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A review by katykelly
Artemis by Andy Weir
5.0
Follow up novel to a popular favourite - the same sense of humour and science-heavy thrill ride in space
The Martian stands out as one of my favourite reads in recent years, with one of the biggest literary crushes I've ever formed. Excitement, space, humour - it all worked, and Weir knows those elements are what helped made his debut so instantly popular.
Artemis takes a rather different premise, but pushes a few similar buttons to bring us a new heroine who hits those same buttons. Jazz Bashera may not be a scientist (she's a porter) but she talks to us in the same chatty and wryly funny style.
Artemis is the moon colony that is home to 20-something Jazz and several hundred other colonists. There is a thriving tourist industry that residents support, most of them living in conditions far below those of the rich visitors. Jazz benefits from the regular shuttles from Earth, smuggling in contraband to earn some much-needed money.
Jazz's decision to take on a rather high-profile crime, for a huge fee, sends the plot down a thrilling slide of conspiracies, danger and wise-cracking between the chases.
I felt the first few scenes were channeling Rob Boffard's Tracer in some part, but it did have the feel of Weir's first, of my lovely Mark Watney. Jazz is wonderful - she's not perfect, she's sexy and smart and an underachiever. She's the heart of the book, just as Mark was, but a few characters get to muscle in and stamp their mark as well, I loved her moral dad and the scientific friend with a crush on Jazz.
This kept me reading pages, caught up in the colony world despite understanding about as much of the science as I did in The Martian. It doesn't matter though, the story underneath it all is a fast-paced adventure with a lot of laughs.
If you liked his first, you'll not be disappointed. I'd love to see these characters cast for the screen, an other intelligent sci-fi film would be very welcome.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
The Martian stands out as one of my favourite reads in recent years, with one of the biggest literary crushes I've ever formed. Excitement, space, humour - it all worked, and Weir knows those elements are what helped made his debut so instantly popular.
Artemis takes a rather different premise, but pushes a few similar buttons to bring us a new heroine who hits those same buttons. Jazz Bashera may not be a scientist (she's a porter) but she talks to us in the same chatty and wryly funny style.
Artemis is the moon colony that is home to 20-something Jazz and several hundred other colonists. There is a thriving tourist industry that residents support, most of them living in conditions far below those of the rich visitors. Jazz benefits from the regular shuttles from Earth, smuggling in contraband to earn some much-needed money.
Jazz's decision to take on a rather high-profile crime, for a huge fee, sends the plot down a thrilling slide of conspiracies, danger and wise-cracking between the chases.
I felt the first few scenes were channeling Rob Boffard's Tracer in some part, but it did have the feel of Weir's first, of my lovely Mark Watney. Jazz is wonderful - she's not perfect, she's sexy and smart and an underachiever. She's the heart of the book, just as Mark was, but a few characters get to muscle in and stamp their mark as well, I loved her moral dad and the scientific friend with a crush on Jazz.
This kept me reading pages, caught up in the colony world despite understanding about as much of the science as I did in The Martian. It doesn't matter though, the story underneath it all is a fast-paced adventure with a lot of laughs.
If you liked his first, you'll not be disappointed. I'd love to see these characters cast for the screen, an other intelligent sci-fi film would be very welcome.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.