Rymdhäst Books

Equus Astra series: Hard science fiction stories by John Karpiscak, grounded in real physics, problem solving and “Out-of-the-Box” solutions.

A Horse on the Moon

The Horses of Olympus Mons

Horse Tales from the Moon

  • Coming soon!

Featured Book: The Horses of Olympus Mons

In the early 2200s, humanity’s future depends on Mars but much of the Red Planet remains unreachable by technology alone. Steep terrain, unstable ground, and unpredictable conditions have pushed exploration to its limits. Faced with the same problem once encountered on the Moon decades earlier, Mars planners revive a long-forgotten solution: biological exploration.

Chelsea Strand and Bob Metchgen come from very different worlds. One is driven by precision and purpose, the other by instinct and experience. What binds them together is rare expertise, a shared mission, and a lifelong bond with horses specially trained—and engineered—for survival on Mars.

As launch day approaches, they must learn to trust one another on Earth before trusting their lives to each other on Mars. But nothing can fully prepare them for their ultimate assignment: a dangerous ascent into the vast caldera of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system.

What begins as an exploration mission quickly becomes a test of endurance, loyalty, and adaptation—where old lessons must be relearned, and survival depends on the partnership between human and horse.The Horses of Olympus Mons is a grounded, imaginative space adventure that blends hard science with bold innovation, asking a timeless question: when progress fails, what ancient instincts might still carry us forward?

Even on Mars, humanity brings a willing ally.

Explore Rymdhäst Publications Catalog

Browse tightly crafted hard sci‑fi novels where orbital mechanics, AI, and alien ecologies obey real-world constraints, then jump straight to Amazon to own each adventure in your preferred format.

A sleek, silver interstellar starship with hardened, angular hull plating and visible heat-scoring along its edges drifts above a barren, cratered exoplanet. Tiny navigation thrusters emit faint blue ion trails, and the ship’s modular sections reveal exposed conduits and radiators glowing a dull red. In the distance, a ringed gas giant looms against a backdrop of dense, sharp stars. Cold, hard starlight casts stark highlights and deep shadows across the metal surfaces, emphasizing realism and engineering detail. Photographic realism, captured from a three-quarter elevated angle with a wide lens, sharp focus throughout, and a clean, professional composition suitable for a hard sci‑fi author’s portfolio homepage hero image.

Editions

Kindle Edition

Kindle ebook editions of John Karpiscak’s hard sci‑fi start at around $4.99 on Amazon, giving you instant access to every orbital skirmish, alien ruin, and physics‑tight plot twist at the lowest entry price.

Instant Kindle download

Trade Paperback

Prefer something you can dog‑ear and shelve? Trade paperbacks typically range from $11.99–$16.99 on Amazon, depending on page count and print options, while still delivering the full rigor and scope of each Rymdhäst adventure.

Print edition

Deluxe Hardcover

For collectors and serious library builders, select titles are available in hardcover on Amazon, usually priced from $22.99–$29.99, featuring durable bindings designed to survive countless rereads and deep‑space daydreams.

Premium hardcover