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A review by kessler21
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
2.0
This is the first book in the Mars trilogy. It covers the first 100 that are sent to settle mars. The story is told from a third person narrative, changing the focus of the character each chapter. Red Mars tries to become a story of political battle and intrigue. Instead it falls flat and is NOT a page turner.
Credit to the story: The science, as far as I know, is very well done. I enjoyed learning about possible solutions to terraform Mars and how to create livable habitats.
Discredit to the story: The science is very well done and explained. This makes for a boring read. The character are linear. In the first handful of pages you have learned the characters and they never deviate from their design. The politics just didn't jive with me. I had trouble with the speed at which everything happens. The lack of fail safes and plans made by the leaders on earth to where things aren't really left up to the 100. I had trouble seeing how point A led to point B and how it did so quickly. I can't see political enemies having causal conversations and leaning on one another only to be enemies again a few pages later.
From the reviews I've read, you love this book or hate it. I had trouble suspending my belief because the parts I wanted to connect with....the physical and emotional struggle of living on Mars and the political turmoil on Mars (independent or just a resource) was not believable.
Credit to the story: The science, as far as I know, is very well done. I enjoyed learning about possible solutions to terraform Mars and how to create livable habitats.
Discredit to the story: The science is very well done and explained. This makes for a boring read. The character are linear. In the first handful of pages you have learned the characters and they never deviate from their design. The politics just didn't jive with me. I had trouble with the speed at which everything happens. The lack of fail safes and plans made by the leaders on earth to where things aren't really left up to the 100. I had trouble seeing how point A led to point B and how it did so quickly. I can't see political enemies having causal conversations and leaning on one another only to be enemies again a few pages later.
From the reviews I've read, you love this book or hate it. I had trouble suspending my belief because the parts I wanted to connect with....the physical and emotional struggle of living on Mars and the political turmoil on Mars (independent or just a resource) was not believable.