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The Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure
Mars: You Decide How to Survive!
Join the youngest crew of astronauts ever to make the trip to Mars! Faced with fearsome dangers and difficult decisions, your choices will determine your fate on the Red Planet. Will you achieve the mission and return home to Earth safely, successfully earning the title of the youngest astronaut ever to make it to Mars? Or will you be forced to turn back early? This thrilling adventure offers twenty-two possible endings, but only ONE leads to the ultimate success! With eye-catching comic book style illustrations and information based on scientific facts related to Mars and space exploration, young readers will be over the moon with this entertaining addition to the Worst-Case Scenario series!
204 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2011
18 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
David Borgenicht
123 books18 followersDavid Borgenicht is the creator and co-author of the best-selling WORST CASE SCENARIO SURVIVAL HANDBOOK series. He is also the author of dozens of other books, including THE STAR TREK BOOK OF OPPOSITES and HOW TO CON YOUR KID. He is the president and publisher of Quirk Books (www.quirkbooks.com), Philadelphia-based publishers of entertaining, informative, and amusing fiction and non-fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 12, 2015
If I were rating this in terms of personal enjoyment, I'd probably give it three stars. However, I'm going to rate this one in terms of "book-talkability", and also in terms of other Choose Your Own Adventure books. Recently, my boyfriend came home with one of the classic Choose Your Own Adventure books, and we read one together. I never realized how SUPER LAME those books are. Almost no matter what you choose, you die a horrible death -- OR even worse the story ends at really random places that seem like they COULD be beginnings of stories instead of ends.
This book totally transforms the lameness of Choose Your Own Adventure Books into awesomeness. Before you read the actual story, the text directs you to read a non-fiction guide in the back. The guide tells you things about surviving on Mars, stuff about geography and the layout of the place your going, etc. etc. The book also informs you that while there are 24 endings, only ONE of them is the ending in which you achieve ultimate success in your Mars journey. This instantly turns this book into a game. Not only are you trying to read a story, but you're trying to choose the RIGHT story -- the story that will make you a winner! Competition + non-fiction + story decisions that are actually effected by facts...it's just a cool combo.
This will be a great book-talk for 3rd-5th graders -- it has just enough of a quirk factor mixed with fun non-fiction, and there's a GOAL. Particularly great for reluctant readers (there's pictures! And comic strips!) and boys.
This book totally transforms the lameness of Choose Your Own Adventure Books into awesomeness. Before you read the actual story, the text directs you to read a non-fiction guide in the back. The guide tells you things about surviving on Mars, stuff about geography and the layout of the place your going, etc. etc. The book also informs you that while there are 24 endings, only ONE of them is the ending in which you achieve ultimate success in your Mars journey. This instantly turns this book into a game. Not only are you trying to read a story, but you're trying to choose the RIGHT story -- the story that will make you a winner! Competition + non-fiction + story decisions that are actually effected by facts...it's just a cool combo.
This will be a great book-talk for 3rd-5th graders -- it has just enough of a quirk factor mixed with fun non-fiction, and there's a GOAL. Particularly great for reluctant readers (there's pictures! And comic strips!) and boys.
October 18, 2018
3.5
This book is an enjoyable science fiction choose your adventure book. I liked that I was primed to achieve "ultimate success" with a study guide for you to read before you start, although I did choose incorrectly once even then. I then went back and tried to read as many endings as I could find which surprisingly did not all end in death although I am sure they could have. I have not usually enjoyed choose your adventure type books, but this one worked because the scenarios and questions were grounded in a more realistic setting even though it was science fiction.
Popsugar 2018: A book set on a different planet
This book is an enjoyable science fiction choose your adventure book. I liked that I was primed to achieve "ultimate success" with a study guide for you to read before you start, although I did choose incorrectly once even then. I then went back and tried to read as many endings as I could find which surprisingly did not all end in death although I am sure they could have. I have not usually enjoyed choose your adventure type books, but this one worked because the scenarios and questions were grounded in a more realistic setting even though it was science fiction.
Popsugar 2018: A book set on a different planet
March 16, 2016
What a nostalgic book! I LOVED IT!
This book is reminiscent of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. Readers are immersed in a world of space travel and are introduced to their diverse team of experts. Each character is given a brief, but detailed biography detailing their personality traits and their area of expertise. This comes into play later when making vital decisions! The goal of the mission is, obviously, to get safely to the planet Mars on top of accomplishing tasks once on on the red planet. According to the book, there are 24 different endings to the story and only ONE will be the path that accomplishes all of your goals set before you.
Being a science teacher, I REALLY appreciated how the survival guide in the back as well as all of the actions taken in the book are based in scientific fact. Robert Zubrin was the lead consultant for the text. He has, "championed research and innovation around manned missions to Mars" and was the founder of the Mar Society.
The book is also a partial graphic novel. This is fabulous. I love graphic novels and this book, in particular, really only uses it to express intense action, which works really well for the book as a whole. The pictures are in black and white, but add even more character to the already action-packed and interesting text.
My overall review? Students will EAT. THIS. UP. It's different, you get to choose the story, AND there are pictures! What's not to like? I would probably use this as a fun read-aloud activity for 3rd-6th grade. I would especially like to use it for older students (leaning towards 5th and 6th grade) during a Mars or space unit because it's anchored in fact (and fun!)
This text received the Golden Duck Award and Eleanor Cameron Award for Middle Grades in 2012.
This book is reminiscent of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. Readers are immersed in a world of space travel and are introduced to their diverse team of experts. Each character is given a brief, but detailed biography detailing their personality traits and their area of expertise. This comes into play later when making vital decisions! The goal of the mission is, obviously, to get safely to the planet Mars on top of accomplishing tasks once on on the red planet. According to the book, there are 24 different endings to the story and only ONE will be the path that accomplishes all of your goals set before you.
Being a science teacher, I REALLY appreciated how the survival guide in the back as well as all of the actions taken in the book are based in scientific fact. Robert Zubrin was the lead consultant for the text. He has, "championed research and innovation around manned missions to Mars" and was the founder of the Mar Society.
The book is also a partial graphic novel. This is fabulous. I love graphic novels and this book, in particular, really only uses it to express intense action, which works really well for the book as a whole. The pictures are in black and white, but add even more character to the already action-packed and interesting text.
My overall review? Students will EAT. THIS. UP. It's different, you get to choose the story, AND there are pictures! What's not to like? I would probably use this as a fun read-aloud activity for 3rd-6th grade. I would especially like to use it for older students (leaning towards 5th and 6th grade) during a Mars or space unit because it's anchored in fact (and fun!)
This text received the Golden Duck Award and Eleanor Cameron Award for Middle Grades in 2012.
August 2, 2017
Really fun choose-your-own-adventure style book! I really like the back part that had all the scientific info you would need to be successful. And I also liked that some of the times you come to a dead end it's not just death that you face- there's other ways to fail besides that! But really fun book- a little more complicated that the old choose-your-own-adventures, which is good for those kids that are looking for something a little more challenging.
Overall, great read. It has narrative to read, coupled with illustrations and a few comic book like pages. Lots of fun, great read!
Overall, great read. It has narrative to read, coupled with illustrations and a few comic book like pages. Lots of fun, great read!
January 8, 2015
Many gamebooks contain a brief warning at the beginning, something to the effect that the book in hand is different from a linear novel, and won't make much sense if read the normal way. Since the story is interactive, the warnings say, readers need to pay attention to the instructions at the bottom of each page, following them closely to determine where they should turn next. A warning like that is standard in gamebooks, but Mars: You Decide How to Survive! doesn't give this typical warning. Instead, its cautionary prologue, positioned to be less noticeable than in most gamebooks, is a legal disclaimer: "WARNING: When a life is at risk or a dangerous situation is at hand, safe alternatives may not exist. The Publisher, Authors, and Consultant disclaim any liability from any injury that may result from the use, proper or improper, of the information contained in this book. All the technical information in this book comes from experts, but we do not guarantee that the information contained herein is complete, safe, or wholly accurate to every scenario, nor should it be considered a substitute for your good judgment or common sense." I'm sure this warning appears at the start of every entry in the Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure series, but it's curious to see it in this particular book. As of this writing, it isn't likely that a person who reads Mars: You Decide How to Survive! will find themselves on Martian soil anytime soon, so the authors are probably safe from lawsuits because their gaming advice backfired on someone who decided to implement it in real life. Unusual warning aside, Mars: You Decide How to Survive! is an innovative gamebook idea, one carefully tempered so as to feel authentic to the situation it represents. To help the authors, a special consultant on Mars exploration and colonization was employed so the writing is closer to science fact than science fiction, and I think it shows. This is the closest most kids of the twenty-first century will come to visiting the red planet, so the experience should be as immersive and realistic as possible.
You have been selected out of thousands of applicants for the Young Astronaut program, which will send you and a small crew on a two-and-a-half year mission to Mars to ready it for human colonization and see what new discoveries can be made about the mysterious planet's past and present. Only a young person of intelligence, curiosity, and responsibility would be chosen to play such a monumental role in human history, but you make all your own decisions in this book, so it's up to you to live up to your reputation. It isn't long into your voyage before you're already faced with dicy scenarios, some of which could get you and your crew killed if you don't think through them with due sobriety and care. Shuttling through space is serious business, especially when six months of travel is required to reach your final destination, and you and your crewmates put your lives in one another's hands every day.
If you reach Mars with life and limb intact, you'll be greeted with an assortment of possible jobs to perform, most of which aren't as alluring as getting out there on the planet's rusty surface and roving around for clues to its inscrutable history. Astronauts are needed for much more mundane tasks, as well, such as tending the growth of a community garden in the greenhouse, and caring for the little pack of goats being raised as an experimental food source. The intention is for your crew to stay on Mars for a year and a half, so it's not crucial that you run right out the door and get down to the business of exploring, but your stay in the less exotic jobs necessary to your mission could last weeks or even months, while friends are speeding across the Martian surface every day, having the time of their lives. You have to be willing to postpone the excitement you've waited so long for, because it isn't easy to reach the one truly good end in Mars: You Decide How to Survive!; Commander Wen expects big things from you and every other member of the expedition, and won't tolerate much slacking off or silliness. A minor wrong move might not end your respectable involvement in the mission, but it will squash your chances of reaching the best ending, so decide your next move warily at every juncture. Don't be afraid to dismiss the ideas of other astronauts if they aren't helpful to the greater mission or could land you in hot water with the powers that be, but don't be overly cautious with how you handle matters, either. An unwillingness to take big chances is just about certain to lead you to an ending that isn't wholly desirable, and could even get you killed, surprisingly enough. You have to use that all-star brain of yours to innovate, create, and know when to speak up to your superiors and assert that your ideas are just as meritorious as theirs. You'll have to come through in the clutch on multiple occasions to earn the reward of the one totally successful ending available out of the twenty-four in this book, but if you do, it will mean you've proven yourself indispensable to Commander Wen and your peers, paving the way for future young people as responsible as you to join the Young Astronaut program and explore space alongside the adults. That's a significant accomplishment, and you have reason to be proud.
Mars: You Decide How to Survive! reuses text much less frequently than most gamebooks I've read. The only section I can recall being used a few times is when you're relegated to status as a brick-maker in the construction dome; if you get there, it's only a matter of pages until you reach an ending that is less than satisfying, though you still have the power to make it merely blah, instead of a disaster. It isn't easy to reach the ending glowingly termed "The ultimate success"; several decisions you will have to make along the way feel counterintuitive to the education you received in the Mars Expedition File at the back of the book. Speaking of the file, it's a good resource to have on your voyage, so take the time to look through it before entering the main narrative. You can also look back to the file at any point during your adventure, in case you forgot something important. Most of what you'll need to make informed technical decisions is in there. Your crewmates are generally friendly and forgiving people, though Commander Wen has a tendency to be more heavy-handed with you than with his senior crew; at several points in the story it's possible for you to lose his favor for the duration of the mission over fairly small indiscretions, while major blunders by older astronauts don't appear to be held against them at all (Yes, Cooper Jackson, I'm thinking of you and your reckless driving). I suppose I wish there were ways to reclaim a completely successful mission even after making a few small decisions that count against you; this is your opportunity of a lifetime, and it seems unnecessarily unfair that even the tiniest misstep dooms you to a mission that can never be totally fulfilling. I also would have preferred the writing to focus a bit more on the incredibly evocative surroundings that come with taking a voyage to Mars. This is outer space, awesome and majestic and vastly beyond human comprehension, and the feelings of awe that a young astronaut making his or her first foray into the vacuum of our solar system surely would feel could have been touched on much more deeply in this book. There's nothing wrong with the way it is written, focused on the gaming and decision-making aspects ahead of descriptive sensation, but I would have liked a more equal balance.
In the end, Mars: You Decide How to Survive! is a notable permutation to the corporate whole of gamebooks, and definitely has its positives. The switch-offs between traditional text and graphic-novel style sections is interesting, and I'd like to see how that system continues to develop in this series. Probably the best thing about the book's writing is how effectively it engenders within the reader feelings of injustice when you are passed over for a desirable assignment in favor of someone who hasn't shown themselves nearly as competent or resourceful as you, or when you lose the respect of a crewmember just because you didn't approach a difficult situation exactly as he or she would have wanted. Hey, you're still young, and choices are going to be ambiguous for everyone in such a new situation as traveling through the solar system. Your fellow astronauts aren't perfect, and they shouldn't expect perfection from you, either. Those feelings of unfairness come alive in this story, and are probably what I will remember most about it. I liked Mars: You Decide How to Survive!, and I would give it one and a half stars, which I almost rounded up to two. It is a good addition to the field of interactive storytelling.
You have been selected out of thousands of applicants for the Young Astronaut program, which will send you and a small crew on a two-and-a-half year mission to Mars to ready it for human colonization and see what new discoveries can be made about the mysterious planet's past and present. Only a young person of intelligence, curiosity, and responsibility would be chosen to play such a monumental role in human history, but you make all your own decisions in this book, so it's up to you to live up to your reputation. It isn't long into your voyage before you're already faced with dicy scenarios, some of which could get you and your crew killed if you don't think through them with due sobriety and care. Shuttling through space is serious business, especially when six months of travel is required to reach your final destination, and you and your crewmates put your lives in one another's hands every day.
If you reach Mars with life and limb intact, you'll be greeted with an assortment of possible jobs to perform, most of which aren't as alluring as getting out there on the planet's rusty surface and roving around for clues to its inscrutable history. Astronauts are needed for much more mundane tasks, as well, such as tending the growth of a community garden in the greenhouse, and caring for the little pack of goats being raised as an experimental food source. The intention is for your crew to stay on Mars for a year and a half, so it's not crucial that you run right out the door and get down to the business of exploring, but your stay in the less exotic jobs necessary to your mission could last weeks or even months, while friends are speeding across the Martian surface every day, having the time of their lives. You have to be willing to postpone the excitement you've waited so long for, because it isn't easy to reach the one truly good end in Mars: You Decide How to Survive!; Commander Wen expects big things from you and every other member of the expedition, and won't tolerate much slacking off or silliness. A minor wrong move might not end your respectable involvement in the mission, but it will squash your chances of reaching the best ending, so decide your next move warily at every juncture. Don't be afraid to dismiss the ideas of other astronauts if they aren't helpful to the greater mission or could land you in hot water with the powers that be, but don't be overly cautious with how you handle matters, either. An unwillingness to take big chances is just about certain to lead you to an ending that isn't wholly desirable, and could even get you killed, surprisingly enough. You have to use that all-star brain of yours to innovate, create, and know when to speak up to your superiors and assert that your ideas are just as meritorious as theirs. You'll have to come through in the clutch on multiple occasions to earn the reward of the one totally successful ending available out of the twenty-four in this book, but if you do, it will mean you've proven yourself indispensable to Commander Wen and your peers, paving the way for future young people as responsible as you to join the Young Astronaut program and explore space alongside the adults. That's a significant accomplishment, and you have reason to be proud.
Mars: You Decide How to Survive! reuses text much less frequently than most gamebooks I've read. The only section I can recall being used a few times is when you're relegated to status as a brick-maker in the construction dome; if you get there, it's only a matter of pages until you reach an ending that is less than satisfying, though you still have the power to make it merely blah, instead of a disaster. It isn't easy to reach the ending glowingly termed "The ultimate success"; several decisions you will have to make along the way feel counterintuitive to the education you received in the Mars Expedition File at the back of the book. Speaking of the file, it's a good resource to have on your voyage, so take the time to look through it before entering the main narrative. You can also look back to the file at any point during your adventure, in case you forgot something important. Most of what you'll need to make informed technical decisions is in there. Your crewmates are generally friendly and forgiving people, though Commander Wen has a tendency to be more heavy-handed with you than with his senior crew; at several points in the story it's possible for you to lose his favor for the duration of the mission over fairly small indiscretions, while major blunders by older astronauts don't appear to be held against them at all (Yes, Cooper Jackson, I'm thinking of you and your reckless driving). I suppose I wish there were ways to reclaim a completely successful mission even after making a few small decisions that count against you; this is your opportunity of a lifetime, and it seems unnecessarily unfair that even the tiniest misstep dooms you to a mission that can never be totally fulfilling. I also would have preferred the writing to focus a bit more on the incredibly evocative surroundings that come with taking a voyage to Mars. This is outer space, awesome and majestic and vastly beyond human comprehension, and the feelings of awe that a young astronaut making his or her first foray into the vacuum of our solar system surely would feel could have been touched on much more deeply in this book. There's nothing wrong with the way it is written, focused on the gaming and decision-making aspects ahead of descriptive sensation, but I would have liked a more equal balance.
In the end, Mars: You Decide How to Survive! is a notable permutation to the corporate whole of gamebooks, and definitely has its positives. The switch-offs between traditional text and graphic-novel style sections is interesting, and I'd like to see how that system continues to develop in this series. Probably the best thing about the book's writing is how effectively it engenders within the reader feelings of injustice when you are passed over for a desirable assignment in favor of someone who hasn't shown themselves nearly as competent or resourceful as you, or when you lose the respect of a crewmember just because you didn't approach a difficult situation exactly as he or she would have wanted. Hey, you're still young, and choices are going to be ambiguous for everyone in such a new situation as traveling through the solar system. Your fellow astronauts aren't perfect, and they shouldn't expect perfection from you, either. Those feelings of unfairness come alive in this story, and are probably what I will remember most about it. I liked Mars: You Decide How to Survive!, and I would give it one and a half stars, which I almost rounded up to two. It is a good addition to the field of interactive storytelling.
November 24, 2011
As the youngest member of a crew of astronauts headed to the planet Mars you have a lot to prove. Not only will you be faced with keeping your crew alive, but potentially aiding in the continued survival of the human race that will soon be colonizing the red planet. You will have to read up on the many conditions of space travel as well as the environmental aspects of Mars in hopes that you will survive to return home to planet earth as a successful adventurer and astronaut.
It seems as though I’m making up for lost time with my recent reads of the “choose-your-own-adventure” style books. In the past two years I’ve read a minimum of two a year and sometimes more. As an adult I find them incredibly fun though obviously not my first choice for my personal reading I can absolutely see how they appeal to young readers. If I had been exposed to these type of books as a ten (or so) year old I’m positive I would have devoured as many as I could have gotten my hands on. Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! is no exception to this and I’m thoroughly excited to share the series with my own kiddos, my son especially.
So, what exactly about Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! in particular do I think would appeal to my son specifically? Without a doubt I know the non-fiction aspects of the story would grab him right away. At some point they may appeal to my daughter as well, but her interest in non-fiction type material has yet to emerge. My son on the other hand is constantly on the lookout for new bits of information to devour and this would be perfect. In the back of Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! there is a helpful “Expedition File” that includes information about everything from the way to determine north and south while on Mars by the stars to how to survive a dust storm to the types of robotic machines and more. It’s fantastic! With the addition of the story you determine by making certain choices this is easily a book that could be read over and over and over again for hours of reading fun.
Adventures in space and an outcome determined by the reader, the edition of Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! by David Borgenicht is sure to be a hit with young readers who love learning. Having myself only read a couple of the choose-your-own-adventure type books I can only judge them based on my limited exposure to them and husband’s experiences reading them in his youth. But having said that I’d easily say this would be a top choice among today’s versions of the chose-your-own-adventure books! Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! was captivating as well as educational and each of the scenarios you are placed in require more than simply guessing which way to go. I’d highly recommend this as well as the other books in this series by Chronicle Books to young adventure seekers who love a little bit of fun learning mixed with their reading!
My original review was posted at There's A Book.
It seems as though I’m making up for lost time with my recent reads of the “choose-your-own-adventure” style books. In the past two years I’ve read a minimum of two a year and sometimes more. As an adult I find them incredibly fun though obviously not my first choice for my personal reading I can absolutely see how they appeal to young readers. If I had been exposed to these type of books as a ten (or so) year old I’m positive I would have devoured as many as I could have gotten my hands on. Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! is no exception to this and I’m thoroughly excited to share the series with my own kiddos, my son especially.
So, what exactly about Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! in particular do I think would appeal to my son specifically? Without a doubt I know the non-fiction aspects of the story would grab him right away. At some point they may appeal to my daughter as well, but her interest in non-fiction type material has yet to emerge. My son on the other hand is constantly on the lookout for new bits of information to devour and this would be perfect. In the back of Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! there is a helpful “Expedition File” that includes information about everything from the way to determine north and south while on Mars by the stars to how to survive a dust storm to the types of robotic machines and more. It’s fantastic! With the addition of the story you determine by making certain choices this is easily a book that could be read over and over and over again for hours of reading fun.
Adventures in space and an outcome determined by the reader, the edition of Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! by David Borgenicht is sure to be a hit with young readers who love learning. Having myself only read a couple of the choose-your-own-adventure type books I can only judge them based on my limited exposure to them and husband’s experiences reading them in his youth. But having said that I’d easily say this would be a top choice among today’s versions of the chose-your-own-adventure books! Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure #2: Mars! was captivating as well as educational and each of the scenarios you are placed in require more than simply guessing which way to go. I’d highly recommend this as well as the other books in this series by Chronicle Books to young adventure seekers who love a little bit of fun learning mixed with their reading!
My original review was posted at There's A Book.
July 30, 2012
I picked up three books in the series- Amazon, Everest and Mars. I completed Amazon and Everest on the first try and it was very exciting. I used the same method for this book- reading the survival guide in the back and picking my options based on the survival guide. It took me 12 times to win, but I did not really feel like a winner. All three books have both genders with important roles, but this is the only one of the three that uses sexist language- specifically "manned" mission and "manpower". Come ON. You're going to put women on the spaceship, give them active roles but STILL use sexist language? What is wrong with you? Also, I felt I wasn't properly characterized. It's written in the second person- so you are "you" in the book, and I was cast as someone who loves adventure and doesn't want the goat or the greenhouse job. Are you kidding? I love goats! They have cute eyes and make funny noises, and will eat anything. So they can help you recycle, which is good. Don't want the tin can? Give it to the goat. The other books you can pretty much get through without technical knowledge but on the Mars trip it assumes you are this superstar astronaut, and I guess I would have preferred going into this book with, say, some knowledge about electrical engineering. But, you know, I'm sure kids would love this book. That's why it gets one instead of zero stars.
January 26, 2015
The story: there are lots of choices you can make to help yourself survive as a member of a colony on the surface of Mars. Choose wisely, and you'll end up as a hero, on your way back home to brag to the other kids home on Earth. Mess up, and you'll find yourself stranded. Or dead. What will happen in YOUR worst-case scenario?
June cleavers ratings: violence PG, everything else G.
Liz's opinion: I thought this was pretty engaging--enough so that I went through and followed several of the scenarios through to the end. More than one ended up with "you" dead on the surface of the planet, or just having a ho-hum existence during your time there. Make all the right choices, though, and you end up a hero. The mission handbook at the back is full of information that helps readers make good choices so they don't end up dead TOO often...but even if they do, they can always back it up and go a different way. Good for boys, or anyone who's not so bound by linear thinking that they just HAVE to read a book straight through! There are several others in the series, including Everest, Amazon, and Deadly Seas.
June cleavers ratings: violence PG, everything else G.
Liz's opinion: I thought this was pretty engaging--enough so that I went through and followed several of the scenarios through to the end. More than one ended up with "you" dead on the surface of the planet, or just having a ho-hum existence during your time there. Make all the right choices, though, and you end up a hero. The mission handbook at the back is full of information that helps readers make good choices so they don't end up dead TOO often...but even if they do, they can always back it up and go a different way. Good for boys, or anyone who's not so bound by linear thinking that they just HAVE to read a book straight through! There are several others in the series, including Everest, Amazon, and Deadly Seas.
October 3, 2011
The Worst Case Scenario: Mars
Love this book! Love the first one details and climb of the group up Mount Everest. This novel is no different… maybe better! Anytime a teen or I, the reader get to choose the outcome of an amazing story it makes me want to read more about the subject (other fiction and nonfiction works) and look for other possibilities for novels like this one. This book’s storyline is how we (society and the characters in the story) are dealing with space, the earth and of course the human role (philosophy) in the adventure of space. I love the solar system, particularly MARS. So, I get to be part of a crew that goes to Mars. The information of the crew is an important part of this… grabs-me, game-like adventure story. The extra plus bonus are picture boards that often help carry the story forward (some swatches of graphic novel pages.)
Love this book! Love the first one details and climb of the group up Mount Everest. This novel is no different… maybe better! Anytime a teen or I, the reader get to choose the outcome of an amazing story it makes me want to read more about the subject (other fiction and nonfiction works) and look for other possibilities for novels like this one. This book’s storyline is how we (society and the characters in the story) are dealing with space, the earth and of course the human role (philosophy) in the adventure of space. I love the solar system, particularly MARS. So, I get to be part of a crew that goes to Mars. The information of the crew is an important part of this… grabs-me, game-like adventure story. The extra plus bonus are picture boards that often help carry the story forward (some swatches of graphic novel pages.)
May 4, 2012
It was an cool idea, I mean your chooses impact how the book ends: there are a lot of chooses and only one is the right you to continue the story. I guess I have poor judgement skills because I ended up killing myself and/or my crew mates more that once. The problem is the flipping back and front through the book it is frustrating at the best times.You are going to need patience if you feel like trying this book. If the government is taking people to Mars, I better be the last one or the crew and/or myself are goners. Did i mention that I killed my crew more than once?
May 15, 2016
Found it on my physical library. Apparently it was a gift, though I do not recall when it was bestowed upon me.
Ok-ish sci-fi pocket book. Read it on the beach on a lazy Sunday morning. Not that memorable but should keep the reader distracted for a bit. At least until you find something worth your while, I daresay.
You could probably finish it in less than one hour. Since it offers you twenty-four possible endings, should you wish to check out every possible ending, make it two and a half hours.
Ok-ish sci-fi pocket book. Read it on the beach on a lazy Sunday morning. Not that memorable but should keep the reader distracted for a bit. At least until you find something worth your while, I daresay.
You could probably finish it in less than one hour. Since it offers you twenty-four possible endings, should you wish to check out every possible ending, make it two and a half hours.
January 3, 2015
My first ending was totally disappointing, but my second was better! I intend to keep trying for that ultimate ending. Oh, and FYI: I would never move to Mars! You live, play, and eat indoors... as much as Earth is a little heavy on the pollution, I much rather still have the option of driving a couple of hours and vacation at the lake, and/or easily travel to other countries. There's nothing but dust on Mars.
February 17, 2016
Great for reluctant readers that will enjoy choosing their own story path. The "Expedition File" at the end of the book should be read first. Pertinent, factual information informs the reader and prepares them for successful decision making. There is only one path that will lead to the "ultimate success." However, there are 24 possible outcomes, some of which--to the delight of most kids--lead to a final demise. Kids love to tell me, "I died five times!"
February 19, 2017
I picked this out for my 6th grade son as a fun read along to go with our unit on Mars. Like the old Choose Your Own Adventures, the reader makes decisions and follows story trees. I liked this one. I blasted off, made it to Mars, took care of goats, went on away missions, blew up a few times, saved the day a few times, and even got the "Ultimate Success."
August 20, 2013
My son (rising 4th) has read all these books and this was his least favorite. The Amazon was clearly his favorite and he "learned" the most from the everest. He felt this was the most confusing and harder to make the "right" choice (i.e. so you didn't die, or get sent back, or got a job you didn't want, etc).
December 20, 2013
I did it! A grown woman a solid two decades older than the presumed demographic, I finally got through in one reading to the best ending! (And only had to cheat once… well, twice… ok maybe three times.)
Loved the mix of adventures and solid research shown on what we currently know about Mars and what manned exploration might be like.
Loved it! And go me! I saved the colony! :-D
May 9, 2014
This is the quintessential example of the traditional Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book from when I was growing up. This has many parts to it so one doesn't really ever finish reading one of these. I went through about 3 or 4 different paths and each one was pleasantly entertaining. Definitely a book for kids through adults too.
June 17, 2015
Not as much disaster as you'd expect from the Worst Case Scenario people. I enjoyed the way everything was well-defined, and it did make me nostalgic for the Choose Your Own Adventure series of my youth. It also had the effect of making space travel sound boring and busy, which it probably is if you have to do a repetitive job.
July 5, 2017
The scenarios in this choose-your-own-adventure felt weighted and invest you in the story. The interplay with illustrations also ups the engagement. My choices didn't even get me to Mars, but I felt satisfied with the well developed setting and characters. There's a lot of reading time in this book!
October 22, 2019
It was exiting really good just some times confusing but it was really cool it was based in space and its a book where u choos e how to survive it was fun relaxing exiting calming and sometimes nerv raking but I enjoyed it but I wish it would it would be a little more better but so far really goood 4 stars
September 29, 2011
This is a very cool adventure story with many paths, but just one way to the right conclusion. (No, I have not found it yet.) Study the nonfiction in the back for clues, enjoy the illustrations, and get lost in a fun choose your own adventure-style story.
September 24, 2012
Another fun survival choose your path adventure. Difference from Amazon and Everest is that some of the choices are not predicted by the file and crew summaries. I had to restart more than once to get through this time.
December 28, 2016
Better than the Amazon Rainforest one of this series. The decisions were tougher, and sometimes what seemed less dangerous actually killed you. However, this led to excitement and in increasing need to actually pay attention to the scenario, instead of the more obvious choices in the Rainforest.
December 11, 2017
Good book, but probably a little too technical for my 7-year-old (even for read-aloud). The stories were rather short so we read through various decisions.
I'll look for younger choose-your-own reads but opted for this one initially due to the space theme. May come back to it in a few years.
I'll look for younger choose-your-own reads but opted for this one initially due to the space theme. May come back to it in a few years.
September 23, 2011
Modern day choose your own adventure with graphic novel elements.
May 23, 2012
The plot lines in this book are interesting and easy to follow. The decisions make you think how your life can change when colonizing a new planet.
November 13, 2012
Fun book for kids. My son really enjoyed this book. He read it several times with alternate endings, until he reached the "ultimate success".
May 25, 2013
Excellent choice for readers who like to be the master of their own ship!
August 27, 2013
choose your own adventure book
June 9, 2014
These are pretty great books. I enjoy all the different scenarios and testing my imagined skills. However, it turns out that visiting mars might not be such a super idea for me...
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