NY: Warner, 1999. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine / Fine. ISBN: 0446526339. BARGAIN SALE! Normally 23.95 A manned mission to Mars officially dies when the rocket launching the vehicle explodes on the launch pad and kills four crewmen, but a billionaire steps in to form a consortium to fund the project. In The Martian Race, the United States competes with a European-Chinese group to reach the planet first, make history and win a $30-billion prize for the first crew back to Earth. Both groups reach Mars, but with disastrous results, and it becomes questionable that any of them will return at all. Physicist Gregory Benford applies his expertise to this engaging novel. Hardcover, 340 pages.