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234 ratings, 3.64 average rating, 17 reviews
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published
June 1st 1993
(first published 1992)
by Bantam Spectra
binding
Mass Market Paperback, 560 pages
isbn
055356241X
(isbn13: 9780553562415)
description
Twenty-five astronauts of the international Mars mission set down on the harsh and unforgiving planet and soon face deadly meteor showers, subzero...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 310)
Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
Mars nerds
I have a love for books about the colonization of Mars that borders on unhealthy. I enjoyed this one, but it was impossible to refrain from comparing it to Kim Stanley Robinson's trilogy (Red/Blue/Green). And Robinson's trilogy was much more satisfying. I found the portrayal of characters in Bova's Mars to be more caricatured, and the personal conflicts much more soap opera-y.
This book also had much less futuristic technologies and whatnot... in Robinson's books, he described fic...more
This book also had much less futuristic technologies and whatnot... in Robinson's books, he described fic...more
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One of the only two great Ben Bova books I've read. This is a great read, a nice, solid piece of science fiction, with a great sequel as well.
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Nicolas by:
Bernardrecommends it for: Ceux qui sont intéressés par une version bureaucratique de l'exploration spatiale
Ce roman raconte un e possible future conquête de Mars et les différents problèmes qui en découlent. C'est un roman assez intéressant, même si la découverte de Mars n'est absolument pas le sujet central de cette histoire.
Pour essayer de situer au mieux ce bouquin, je vais vous donner quelques noms d'auteurs pouvant s'en rapprocher Kim Stanley Robinson, parce que c'est le pape de Mars, selon moi, [Stephen Baxter:] dont le...more
Pour essayer de situer au mieux ce bouquin, je vais vous donner quelques noms d'auteurs pouvant s'en rapprocher Kim Stanley Robinson, parce que c'est le pape de Mars, selon moi, [Stephen Baxter:] dont le...more
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Read in April, 2008
This wasn't exactly what I wanted, but it was a fun read. There is drama, suspense, and science, all the ingredients for a good book. I just wanted more science. Bova focused heavily on relationships in this novel, which turned out to be a good thing, but it also seemed a bit watered down because there were so many characters in so many places. He just didn't have enough space to get to all of them. The main story was good, but I think his placement of flashbacks and 'dossiers' really helped mov...more
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This was the first science fiction book I've ever read (other than H.G. Wells and Jules Verne stuff), and I was sort of disappointed. The story is done well and Bova writes well, but this came off more as a soap opera than an adventure story. He reverts to a lot of back story in the middle of the novel to set up his characters.
Maybe I am a product of schlock, but I kept waiting for monsters to attack. Instead, the climactic scene in the end was the astronauts dealing with rickets because th...more
Maybe I am a product of schlock, but I kept waiting for monsters to attack. Instead, the climactic scene in the end was the astronauts dealing with rickets because th...more
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Read in February, 1992
I truly fell in love with this book when I read it in the winter of 1995. It's a long, painstaking account of a manned mission to Mars circa 2020. The details of the mission are very much in line with what NASA was speculating such a mission would be like back then, but the book is not just a lot of technical jargon. Ben Bova has a terrific knack for creating sympathetic characters that you really root for, and the occasional bastard you want to see burn in oil. There's a bit of soap opera to hi...more
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3 comments
Read in September, 2008
I think I'm about to embark on a phase of reading sci-fi paperbacks. This was a full-bodied, pretty realistic to life look at what the first expedition to Mars would be like. I was expecting more crazy shit to go down, admittedly--but I also like when authors treat somewhat unrealistic concepts (or not yet possible concepts) in an extremely realistic manner. See also Max Brooks.
In summary--it's a total drink sipper...like TV in your head.
This book was floating around my house in hardc...more
In summary--it's a total drink sipper...like TV in your head.
This book was floating around my house in hardc...more
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Read in November, 2008
I think I must have been short of books to read when I picked up this one on a wim. Nothing like a good old, hard sci fi story about Mars exploration. This one didn't disappoint, with all sorts of political intrigues and relationships that were far from sorted by the end of the book.
Thats my only complaint of course. It finishes nicely but so much is left unfinished. There is a sequel. Not sure if I will read it though.
Thats my only complaint of course. It finishes nicely but so much is left unfinished. There is a sequel. Not sure if I will read it though.
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Read in February, 2008
Good book about the exploration of Mars. Probably leans more toward the "science" than the "fiction." You're not read about any green monsters jumping out from behind rocks, but there's considerable suspense and entertaining speculation on what the planet might actually be like.
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I really liked Bovas epic story about Mars exploration and terraforming. Although it is long and quite dry at some points this is one of those books you would like to live in.
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Read in January, 2005
If you're fan of astronomy and spatial technology this book is great. Unfortunatly the characters are so sketched and boring, you don't care what will happen to them next.
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Don't remember much other than some people go to Mars and are attacked by scurvy. This guy comes up with some dumb but funny plots.
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recommends it for:
sci-fi fans not offended by sex scenes
Although I had read good things about this book and was excited to read it I quit because of sex scenes that offended me.
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Excellent Sci-fi written so well you think you are there. About a settlement on Mars.
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He uses a great variety of words, but overall, the book was boring.
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A great book. The characters and situations that they are in are awesome.
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Too much lame soap opera background story and not enough science.
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