Olympus Rising is the third book in the Gaia Enterprises series by Zoë Routh. After getting rid of Lincoln Ellison, Commander Xanthe Waters confronts Aryanna Sharif about her role in the destruction of the Chinese lunar base. However, the helium-3 mining must not stop as Earth, lacking resources, needs its future clean energy source. The shuttles Saturnia and Minerva are on their way to Earth when the eco-terrorist group, Earth First, strikes at them and lays siege to the Gaia Headquarters on Earth. The crew members of the Saturnia are captured, while the Minerva is missing. Meanwhile, the Indian Space Agency collaborates with the Chinese to ensure steady production of helium-3. With Jonas Seaborn commanding the Moonbase, Xanthe must be wary as betrayal is close by, and influential people are backing the eco-terrorists.

Action-packed and layered with suspense, mystery, and political intrigue, Olympus Rising is a gripping sci-fi thriller that not only entertains but also sheds light on some vital social issues. Using a fast-paced plot full of unexpected twists and turns, author Zoë Routh takes readers on a futuristic space odyssey, demonstrating how factional infighting, greed, and corruption get in the way of progress and prevent humanity from reaching its fullest potential. Routh's characters are very compelling, each with their own engrossing story arcs, and it makes the book a pleasure to read. Xanthe, Troy, and Jonas were my favorites, but I also immensely enjoyed Maya Garcia's character development. The book ends on a cliffhanger with Xanthe about to embark on a new adventure that I'm very much looking forward to reading. Sci-fi fans should not miss out on this series!

Olympus Rising by Zoë Routh is a thrilling story centered around Earth's future survival and the lives of Commander Xanthe and her moon-based crew. Commander Xanthe Waters and her team are posted in an underground habitat on the moon called the Olympus base. She and her crew are responsible for shipping helium-3 to Earth. Helium-3 is a highly sought-after energy source capable of saving the planet. When a group of eco-terrorists--called Earth First--jeopardizes Xanthe's mission, this puts the lives of Xanthe and her crew at risk. Xanthe gradually realizes that Earth First is receiving their directives from an unknown source. Powerful political forces seek to monopolize the production and distribution of helium-3. With the lives of Xanthe and the team caught in the center of a web of dangerous conspiracies unfolding before them, can they make it out alive?

Olympus Rising is a mesmerizing sci-fi thriller that will pull you in with its compelling plot and leave you wanting more. The world-building will take you out of this world--quite literally. Zoë Routh creatively explores the notion of living on another planet beyond the far reaches of Earth--the moon. At the same time, she skillfully delves into themes like power struggles, betrayal, corruption, control, and Earth's sustainability. As the story unfolds, the suspenseful build-up will have readers captivated by every word. The character development is another aspect I found intriguing. Each character is well-developed, and readers will become deeply engaged in their respective stories. Relevant aspects of human dynamics, like mother-child bonds, intimacy, companionship, and loneliness, are also masterfully incorporated into the storyline. If you enjoy dystopian sci-fi books intertwined with political intrigue, this is for you.

Olympus Rising by Zoë Routh is a brilliant sci-fi thriller. The story unfolds on the moon. Commander Xanthe Waters runs Olympus Moonbase, where her team of human astronauts and Dopplebots are prospecting helium-3, the unique source of radiation-free clean energy, much needed on Earth to fix the devastated climate. At the same time, two spacecraft are heading back to Earth. One is carrying the first load of helium-3. Another is returning the astronauts whom Xanthe discovered were plotting to get helium-3 for their own gain. But when these spacecraft land, the astronauts and lunar commissioners are kidnapped and taken hostage. When Xanthe learns about the siege, she decides to return to Earth and ensure that the helium-3 reaches the right hands. But will she succeed?

Zoë Routh’s Olympus Rising is the third installment of the Gaia series and is simply awesome. It was my first meet-and-greet with the series, but it read perfectly well as a standalone. Pun intended, I loved this story to the moon and back! It had everything I, a sci-fi fan, would expect—thoroughly developed characters, riveting adventure, superb intrigue, drama, and brilliant humor. I also liked the thought-provoking quotes opening every chapter, and the immersive plot made up of complex murderous rivalries, power games, ambitions, betrayals, and hidden agendas. I appreciated the novel’s topical underlying theme of climate change. But the real show stealer for me was Mr. Puffkins, the ferocious canine astronaut! I highly recommend this fantastic thriller to sci-fi fans. Adult themes and violence make this novel unsuitable for younger readers.

In Olympus Rising: Gaia Enterprises Book 3 by Zoe Routh, Xanthe, Jonas, and Troy are operating on a moon base meant for a hundred people. The extra work is taking a toll on their bodies, and, worse still, their resources are stretched. They also have to deal with the fact that they disobeyed a direct command from the lunar commission by sending the other crew back to Earth. Luckily, they have the support of Colonel Jin at the Red Starbase, which is owned by the Chinese. As the commander, Xanthe is committed to making a helium-3 project that can supply enough clean energy for all of humanity. Back on Earth, the business of the lunar commission continues with various partners conspiring and planning to dominate the helium-3 project for their benefit. How long can their cooperation last, and what is the head of the commission planning?

As humanity explores outer space, there is bound to be conflict, and Olympus Rising shows how such a scenario might play out. I loved how Zoe Routh ensured all the events were vividly captured, which helped create a mental picture of what was happening, and readers will also appreciate how well the characters were developed. This thought-provoking work also got me thinking about how the poorer regions of the world with scarce resources and big populations might contribute to the future of geopolitics. Other topics covered, such as the interaction of humanity with AI and the controversial issue of climate change, also raise questions on how they will impact the future of the human race. This is a good read, and I look forward to more by this talented author.