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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Mesmerizing... and a tad disappointing.
Newman is a unique and compelling writer. This story is intense and difficult in places simply because it is so vivid in its portrayal of real human emotion. Regardless, I was captivated from the beginning by a classic mystery set in the perfect moment in the history of her series - a moment in which we already have a clue as to the events of the future and can anticipate the way she will weave it all together for the reveal.
But the end felt ... rushed and anticlimactic, maybe even a little disorienting ... because it wasn't really a reveal at all. It had the feel of an installment story, lackluster by itself, needing something more and depending a little too much on its predecessors - and its successor. This was particularly disappointing because it was so rich with potential and depth! I'm left feeling like the narrative was clipped in the midst of its bloom and then discarded, and now it feels a little pointless in the grand scheme.
Bummer.
Newman is a unique and compelling writer. This story is intense and difficult in places simply because it is so vivid in its portrayal of real human emotion. Regardless, I was captivated from the beginning by a classic mystery set in the perfect moment in the history of her series - a moment in which we already have a clue as to the events of the future and can anticipate the way she will weave it all together for the reveal.
But the end felt ... rushed and anticlimactic, maybe even a little disorienting ... because it wasn't really a reveal at all. It had the feel of an installment story, lackluster by itself, needing something more and depending a little too much on its predecessors - and its successor. This was particularly disappointing because it was so rich with potential and depth! I'm left feeling like the narrative was clipped in the midst of its bloom and then discarded, and now it feels a little pointless in the grand scheme.
Bummer.
Emma Newman is fast becoming one of my favorite female as well as science fiction author. Her Planetfall novels are some of the best SF has to offer today, but still I don't think they are getting the attention they deserve from the community. Let's hope that will change in the future.
This book is the third one in a series of novels that take places in the same universe or in the same far future, and everything about it is so fascinating. From the leaps in technology to the way the people of Earth are living at that time are very interesting and this shows how well and convincing the author can build a world and weave stories around it.
I still think the second book is the best one. And since expectations are bound to be sky high, I shall have to say Before Mars just falls short of those expectations. It is not a big book, hardly more than 300 pages, but still the first half of the book is a very slow burn. Even though there are some very thrilling scenes in this part, it takes about 65% of the story for the book to completely turn into avalanche mode and the ending itself is very satisfying and heartbreaking for both the characters and the reader.
This book has a few firsts for me. This is the first book from Emma Newman in which I didn't like the main character. Dr.Anna Kubrin is a very fascinating character, but some of the thoughts she has are not exactly what you call pleasant, especially the way she feels about motherhood and being a mother herself. As I said, not very pleasant to read but I think that was the intention of the author, so I don't know how I feel about it. To talk about other firsts will be delving into spoilers, so I will refrain from doing that.
Other than that, the story itself is very good, starting off normal and slow and gradually increasing in tension and ending in a bunch of twists and fucked up resolutions where it feels like everything is gone to shit and world just ended. But the pacing isn't slick in the first half of the book or not enough slick for a thriller, but it is the complete opposite for the second half. To put it in perspective, it took me more than 6 days to get through the first half, but for the second half I breezed through it and finished it in a mere hour and a half.
So, I don't know if there will be another book set in this series, I would love for several other books to be written, but we still haven't any info at this point. Emma Newman has other books available, but I am not a big fan of Urban Fantasy, so I don't know if I will ever pick them up. But who knows, if I was drained of her stories long enough I may end up doing just that.
This book is the third one in a series of novels that take places in the same universe or in the same far future, and everything about it is so fascinating. From the leaps in technology to the way the people of Earth are living at that time are very interesting and this shows how well and convincing the author can build a world and weave stories around it.
I still think the second book is the best one. And since expectations are bound to be sky high, I shall have to say Before Mars just falls short of those expectations. It is not a big book, hardly more than 300 pages, but still the first half of the book is a very slow burn. Even though there are some very thrilling scenes in this part, it takes about 65% of the story for the book to completely turn into avalanche mode and the ending itself is very satisfying and heartbreaking for both the characters and the reader.
This book has a few firsts for me. This is the first book from Emma Newman in which I didn't like the main character. Dr.Anna Kubrin is a very fascinating character, but some of the thoughts she has are not exactly what you call pleasant, especially the way she feels about motherhood and being a mother herself. As I said, not very pleasant to read but I think that was the intention of the author, so I don't know how I feel about it. To talk about other firsts will be delving into spoilers, so I will refrain from doing that.
Other than that, the story itself is very good, starting off normal and slow and gradually increasing in tension and ending in a bunch of twists and fucked up resolutions where it feels like everything is gone to shit and world just ended. But the pacing isn't slick in the first half of the book or not enough slick for a thriller, but it is the complete opposite for the second half. To put it in perspective, it took me more than 6 days to get through the first half, but for the second half I breezed through it and finished it in a mere hour and a half.
So, I don't know if there will be another book set in this series, I would love for several other books to be written, but we still haven't any info at this point. Emma Newman has other books available, but I am not a big fan of Urban Fantasy, so I don't know if I will ever pick them up. But who knows, if I was drained of her stories long enough I may end up doing just that.
Before Mars is the third of Ms Newman's Planetfall series, a series that I'm increasingly suspecting was a significantly cathartic experience to write! If you've not read the previous two books, stop reading here as there will be spoilers for them shortly (not for Before Mars though).
I read Planetfall back-to-back with After Atlas. I loved After Atlas, partly because of the unexpected change of perspective from Planetfall and partly because the character building continued to be so real and so well done! I had a crisis of conscience regarding the sci-fi filter bubble I found myself in and took a break to read Americanah before hitting Before Mars and, feeling refreshed and ready for something new and interesting I dived in...and immediately felt like I was re-reading a slightly disguised After Atlas.
Before Mars describes some of what was going on in the Gabor-side of the court prior to and during the events chronicled in After Atlas. We're now hanging out with a scientist/painter/newish mother named Anna who's been sent off to Mars on a special mission for Stefan Gabor. She's a bit like Ren and a bit like Carl but she is, very definitely, her own person.
I guess that Ms Newman is on a mission to normalise frequently stigmatised things, be they mental health issues, gender or, in the case of this book, post-natal depression.
I really like the way that we get inside the heads of the major characters. We get a view into their decision making process but, more interestingly, get an understanding of how their various neuroses are impacting those decisions. Often in ways that may not seem rational to someone else. There's a real possibility for empathy with the characters and less opportunity to brush off a "poor" decision as just irrational or stupid.
There's also the gender neutral pronouns again which seemed a little jarring at first in After Atlas, but this is purely due to lack of exposure. Further exposure like this is probably an awesome way to normalise it!
I read Planetfall back-to-back with After Atlas. I loved After Atlas, partly because of the unexpected change of perspective from Planetfall and partly because the character building continued to be so real and so well done! I had a crisis of conscience regarding the sci-fi filter bubble I found myself in and took a break to read Americanah before hitting Before Mars and, feeling refreshed and ready for something new and interesting I dived in...and immediately felt like I was re-reading a slightly disguised After Atlas.
Before Mars describes some of what was going on in the Gabor-side of the court prior to and during the events chronicled in After Atlas. We're now hanging out with a scientist/painter/newish mother named Anna who's been sent off to Mars on a special mission for Stefan Gabor. She's a bit like Ren and a bit like Carl but she is, very definitely, her own person.
I guess that Ms Newman is on a mission to normalise frequently stigmatised things, be they mental health issues, gender or, in the case of this book, post-natal depression.
I really like the way that we get inside the heads of the major characters. We get a view into their decision making process but, more interestingly, get an understanding of how their various neuroses are impacting those decisions. Often in ways that may not seem rational to someone else. There's a real possibility for empathy with the characters and less opportunity to brush off a "poor" decision as just irrational or stupid.
There's also the gender neutral pronouns again which seemed a little jarring at first in After Atlas, but this is purely due to lack of exposure. Further exposure like this is probably an awesome way to normalise it!
Not my favorite of the series. We spend too much time in Anna Kubrin's head as she arrives on Mars and deals with her complicated family issues. The ending was not much of a surprise if you have read the previous novels, but at least the plot picked up a bit. I will read the next in the series in order to see where it all ends.
A pretty poor entry to the Planetfall series. This book let me get waaaaay too far ahead. The big "surprise" ending - which the whole book relies on - can be worked out in chapter 1. I foolishly kept reading in the hope I had it wrong, or a more interesting explanation would be offered.
Plot has been Newman's strong point in this series but it didn't work for me here, and the prose was worse than usual. I think I'm done with this series. However, Book 1 remains a ripper in its own right!
Plot has been Newman's strong point in this series but it didn't work for me here, and the prose was worse than usual. I think I'm done with this series. However, Book 1 remains a ripper in its own right!
Teil drei der Reihe und wieder ein komplett anderes Buch. Diesmal ein Psychothriller-Kammerspiel auf dem Mars. Eine spannende Hauptfigur, aber leider eine etwas vorhersehbare Handlung.
Before Mars is the third of Ms Newman's Planetfall series, a series that I'm increasingly suspecting was a significantly cathartic experience to write! If you've not read the previous two books, stop reading here as there will be spoilers for them shortly (not for Before Mars though).
I read Planetfall back-to-back with After Atlas. I loved After Atlas, partly because of the unexpected change of perspective from Planetfall and partly because the character building continued to be so real and so well done! I had a crisis of conscience regarding the sci-fi filter bubble I found myself in and took a break to read Americanah before hitting Before Mars and, feeling refreshed and ready for something new and interesting I dived in...and immediately felt like I was re-reading a slightly disguised After Atlas.
Before Mars describes some of what was going on in the Gabor-side of the court prior to and during the events chronicled in After Atlas. We're now hanging out with a scientist/painter/newish mother named Anna who's been sent off to Mars on a special mission for Stefan Gabor. She's a bit like Ren and a bit like Carl but she is, very definitely, her own person.
I guess that Ms Newman is on a mission to normalise frequently stigmatised things, be they mental health issues, gender or, in the case of this book, post-natal depression.
I really like the way that we get inside the heads of the major characters. We get a view into their decision making process but, more interestingly, get an understanding of how their various neuroses are impacting those decisions. Often in ways that may not seem rational to someone else. There's a real possibility for empathy with the characters and less opportunity to brush off a "poor" decision as just irrational or stupid.
There's also the gender neutral pronouns again which seemed a little jarring at first in After Atlas, but this is purely due to lack of exposure. Further exposure like this is probably an awesome way to normalise it!
I read Planetfall back-to-back with After Atlas. I loved After Atlas, partly because of the unexpected change of perspective from Planetfall and partly because the character building continued to be so real and so well done! I had a crisis of conscience regarding the sci-fi filter bubble I found myself in and took a break to read Americanah before hitting Before Mars and, feeling refreshed and ready for something new and interesting I dived in...and immediately felt like I was re-reading a slightly disguised After Atlas.
Before Mars describes some of what was going on in the Gabor-side of the court prior to and during the events chronicled in After Atlas. We're now hanging out with a scientist/painter/newish mother named Anna who's been sent off to Mars on a special mission for Stefan Gabor. She's a bit like Ren and a bit like Carl but she is, very definitely, her own person.
I guess that Ms Newman is on a mission to normalise frequently stigmatised things, be they mental health issues, gender or, in the case of this book, post-natal depression.
I really like the way that we get inside the heads of the major characters. We get a view into their decision making process but, more interestingly, get an understanding of how their various neuroses are impacting those decisions. Often in ways that may not seem rational to someone else. There's a real possibility for empathy with the characters and less opportunity to brush off a "poor" decision as just irrational or stupid.
There's also the gender neutral pronouns again which seemed a little jarring at first in After Atlas, but this is purely due to lack of exposure. Further exposure like this is probably an awesome way to normalise it!
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Enjoyable, but sometimes draining, as I've found most of Newman's work. She favors MC's with mental difficulties of various stripes—not a complaint, as it's refreshing to see neurodiversity—and I got bogged down enough in the constant gaslighting in this one that I took a break to finish one book and listen to another before continuing.
Okay, so, Anna is sent to Mars a geologist cum artist, and it's obvious right from the start that something is very wrong. I'll put the details of what's wrong in spoiler tags, but, really, it was glaringly obvious; there are soooo many signs that I wanted to yell at the characters sometimes. However, because Anna has low self-confidence (and is subconsciously coping with (real spoiler, though you may be able to guess at it if you read After Atlas)), she continuously doubts herself and gets lost in worrying she's going mad. It's obvious from the get-go that the AI is gaslighting her, and, to some degree, everyone else. The reasons are not at all obvious for most of the book, however.
I was actually a bit disappointed in the final ending, as I thought it would be more interesting. Still, it fits the themes of the first two books, so I wasn't too surprised it headed that way.
Newman's books are ones I have to be in the right mood for. For anyone who has issues with gaslighting: stay away from this one. The mental gyrations are deeply disturbing. However, I am wondering if they would come across differently on a second read, knowing what's coming. I may try that at some point, but not straightaway. Also, this is probably best read in sequence.
Okay, so, Anna is sent to Mars a geologist cum artist, and it's obvious right from the start that something is very wrong. I'll put the details of what's wrong in spoiler tags, but, really, it was glaringly obvious; there are soooo many signs that I wanted to yell at the characters sometimes.
Spoiler
Their memories have been erased. This is not Anna first arriving on Mars. (1) Her body is unusually well-adjusted to the gravity after her long trip, suggesting she's been there for some time; (2) She and the doctor both have strong body-memory of being together, but no actual memory of this; (3) The note Anna left for herself; (4) The replaced wedding ring; (5) The missing canvases and notebooks. For most of the book, I was just rolling my eyes and waiting for this to come out.Spoiler
the nuclear destruction of earthI was actually a bit disappointed in the final ending, as I thought it would be more interesting
Spoiler
to make a go of long-term life on Mars, though it's doubtful they had enough people to create a sustainable population there; maybe the printers can print stored DNA? * shrugs *Newman's books are ones I have to be in the right mood for. For anyone who has issues with gaslighting: stay away from this one. The mental gyrations are deeply disturbing. However, I am wondering if they would come across differently on a second read, knowing what's coming. I may try that at some point, but not straightaway. Also, this is probably best read in sequence.
This may be the best book I've read so far this year. An outstanding work of science fiction - incredibly compelling storyline and three dimensional characters. I haven't read any of the previous books and was frankly surprised there were others - that is too say, this book can definitely stand on its own. The technological advances of society were fascinating and believable; the AI entity definitely gave a "2001" Hal vibe; the question of mental health, internal chip manipulation, "immersive" memory, or someone masterfully controlling things kept me constantly guessing and wondering what it could be. Dr. Anna Kubrin's self evaluation of her depression and disconnect with being a mother were so so refreshing in a world where women are still made to feel that giving birth can be their only purpose and must be the source of supreme happiness.
Everything about this book was fantastic, will look forward to other books by this author.
Everything about this book was fantastic, will look forward to other books by this author.