SENT TO MARS TO DIE. STAYING TO BURN IT DOWN.

Book Two of the Against the Red Sky duology. The conspiracy is exposed, and surviving isn't enough anymore.

  • Colony Exposed eBook with its tropes: Mars colony, cyborgs, evil billionaire, rebellion, dual POV
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Against the Red Sky: Colony Exposed (Book 2) eBook

Against the Red Sky: Colony Exposed (Book 2) eBook

2026 BookLife Prize Quarterfinalist · rated 9.75 out of 10, with perfect scores for plot, prose and character

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Book 2 of 2Colony Exposed on its ownAlready read Mission X? This is the one.$4.99
Both booksThe complete duologyNew to the series? Start here. Both eBooks, delivered instantly.$7.99CollectorBoth books, signed hardcoverThe Special Edition duology. Sprayed edges, custom endpapers, chapter header art, and the Mars colony map printed into the book.$84.99
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Enzo and his friends were sent to Mars to die.

Working themselves to death building luxury domes they'll never live in — that's Enzo's sentence on Mars. On Earth, Maddie is trapped in her uncle's facility, receiving injections no one will explain.

She has to break out and reach Mars before it's too late. All she wants is to bring her friends and her mother home.

What she finds instead is a colony built on a secret darker than either of them imagined — something being done to scientists and prisoners in the name of progress that no one was meant to survive.

Enzo is fighting to survive long enough to start a rebellion. Maddie is about to discover that stopping Sardeth means confronting what he did to her family — and that the only person who can help them is a Synth who was once human, and must remember what that means before it's too late.

Fast-paced, emotionally relentless, and impossible to put down — Against the Red Sky is for readers who want their sci-fi to hit like a thriller.

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Prefer a physical copy? Get the paperback here — every print copy includes this eBook, free.

Reading the duology from the start?

Get Mission X and Colony Exposed together in the eBook Bundle — signed digital copies included.

See the eBook Bundle — from $7.99
Format

eBook
ISBN 979-8-9986910-4-1

Publication Date

October 13, 2026
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2026 Quarterfinalist, BookLife Prize in Fiction

2026 BookLife Prize Quarterfinalist · 9.75 out of 10

“Illarmo is a natural storyteller, developing polished, smooth prose that builds a creeping dread along with nail-biting suspense.”

“Mars feels like a tangible place here, built on rigid systems and orders enforced by guards, prison labor... Forced labor on Mars is a chilling premise, and the experiences Illarmo’s characters undergo are vividly real.”

Perfect scores for Plot, Prose and Character. Reviewed by The BookLife Prize, a Publishers Weekly property.

And what early readers are saying

  • ★★★★★

    "I just finished reading Colony Exposed and I think this one was better than the first book, it picked me up and took me on a thrill ride from beginning to end, and the end was the best part! It had my heart racing and I didn't want to put it down!"

    Early reader, Colony Exposed

  • ★★★★★

    "This was an absolutely perfect conclusion to the Against the Red Sky saga. More action packed than the first, the character development was stellar all the way through, and the ending tied things up so, so well."

    Early reader, Colony Exposed

  • ★★★★★

    "This is a really great story! Interesting and likable characters, a plot that had me from the first chapter, good levels of action, a truly enjoyable read. I do recommend!"

    Early reader, Colony Exposed

Hi, I'm Kristen

I process this crazy world through story telling.

Every choice has a consequence. Come ride alongside characters trying to find their place in this world as they grapple with the aftermath of our present-day actions, or inactions.

More about Kristen

Questions readers ask before buying

Do I need to read Mission X first?

Yes. Colony Exposed is Book 2 and it picks up directly where Mission X leaves off, so starting here would spoil the first book and leave you lost. If you haven't read Mission X, the complete duology in Step 2 gets you both books.

Does the story actually end here?

It does. Colony Exposed is the conclusion. Two books, one finished story, no Book 3 to wait for.

How do I access my eBook?

eBook orders are delivered by BookFunnel to your email. After several minutes, if you have not received your order, check your spam folder. If it's not there you can log into the BookFunnel app to access your library, or contact BookFunnel at help@bookfunnel.com or https://getbookfunnel.com/

Why should I buy direct?

Buying direct supports me as an author. I receive a larger portion of the royalties from purchases made here than from purchases made at other retailers, and it's the only place you can get a signed copy.

Can I order your books from my local library?

Yes. My books are available on the Hoopla app. If your library doesn't carry them yet, you can request them from your librarian.

Against the Red Sky: Colony Exposed paperback book cover

Where Book Two takes them

Enzo is fighting to survive long enough to start a rebellion.

Maddie has to break out and reach Mars before it's too late, for him, for her mother, for everyone she loves.

The colony hides a secret darker than either of them imagined. This time, surviving isn't enough. They have to expose it.

Three fights, one conclusion

  • Break out or die trying

    Maddie has to escape her uncle's facility and reach Mars before it's too late, for her friends, and for her mother.

  • A rebellion from nothing

    Enzo and his friends were sent to Mars to die building domes they'll never live in. He's fighting to survive long enough to start a rebellion.

  • What does it mean to be human?

    The only person who can help them is a Synth who was once human, and who must remember what that means before it's too late.

IF YOU LOVE

RED RISING by Pierce Brown

LEGEND by Marie Lu

THE 100 by Kass Morgan

AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Then you'll love AGAINST THE RED SKY

See the whole series

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