Red Mars - Falling Into History *no spoilers*

[Brad]

Serve it up.

[Jeff]

Partway into this now, it seems the shape of the story is set, and we're beginning to see outlines of the consequences. It's holding my attention a little bit more, but John sometimes is as stable and boring to read about as Michel has mapped his personality.

[Jon]

I've got another 75 pages to go in this section and having sporadic interest. I'm liking John less and less as I read through his viewpoint.

[Melissa]

I liked the detective slant in this part. That was a lot of information to take in and I'm still mulling it over. It felt like crumbs were being dropped that lead to the sequels, which kind of depressed me. I feel like I'm never gonna finish Red Mars and I'm not sure I want to get sucked into a series.
I'm still trying to decide what I think about the elevator scandal. I like the reunion towards the end.

[Brad]

I am rather shocked about my feelings. The only other time I read this book, I loathed John Boone, but somehow, a decade later, that has become the opposite. I really liked him a lot this time through. I've been trying to figure out why. I think it is that he is a bit of the innocent. Not innocent in that he bears no responsibility for the things he chooses, but innocent in that he approaches the world believing not just that anything is possible, but that anything is possible for HIM. It's so easy to hate that easy arrogance of his -- it may even be designed to be hated -- but there is also something refreshingly honest in John's acceptance and embracing of his own powers. I think I actually bought his iconic status this time, too, and that makes a big difference.