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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
I’ve read many exciting and gripping novels this year.
So at least I don’t have to feel too bad about the time I wasted on this.
I started making notes about just how amateur and sloppy this writing was, but I gave up after a while. I could have forgiven writing this cliched, unfocused and juvenile if this was some sort of first attempt, self-published passion project, but I genuinely can’t understand how this book got an actual deal at Harper, unless they found the author’s anti-western politics so adorable that they just had to publish…
That’s right, folks. Non-western people are just better, because they just are. Even the way they nod.
So, just to unpick that… with a systematically diverse American crew, everyone from every demographic race and religion just happened to be selected on merit, apart from whitey, because the whole of the USA apparently didn’t have any other WASP candidates.
I discovered Retrograde on a list of hard sf books. Despite the book’s glowing self-endorsement in the afterward, I would argue that, apart from the background technical data about the layout of the Mars colony, the rest of the story is about as scientific as an episode of Buck Rogers. When the eventual boss-level fisticuffs takes place, the whole premise is basically a shoddy rip-off of 1980s B movie -
At 250 pages, this book was around 100 pages too long. The narrator barely gets to engage in any sort of action without launching into some completely random and aimlessly meandering exposition and discussion, seemingly copy-pasted from the Children’s Encyclopaedia of Mars Colonies or something. The whole story was so badly paced I was looking for Ringo on drums.
So at least I don’t have to feel too bad about the time I wasted on this.
I started making notes about just how amateur and sloppy this writing was, but I gave up after a while. I could have forgiven writing this cliched, unfocused and juvenile if this was some sort of first attempt, self-published passion project, but I genuinely can’t understand how this book got an actual deal at Harper, unless they found the author’s anti-western politics so adorable that they just had to publish…
“It is good to see you,” she replies. “We need each other now, more than ever.”
Jianyu nods slowly, and she responds in kind, giving me a glimpse of these two ancient cultures communicating on a level that eclipses anything I’ve seen in Western civilization. America is some four hundred years old, whereas the Chinese and the Indians predate the Babylonians, perhaps even the Egyptians. They seem to relate to each other at a deeper level.
That’s right, folks. Non-western people are just better, because they just are. Even the way they nod.
I’d like to think the [American] crew was picked on the basis of their qualifications alone, but I’m not naive enough to believe that. No one in mission planning would ever admit to filling quotas, yet the split of men to women and various forms of American ethnicity, such as being of Native American descent, or Italian, or Irish, or Hispanic, all played a part in crew selection. Token gestures toward the major religions are visible, but there was a bias toward the Christian God. (Allah and Buddha had to hitch a ride with some of the other nations.) I can’t help but wonder if some of our brightest never made the cut so that someone [white] like Harrison could represent a key electoral demographic—all-American Anglo-Saxon quarterbacks are always popular in front of the cameras.
So, just to unpick that… with a systematically diverse American crew, everyone from every demographic race and religion just happened to be selected on merit, apart from whitey, because the whole of the USA apparently didn’t have any other WASP candidates.
I discovered Retrograde on a list of hard sf books. Despite the book’s glowing self-endorsement in the afterward, I would argue that, apart from the background technical data about the layout of the Mars colony, the rest of the story is about as scientific as an episode of Buck Rogers. When the eventual boss-level fisticuffs takes place, the whole premise is basically a shoddy rip-off of 1980s B movie -
Spoiler
Saturn 3.At 250 pages, this book was around 100 pages too long. The narrator barely gets to engage in any sort of action without launching into some completely random and aimlessly meandering exposition and discussion, seemingly copy-pasted from the Children’s Encyclopaedia of Mars Colonies or something. The whole story was so badly paced I was looking for Ringo on drums.
informative
tense
fast-paced
The ending is not as good as the beginning.
However, nice science fiction novel.
However, nice science fiction novel.
A colony on Mars deals with the aftermath of a nuclear war on Earth. It's a great setup and a thrilling story. The attention to scientific detail is great, while still being a fast-paced thriller.
medium-paced
Hated it so much I wish I didn't read it. Miracle I got through it
There's finally a human colony on Mars. The Endeavor mission consists of scientists from all over the world living in a collection of habitats located in underground lava tubes. Elizabeth "Liz" Louise Anderson is a micropaleobiologist with the US module. We pick up Liz's story shortly before a massive disaster hits Earth and strains international cooperation in the Mars colony. When a series of nasty accidents begin to strike the colony things become even more strained.
This is the natural evolution of [b:The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054s/18007564.jpg|21825181] (such comparisons are inevitable), with solid technology and science and written by a mature writer who can do emotional conflict and dialogue. It's hard enough in terms of scitech to keep most hard SF aficionados happy and enough great characterization for everyone else. I will say that I felt the plot a little obvious, and Liz a bit too naive and a bit slow to figure things out at times, particularly given the sort of intellect and training she reveals throughout the novel.
The continuous flashbacks to the training and selection scenarios for the colonists were very instructive and the whole thing felt didactic, but I don't mind when it's genuinely interesting material.
This is the natural evolution of [b:The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054s/18007564.jpg|21825181] (such comparisons are inevitable), with solid technology and science and written by a mature writer who can do emotional conflict and dialogue. It's hard enough in terms of scitech to keep most hard SF aficionados happy and enough great characterization for everyone else. I will say that I felt the plot a little obvious, and Liz a bit too naive and a bit slow to figure things out at times, particularly given the sort of intellect and training she reveals throughout the novel.
The continuous flashbacks to the training and selection scenarios for the colonists were very instructive and the whole thing felt didactic, but I don't mind when it's genuinely interesting material.
Technically this is a 2.5 stars. I will say that I enjoyed the plot. The suspense was great and it was a quick read. I wasn’t in love with the plot twist but that’s ok.
My main issue is that this is a book written by a male author with a female protagonist. Not technically an issue, however I don’t appreciate being told that women are just being dramatic when they say they feel disadvantaged by men. First of all just because Liz as a woman (the protagonist) says that, doesn’t make it universally right. Second of all it’s highly unrealistically that a female character working in the STEM field never felt disadvantaged by men. That’s not science fiction.
Furthermore, I felt like all the characters were very stereotypical. The Russians drink, the Russian women look like models, the Chinese men is always calm, the American quarterback can’t stop swearing. Original? No.
So if you are looking for a book about conflicts between different characters you’re wrong here. Literally the only good thing about this is the plot.
(And it doesn’t help that it’s blurbed by a male scientist talking about how realistic it is. Just stop.)
My main issue is that this is a book written by a male author with a female protagonist. Not technically an issue, however I don’t appreciate being told that women are just being dramatic when they say they feel disadvantaged by men. First of all just because Liz as a woman (the protagonist) says that, doesn’t make it universally right. Second of all it’s highly unrealistically that a female character working in the STEM field never felt disadvantaged by men. That’s not science fiction.
Furthermore, I felt like all the characters were very stereotypical. The Russians drink, the Russian women look like models, the Chinese men is always calm, the American quarterback can’t stop swearing. Original? No.
So if you are looking for a book about conflicts between different characters you’re wrong here. Literally the only good thing about this is the plot.
(And it doesn’t help that it’s blurbed by a male scientist talking about how realistic it is. Just stop.)
Quelques incohérences mais sûrement que j’ai juste pas compris
Histoire intéressante, réaliste et prenante
Mars donne envie aha
La fin est particulière mais me convient
Histoire intéressante, réaliste et prenante
Mars donne envie aha
La fin est particulière mais me convient
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is basically about what happens to the colonists on Mars when war breaks out on Earth.
I loved the study of humanity in this. Especially, the discussion on prejudice and human emotions.
But I felt like the execution of it wasn't that strong.
But I felt like the execution of it wasn't that strong.