Review: Red Mars

REDWORLDER RATING: 8.9/10

  I begin this review by saying that my intention for the last few months has been to find the best Mars books to recommend as part of my larger focus on fully defining areoculture. The trilogy to which this book belongs may well be the best series set on Mars ever written (so said the many reviews which lead me to it), and I fully intend to find out now that I've been drawn in. I'm already well into the sequel, Green Mars, and so far I maintain that Red Mars is a cornerstone of Red World literature.

  As Arthur C. Clarke is quoted as saying on the cover, "A staggering book. The best novel on the colonization of Mars that has ever been written. It should be required reading for the colonists of the next century."

   Red Mars begins in the in medias res, with the colonies on Mars established, and the "First Hundred" acknowledged with respect (almost reverence) as the elders who travel between the colonies propping up new projects with guidance and the occasional speech.

   From the start, we see that conflict between some members of the first colonists has been stewing for some time. The first chapter gives a taste of the exotic world, the innovations, and ends with a startling assassination before launching us back to the time before the First Hundred left Earth and into the mind of a different character.

   As the story of the First Hundred progresses, we switch every so often to a brand new perspective from one of the original settlers. Each have extremely distinct personalities, points of view, and agendas.

   From Earth to the space voyage, and the days of the first settlement to the widely settled and rebellious phase. From determinations to terraform in conflict with equal determination to maintain the pristine desert, or the arguably reckless desire to forge an independent society opposing those who would maintain ties with a destabilizing Earth. For nostalgia or greed or fear or sentiment or idealism, the motivations and shifting theaters make Red Mars both epic and engaging.

   The Science, from physical to psychological, and the Politics, social and planetary, feel real and engaging. Characters you route for might have agendas you hate, and vice versa. Watching them, experiencing what they experience, easily brings your own personality and positions into the Martian landscape that Kim Stanley Robinson created.

   By seemingly covering every possible position, idea, and character he could on a newly settled Mars (while maintaining a cohesive story), Robinson makes it feel like nothing more could be better written on the subject of settling the planet.  

  Pros:

• Kim Stanley Robinson takes the time to develop dozens of distinct personalities (how he does it seems to be illustrated explicitly in one chapter in particular actually), which love, ally, and hate each other in extremely successful ways.
• You really can't help but love some of those characters. You gain biases for some, which can wax and wane as the story progresses. Overall, the effect is that you feel you're integrated within these peoples' relationship network (the quiet person that gets invited everywhere, as it were).
• The story describes Mars both highly scientifically (particularly at the beginning of most chapters with fascinating information specific to Mars) and poetically (with long beautiful descriptions of landscapes and natural processes that make it easy to fall in the love with the planet the way only a local can).
• You route for the bad guys and the good guys at different times and to different degrees. What remains constant is a feeling that, even if you completely disagree with the actions of a character, you feel you understand them. The politics throughout is really well done, somewhat innovative, and the relationship dynamics are just as good.

  Cons:

• If you're not into the science, and you're in it only for the character development, there will be times when you feel less engaged. I recommend looking at these tangents as opportunities to get into character, to know what the First Hundred know, or what you might be expected to know as a settler yourself. To some extent everyone on Mars is a scientist.
• If you're not into poetry or relationships, you might similarly feel like you're on a tangent at times. In that case, consider that you'd find it unavoidable to appreciate the beauty of your new home and appreciate others, or risk dangerous depression and/or isolation from highly stressed peers. The point being, that even the challenges of this book seem to be tailored to preparing humans for a new world.
• The first chapter was the weakest with me, I would have preferred to start from the chronological beginning. Starting with the aforementioned assassination was fine for implying there would be conflict (and it certainly didn't disappoint), but I didn't love the characters or KSR's vision of Mars until after the first chapter ended. As it was, I was ready to give the book a shot, but I wasn't sold on it until I started the second chapter.

  Final Word:

    As I said, this might well be a cornerstone of Martian culture, today and well into the future. The author feels highly proficient in his trade, and the book easily covers everything needed to satisfy even the most powerful hunger for all things Martian (trust me, I know). If you'd sign up to live on Mars, then there's no question - Red Mars will be a favorite. 

Get it from Amazon today, and enjoy!