Reviews

How to Mars by David Ebenbach

beccakmo's review

5.0

Absolutely adored this novel from new-to-me author David Ebenbach! The character narratives and storytelling are akin to Fredrik Backman's work in "Anxious People"; a blend of laugh-out-loud honesty about human nature and the poignancy of each character's vulnerable backstory. Mix that with scientific accounts that are reminiscent of Andy Weir's "The Martian" and you've got a glorious tale of what keeps us human, wherever we land.

jackesq's review

3.0

I liked the concept but the disparate formatting of the chapters was distracting. 

jugglingpup's review

3.0

To read a full review check it out here

Both more serious and more ridiculous than I was expecting. Reminded me of one of my favorite video games more than any of the books mentioned in the description.

oisincleere's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

pine_wulf's review

I thought this would be reality TV show with scientists on Mars. Big Brother mixed with The Martian, or something like that. It's more like: Take yourself and 5 random co-workers. You've been working together for 2 years already, so you're probably bored of the work by now. Mix in with excerpts from the company handbook and your co-workers reports. That's how this reads. It's not terribly exciting. 

sirrossington's review

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

cdeane61's review

4.0

Really enjoyed this one, laugh out loud funny in some places.

Great opening line, and story line in general, and the author deftly interweaves the past & present.

Also loved the formats chosen from straight prose, to journal entries, to a manual of sorts.

Well written, very readable, and great fun/

sophie42's review

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Grief and Death

Minor: Mental illness

cgmm10's review

5.0

I really really enjoyed this, and I loved the end :)

dlsmall's review

3.0

This was quite a unique conceit, yet one that seems very timely, and strangely (from the afterword) was born of a real-life scheme in 2015. The thumbnail describes a one-way, reality show (funded?) research expedition to Mars, but the left turn (spoilers for the first sentence) comes from the first (forbidden) pregnancy on Mars and the changes that follow in the six person micro-society.

We get a nice sample of the various points of view, interspersed with the fairly hilarious Destination Mars! handbook.

The reality show component reminded me just a smidge of that component of the TV show Defying Gravity...without that show’s high concept.

Not entirely for for me, but definitely for many someones.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in advance of publication.