A review by manuphoto
Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

adventurous emotional informative reflective slow-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? Yes

5.0

It’s rare that I come across a series that I find so enthralling and compelling. The Mars trilogy certainly qualifies, and I found Green Mars a perfect sequel to Red Mars. I will be starting Blue Mars right away.

I know many readers find these books slow, boring and bloated but I don’t. I mean, yes the pace is slow but it serves a purpose. People are colonizing and developing Mars. They are actually on another planet, for the first time in human history. So yes, this kind of thing takes time! And Robinson makes us feel that.

He develops his characters in a smart and intelligent way over the books. They are extremely well fleshed out, especially in Green Mars. There were some small issues with character development and pacing in Red Mars, but I find that Green Mars is more consistent. Subtle things, but is my overall impression. Female characters are also getting better treatment (thankfully), Maya in particular. Nadia was very interesting in Red but Maya less so, now they’re both great characters, more complex and deep.

I also love that Mars is treated like a character. The red planet is central to the whole story. It evolves with the characters and the plot. Also, every inch of it is a discovery, something new. So it’s no surprise that Robinson would describe it in detail. But I never found those descriptions boring or tedious. I always found them precise and relevant. Thanks to these, I always had a good idea of the scenery in my head, something lots of authors fail to achieve even in earthly landscapes.

There are some action scenes in the book as well as some sex. These are always useful for either the plot of the characters and they don’t feel out of place. 

All in all, a fantastic read and a great trilogy. Onto Blue Mars!