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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While it was very entertaining in many areas, and the characters are varied and well formed, there were a bit too many long descriptions of Martian landscapes that were more on the dry, technical side than engaging. There are also some overly descriptive narrative monologues that could have been cut without affecting the storyline in any way I could see. However, it does make for an interesting, realistic portrayal of the first colonization of Mars.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a big slog for me and I won't be reading the rest of the trilogy. There were parts that were interesting, such as Nadia's and Boone's chapters, and I enjoyed reading them. There were other parts, I skimmed long enough to turn the page. I don't think I missed anything important.
I don't understand why the book started with Boone's murder and then went back in time to the beginning of the Ares mission through the first 30-40 years or so of colonization. There's no other discussion or "solving" of the murder, so it's not a hook at all. Considering how important Boone was supposed to be to the Mars colonies, it seems strange that it wasn't more of a major plot point.
This was the first book of Robinson's that I've read, and I have several others in my TBR wish list. I'm now hesitant to read the others, for fear of more disappointing reads.
This was the first book of Robinson's that I've read, and I have several others in my TBR wish list. I'm now hesitant to read the others, for fear of more disappointing reads.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
People colonize Mars and make it Earth with all its problems. Capitalism run amok
Scientists who are dogmatic and can’t agree
Revolution
Love and sex yet surprisingly few children
Less descriptions of the landscape could have trimmed it by hundreds of pages
Scientists who are dogmatic and can’t agree
Revolution
Love and sex yet surprisingly few children
Less descriptions of the landscape could have trimmed it by hundreds of pages
I like the topics and problems it addresses and its characters. It seemed a bit boring and too long in some parts, but overall it was thought provoking. Nadia is one of my favorite female characters in SF literature.
Loved the descriptions, the science, and even the political drama, but the human drama didn't grab me.
Deeply technical science fiction, with a fairly compelling storyline underneath all the erudism -- physics, astronomy, geology, psychology, biology -- almost every discipline is represented at least briefly in Red Mars.
Above-par science fiction, but not exactly light reading.
Above-par science fiction, but not exactly light reading.
Epic. Dry in some areas but it stands up extremely well for a book that predates all the NASA rovers and the recent updates of the presence of water on Mars. Very believable story. Before jumping to the next book though, I have other books to finish.
What really stands out to me is the depth of all the characters KSR writes, not just one or two perspectives are fleshed out, each has richness and voice all their own. Obviously I love space and Mars and science and I deeply appreciated huge amount of knowledge and research that clearly went into this novel- what a delight to have graphics to interpret! Equations! Sociology! Actually quite entertaining.