some of which might be a bit urgggghhh):
    The Prologue: This one left me scratching my head a bit. It’s a great scene. Had me going “WOW, I’m gonna love this book!” Which turned out right. But it turned out to be more of a short story teaser, we never see these characters again, but I assume they will have an appearance in other books. I hope they do. Their adventure in the opening has the faintest of connections to the real protagonist. I guess it’s a bit of a bridging chapter that shows us what could come in future stories. There was nothing bad here. But I was contemplating throughout the book if we’d see them again and was a little sad when we didn’t.

    Olgo the main protagonist: A small um … what do I call it … ‘advice’ is the wrong word … ‘hint’ isn’t right either … perhaps encouragement? … the main protagonist, Olgo is non-binary. This character uses they/them pronouns. As a non-binary person myself I did find this a bit awkward at first. But I want to reassure any potential readers that any awkwardness smooths out as you go along. It didn’t feel quite natural at first, but as you read on you find yourself not even noticing. I’m not sure if this is an aspect of how it was written, or if it was my mind having to adjust to something it’s not used to seeing. – Olgo still remains my favourite character. Though this is a very short tale, the character themself had a pretty solid and natural growth. I also enjoy the more subtle approach the author takes to his characters. Things aren’t spilled in front of you instantly. They’re not always given out in full in general. We receive information about a character's drive, or trauma, or past naturally as they come. Fed to us as those thoughts came into the mind that contemplates them. It’s really well done, and gives us a lot to contemplate on.

    Overall, A really solid piece. Short and sweet. Well written. Creative and its own thing. Doesn’t get too bogged down in itself (looking at myself here), flows beautifully. Characters are pretty solid. Science is mostly top-tier (Martian sunsets are blue, not red) – I hope to be graced with more tales within this universe down the track.
  • Alan K. Dell
    5.0 out of 5 stars A dark, corporate dystopian sci-fi novella full of action and intrigue
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2024
    Cold Rising was a great read. An exceptionally well-written, dark, futuristic corporate dystopia that had more than a few cyberpunk vibes. There’s two main point of view characters we follow: The hardboiled non-binary corporate agent, Olgo, and the Martian child labourer, Suong. The investigative plot is thrilling and the story is so well-paced, it was really hard to put down!

    This is the first book I’ve read featuring a non-binary protagonist, and it was pretty cool to see. I had wondered if the use of the singular they might get confusing in the prose, but it doesn’t in the slightest. Olgo is a fantastic character, and I loved their arc. They’re an agent for one of the megacorps that owns the operations on Mars, and is sent after their contract partners after reports of corporate espionage. Olgo’s operatives is a group of ruthless, unsavoury and stab-happy characters that they have to keep under control. Suong was great as well, and the conditions she’s forced to work in are heartbreaking.

    Cold Rising’s worldbuilding was marvellous. I really enjoyed the futuristic corporate vibe of the book. Olgo themselves was written in the apparent archetype of a hardboiled detective, but instead of being a private eye or working for the police, they are a compliance agent for a megacorp, and there’s just something so deliciously dystopian about that. It speaks so much to the state of the world we’re immersed in. And that’s not to mention the Martian mines, and the underground frontier towns. I liked that we also get a glimpse of what’s going on in the wider solar system. The megacorps control the system from their vast orbital stations, and there’s military activities (also owned by the corps) even further out

    Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my read of Cold Rising and I’m looking forward to seeing more in the Cold Rush verse.
  • A.L. MacDonald
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Action and Realistic World Building
    Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2023
    This is a ripping good read. I love that this future isn't just a glossy, perfect society - it's gritty, dark, and terrible for some. It's a realistic world of haves and have-nots and Rohan describes that society so deftly that there is no pause in the ramping-up action. And in terms of action - wow. You can not expect what Olgo goes through. You won't forget it!
  • VK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced, action-filled sci fi
    Reviewed in Germany on December 12, 2023
    This is an action-filled, fast-paced novella that would make an excellent graphic novel and that I enjoyed reading very much. I am familiar with some of Rohan's short stories, and I never cease to be fascinated by the worlds and characters he creates.
    Cold Rising introduces the readers to the future Earth, where some things have changed for the better, but many things remained the same or have deteriorated. Mars is the place where companies go for cheap labor and where workers live under inhuman conditions. The owner of the mightiest company on Earth is struggling with her conscience as her life draws to a conclusion and wishes to make amends by sending an agent to enforce worker rights on Mars. What begins as a job for personal gain soon evolves into something more significant, as the agent discovers the power of emotions after meeting a young Martian Suong and a cause worth fighting for.
    What I liked the best about the book were the parts describing the life of Suong and her friends on Mars. Olgo, the agent, is also intriguing, but I have a feeling there is much more to learn about this character than the book reveals. That is my only complaint about this novella-it hints at things that could have been developed more and probably will be in the books to come (I'm just bad at waiting).
  • John Hendrick
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping martian odyssey
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2023
    I recently picked up this book, and I couldn't be happier with my purchase! It is an exhilarating journey through the depths of Mars, both in terms of its geography and the intricate emotions of its characters. It was an easy five-star rating.

    Special Agent Olgo is a captivating protagonist, trapped in the unforgiving bowels of Mars after a job gone wrong. The ticking time bomb of a failing emotion-blocking device adds a thrilling element of suspense to the narrative. Olgo's internal struggles and past demons kept me glued to the pages, eager to see how they would confront their own history.

    The introduction of an unexpected voice from the darkness and the tiny beacon of hope that follows injects a fascinating twist into the plot. This unexpected friendship serves as a catalyst for Olgo's transformation, making for a truly compelling character arc.

    The author, in their brilliant storytelling, takes us on a rollercoaster ride filled with twists and turns. The vividly described underground cities of Mars and the challenges faced by Olgo in attempting to change the status quo are both thought-provoking and immersive. I could almost feel the grit of Martian dust beneath my fingers as I turned the pages.

    I appreciate the content warning provided, as this book does contain mature themes such as profanity, violence, torture, and murder. However, these elements are integral to the story and are handled with care, adding depth to the narrative without gratuitousness.

    In conclusion, 'Cold Rush' is a must-read for anyone who enjoys science fiction with well-crafted characters, a gripping plot, and a touch of the unexpected. I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series, as I'm already invested in Olgo's journey. Kudos to the author for creating such a captivating world and characters.

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?