Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson is a highly detailed and engaging science fiction book that takes readers on a thrilling journey of exploration and inhabitation of the red planet. In this book, Robinson creates a whole new world dynamic with a diverse cast of characters, each of whom is analyzed and dissected, revealing how different ideas and philosophies play out on Mars.
Throughout the book, Robinson does an excellent job of setting up the context for the events that are occurring. He provides illustrious details of the trials that took place in Antarctica and the grueling hardships that took place among the many scientists and technicians that took part in perfecting the mixture of 100 people who first inhabited Mars.
Robinson introduces the characters as the sequence of events goes on in the book, starting with John Boone and Frank Chalmers, who play pivotal male characters in the book. John Boone is described as the first astronaut to land on Mars, much like Neil Armstrong on the Moon, and Frank Chalmers is described as the head of the initiative to emigrate people to the red planet. As the book progresses, more important characters are introduced, such as Maya and Nadia, who play pivotal female characters.
Maya is described as the head of the Russian initiative, and Nadia is a masterful technician. Other characters, such as Arkady, Sax, and Anne, are introduced as the story progresses into its rising action, creating a juxtaposition. These three characters represent the radical extremes of the first inhabitants of Mars. Arkady represents the idea of breaking away from Terran (Earth) control and running the red planet by themselves, much like the 18th Century United States. Sax represents the idea that Mars should be terraformed as quickly as possible to allow more emigrants to colonize the planet. Anne represents a hardcore geologist who would rather keep Mars as a barren red planet rather than letting scientists terraform the land into something that it is not.
Robinson's attention to detail and inclusion of scientific data make the book engaging and believable. Many of the concepts that are utilized in the story are mirrors of scientific theories that are being researched today. Robinson does an excellent job of intertwining the information that was available when the book was written, even though the information used may not be up to date as of 2021.
The book is divided into chapters, and each chapter starts with a passage by the narrator, presumably Kim Stanley Robinson, creating context for the events that are occurring. This is particularly important because Red Mars is a fast-paced book that goes through almost 30 years of the characters' lives.
What makes Red Mars so good is not only the detailed dynamic that Robinson creates in this fictional world but also the scientific accuracy that he employs in the book. Robinson's ability to create a whole new world dynamic and provide a detailed analysis of each character's actions and thoughts make this book a must-read for all science fiction enthusiasts. However, some parts of the story could have been more interesting if he had delved deeper into them instead of just including them in the narration at the start of each chapter.
In conclusion, Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson is a great read that explores the human condition and our drive to explore new frontiers. It is a highly recommended read for those who enjoy detailed science fiction books.