a worthwhile science fiction story
928638
The Martian, by first time novelist Andy Weir is an entertaining story of a castaway astronaut on Mars, presumed dead, who must rely on technology, humor, engineering, botany, reason and a basic humanity. Weir excels at drawing out a drama based on real and potential failure points, as astronaut Watney struggle to stay ahead of death. This is told in the form of daily logs that record Watney's observations, frustrations, plans and demonstrate his desire to live. Meanwhile, the reader frequently is taken back to earth as the scientists and bureaucrats attempt to work the various problems presented, and we also follow along with the five astronauts who escaped Mars and are headed back to earth.

I presume this novel is set about 50 years or so in the future, due to the technology and also how it is still within the possibility of present technology and culture. A major draw of this book is the extensively researched and well described engineering solutions to the many failures that Watney faces, usually in the form of a small problem, leading to a crisis, leading to a work towards the solution, leading to a minor triumph. Besides a good technique for creating and resolving dramatic tension, Weir shows and describes how real engineering and physics work in that situation, in plausible ways. Besides creating a likable and believable protagonist, the science used here makes sense and is understandable to the laymen. This is really a very successful science fiction story that creates a believable situation and world and solves them in consistent ways that obey the laws and patterns of science as we know it now.

The castaway, or lost individual, surviving against all odds in a harsh environment story is really a part of the Robinsade genre, and as long as people have been making long journeys by sea or land, these sorts of stories have been told. The first novel, Robinson Crusoe, was exactly this kind of story. Crusoe, of course, was a novel greatly concerned about Christian redemption and repentance, and the role of the individual against the growth of civilization. With Watney, you have an astronaut who deflects very serious situations with humor and bravery, with little real reflection on his inner life, or even a spiritual life. The reflection, at the end of this novel, does attempt to explain the extraordinary ways that people go to help each other, a basic human decency, as the best use of civilization and scientific research, but it does not really dwell on this in meaningful ways.

There is a fair amount of profanity in this novel as well, which fits into the lives of the characters, but worth keeping in mind for those with children. The great weakness of this story is the dialogue among characters. On earth, the dialogue is rather wooden. On the space ship, it is rather movie script like. On Mars, the dialogue mostly exists in the form of logs, which exist as engineering demonstrations with some personal asides. As a modern story, that really reflects our times, about how we want to approach a hard situation, this is an exciting, well told story that should keep the reader eager to finish.
1560043
For the most part it is an excellent interesting story if you're into the exploration of human-alien relations sub genre of scifi. Lots of problems and plot holes common to the genre, especially older scifi. Without giving away plot its mostly some annoying problems with the limitations of technology and the reactions and naivety of certain characters later in the story which can seem, in some cases, to have been explicitly ignored to further the story along a preconceived path. It can be jarring but if you aren't too concerned with minor details it won't bother you. Even if you are the story is still excellent and worth the read.
4000056
I read this book in advance of its release in exchange for an honest review. The story takes place on near-future Earth and mostly follows a juror, Julio, in the trial of a woman accused of using her technologically advanced kitchen to kill her husband.

I enjoyed the story. The writing is excellent, the story is fast-paced, and the ideas are interesting. The story pulled me along from the first page to the last.

Most science fiction books are based on one "what if," and this story has three that are seamlessly woven together. The most interesting is the generative kitchen itself, which reads the biology and preferences of its owners to create culinary masterpieces. I was hooked by the question the trial was intended to answer: Did Mrs. Ellis kill her husband, or did her kitchen do it?

I'm giving the book four stars, not five, because the resolution wasn't fully satisfying. The story of Julio, who's not the most likeable of characters, ends with a good comeuppance. But the story of Mrs. Ellis is left at a loose end.
4897421
An Earth Force ship makes contact with an alien race, they unexpectedly open fire on them. Something about these aliens strikes fear and panic into the minds of most humans, even when members of both races try to meet and resolve the situation, the humans lash out at the aliens. Tensions escalate and it seems that the aliens may have to destroy humanity to save themselves. Then an unexpected solution arrises; Suza McRae, a high-functioning autistic savant in language is asked to make contact with the aliens. Because of her condition, she does not give into the same fears other humans do when in contact with the aliens.
I enjoyed this story a great deal. It puts a face on what autism is and isn't. Suza is an engaging character who seems to approach the problem at first as a means to get out form under her controlling mother, but then discovers friendship among the aliens as she tries to help them understand humans. The irony is that sometimes Suza doesn't her fellow humans any better than the aliens and sometimes she understands them all too well.
All and all a great piece of original science fiction. People of all ages should give it a try.
1084937
The story takes you through the post-almost-anihlation of the human race by aliens, and how some unlikely characters good, bad and in between fight to stay alive. The action is well described, the technology is realistic and believable, and the character's personalities add much color to the story. The story ends at a fair stopping point, but I can't wait to read the sequel.
3725854
A very good read and a quick read. . A science fiction that focused on a good story rather than the tech.
1645811
So much modern sci fi relies on convenient props, like FTL or AI, that it's nice to read a well-thought out tale that is believable and doesn't require a huge leap of faith (or convenient suspension of reality). The plot worked well, and there were no glaring loopholes (except for the lack of mold in the super-humid Hab) to spoil the flow. I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone else who has written such good near-future science fiction.
4825336
This is a fine read, a deftly plotted story, and a fresh look at first contact.  Young's science is convincing and her hand with technology is sure, but mostly, this is a story about people who matter.  A fine novel for anyone who enjoys hard sf and character-based fiction.
1509775
A very good science fiction story. Well written with good characterization and a good feel for what makes science fiction heart beat. Truly lovely that it is free, so readers can get a feel for who this author is.
2726695
This novel was better than I expected; although I'm not sure what i expected. I was a little put off when the first chapter started a course of action and it took several more chapters before it was made clear where the book was going. I enjoy good science fiction but not the aliens vs humans trying to destroy each other kind and this novel gave me what I want. The story revolves around a family of space traders and their problems being a small time trader going up against the big bad interplanetary corporations. The heroine has come up with a way to cut transit times through interstellar travel which would benefit the independents and make them more able to compete against the big boys.
1610559
I first read this in the early 70s, I think.  I lost my copy, looked for it in used bookstores whenever I went in one and had finally resigned myself to doing without.  Found it on Amazon.  Go figure.

Anyway, It's a feel good science fiction story about a world gone mad and facing extinction from an unknown, unsuspected source.  Enter the Earth's unlikely savior, a young man returned to earth after being raised from infancy by an alien race.  A vastly superior race who refused to take Earth's side in a recent battle with yet another alien race.  We don't like them, we don't trust them and the same goes for Duncan.

Earth's Stasi like security apparatus does all it can to uncover the returnee's plans, if any, but are ultimately foiled and reduced to looking helplessly on while he makes mysterious things and ultimately escapes to the devastated area and hooks up with the underground and His one and only too!

I think it's a good story, with interesting people and situations.  The only thing that cost it a star is somewhat dated style and dialogue.  Not too bad, but noticeable.  The mystery of the unknown menace is solved in an encouraging manner and everyone will live happily much longer.
2028249
I really enjoyed this Science Fiction story. Gen La Greca is able to move effortlessly between worlds and cultures. From the Antebellum South in A Dream Of Daring to two future planets on the verge of war in Fugitive from Asteron, La Greca both enthralls the reader and gives food for thought on age old issues.  Both books carry an important underlying theme that we would do well to remember today: the absolute need for freedom of the individual.

In Fugitive from Asteron, the hero escapes from a totalitarian society on his home planet of Asteron. On Asteron, there is no freedom for the underclass, and the ruler of the planet lives in splendor off the backs of those enslaved.

As always, the basic human desire for freedom rises from the darkness. There is resistance and rebellion, leading to the flight of the fugitive. When his spaceship lands, he finds himself in a world that is the polar opposite of Asteron, and there he encounters a new way of life, a new love, and a mystery that only he can solve.

The suspense is high and the characters are finely drawn and developed. A great read.
3967513
I am not fond of science fiction, but a good story is a good story, and PAX ROMANA: THE RISE OF SEREN is a very good story. Set in a future dystopia, it takes place mostly in Rome and Paris, cities under protective spheres to keep out air pollution and terrorists. Capt. Mark Knudson, the protagonist, comes alive as a dedicated protector of the European alliance in general and Rome in particular. The sub-plot of his love story will warm the hearts of female readers, and young adults, tech savvy, will enjoy his virtual-reality games that hone his battle skills. The action is vivid, and the characters come alive; we can visualize what's going on, and we care about the central characters. The last chapters are page turners par excellence. With its references to music, art, and literature, it is a novel for a wide range of readers, not just the sci-fi crowd who will eat it up. I recommend it highly.
208651
An excellent science fiction read. With elements of The Thing, Star was, and even Godzilla. It was a quick read but the world building, interesting story and cool chracters made it worth the cheap price.

And it come with two other shirt stories!
134791
This science fiction story takes place on Planet Storn, which has deadly winters so cold that humans cannot survive. People came to this planet generations earlier to escape from a dying Earth, and they must go into the freeze chambers in the sleep-ships on which they arrived for the duration of the killer winter. They call that period Wintersleep and it is mandatory for all, even though some don't even survive that.

A group of dissidents, led by Ansel, Trinto, and Doncer, realize that someone or something is terminating some of the children before they awake from Wintersleep, so they band together to try to save themselves and the children. Children that are considered "not earthly" are marked for termination and all records of their existence are expunged. When Ansel figures out what is going on, she enlists the others on this mission to save the extraordinary children.

This is one of the first sci-fi books I have read in a long time, and I had forgotten how much detail a reader needs to retain from chapter to chapter. A new world is filled with strange animals and plants, and then there's all the technical stuff to remember. I think keeping that all straight would have been easier for me had I been able to read the book over a weekend of just reading. In fact, sci-fi fans just might want to do that.

One can easily get caught up in the suspense of whether this band of people will reach Refuge safely and will they be safe once they get there. The central characters are interesting and the descriptions put the reader so far into the story you can feel the chill of the wind and see the strange animals. I thought the "camorses" were most interesting; a cross between a camel and a horse.
2464934
I enjoyed the story and the characters interaction and the action in space.  A good science fiction story and I am looking forward to book five in this series.
1761921
The sub-genre of the space opera has suffered greatly in recent years.  "Ancillary Justice" was one of the better space operas I've read recently.

This is a story primarily about gender, identity and class. In particular, for the greatest majority of the story, I was amused by how the author had infused gender into the trope. The androgynous 'corpse-soldier' (Ancillary) was a clever foil. In general this was a very 'soft' science fiction novel in the style of the late 70's through mid-80's (Jack Vance or Andre Norton).

The story is not without faults.  Like most stories 'spanning millennia', I had a tough time dealing with the author's lack of imagination.  A lot can happen in 1000 years in a technological society.  The story would have been better served tightening their time scale to just a few generations.  However, in general the tech was unimaginative.  In addition, the author set-up her audience for at least a trilogy, maybe more.  (I dislike when an author turns their readers into a pension.)

This was a pleasant, undemanding read reminiscent of the old skool of space opera with a modern spin.