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debutts's review
3.0
Solid enough quick-read to orient yourself with the **current** state of quest to Mars. Emphasis on "current" because, as the book will tell you, we're moving hella-fast here and new timelines & relevant changes/decisions are being made constantly.
greeniezona's review
3.0
I have mixed feelings about these tiny TED talk books. I mean, their small size certainly makes them accessible -- easy to talk myself into picking it up at the library, quick to finish reading, but at the same time I was constantly frustrated -- wanting more context, more depth. Okay, maybe it was justified that the entire bitty thing was basically a love letter to Elon Musk (was it?), but it felt like it could have taken a little more time to establish that, or give more key players to compare against. As it was, it felt very, "NASA = slow, old. Elon Musk = new, exciting." "Oh, and here's some pretty pictures."
The pictures were very pretty though, so it had that going for it.
Some new information about how we'll get to Mars, certainly. But I think this format just isn't for me.
The pictures were very pretty though, so it had that going for it.
Some new information about how we'll get to Mars, certainly. But I think this format just isn't for me.
ida_ree's review
3.0
This is a small book addressing some of the pressing matters involved in establishing a human colony on Mars. Little things, such as having enough water and food supplies, where the oxygen will come from, and will a handful of people trapped together on an alien world drive each other crazy. Petranek's answers are concise and optimistic, written for the lay person.
Once again, I wish for a half-star option on Goodreads. 3 1/2 stars.
Once again, I wish for a half-star option on Goodreads. 3 1/2 stars.
kevinhendricks's review
3.0
Interesting thoughts and ideas, but not as engaging and inspiring as I thought it'd be.
vivamonty's review
4.0
A little book about big ideas. Pick up the audiobook and it'll only take you about 2 hours to get through this fascinating and incredibly succinct tome on the challenges and strategies that will propel humanity to Mars.
alexauthorshay's review
4.0
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, in terms of how detailed or what kind of information it had. And it's only 77 pages ((the other 20 or so are glossy photo pages of Mars) but it took me between 2 and 3 hours to read. The information in it isn't too detailed--it's great for laymen who don't know science or space whatsoever, but descriptive enough to be interesting. I had no idea that NASA/Space X/etc was working on any of that stuff so it will be interesting to see if they indeed get things out to space by the infamous 2023.
jengambale's review
4.0
Really interesting. I love MARS, the National Geographic TV show that was created based on Petranek's predictions in this book. It's really short, so it's fun for a lot of people who are interested in the fantasies of space travel and interplanetary colonization.
psteve's review
3.0
A TED-talk of a book covering most thinking on how we'll settle Mars. A good, breezy overview, but to my mind, it downplays some serious problems with the whole venture. Radiation problems on the way there, and while there, seem to be brushed off pretty quickly. Maybe this is natural -- you have to assume they're solved in order to present ideas about building habitats, etc. If you take them too seriously, then there's no rest of the book. But it did seem to add up wrong for me. Another issue is getting essential minerals and nutrients in the food -- it's more than just water and soil; that soil on Mars is noxious. Still, it's a good overview.