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Saving Mars #1
Saving Mars
When the food supply of Mars’ human settlement is decimated, seventeen-year-old Jessamyn Jaarda, the best pilot Mars Colonial has ever seen, flies to Earth to raid for food. Earth-Mars relations couldn’t be worse, and her brother is captured during the raid. Breaking rules of secrecy and no contact, Jess finds an ally in Pavel, nephew to a government official, but their friendship only makes more agonizing the choice before her: Save her brother or save her planet?
384 pages, ebook
First published July 26, 2012
721 people are currently reading
1532 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
July 8, 2016
Second time I’ve read this and it is still awesome! Love Jessamyn, love Pavel, and love all the twists we got thrown!
9 out of 10
9 out of 10
February 16, 2024
I wouldn't call it hard science fiction, but I won't sneer derisively either at the YA aspects of this first-in-series novel. Swanson is a really good writer. She wrote the Ripple series which I read the initial trilogy over ten years ago. That series is on its seventh book. This one is on its sixth book. Clearly, she knows how to engage her readership.
Jess is a pilot who lives on Mars which has been terraformed to sustain human life, but in the interim, there was a war between Earth and the Marsian Terraformers. Consequently, Earth has adopted a non-interaction protocol to completely distance itself from the Marsian people. In fact, the administrators on Earth have actually constructed weapons to make certain that there will be no cross-planetary interaction.
Ordinarily, that would be fine, but there was a suspicious fire that has destroyed 90 percent of the food stores. If the Marsian people are to survive, there must be a way made to interact that will ensure Marsian survival. If only the Marsian people had a capable pilot who knew how to abide by orders. Can Jess stay on mission? That's tough because Jess has been grounded and she has a rebellious spirit.
It was easy to fall into the story, and although the world-building exposition was sophisticated, it minutely detailed the idiosyncrasies beautifully. This is a well-written, strongly plotted story with unique ideas about how terraforming might occur.
Jess is a pilot who lives on Mars which has been terraformed to sustain human life, but in the interim, there was a war between Earth and the Marsian Terraformers. Consequently, Earth has adopted a non-interaction protocol to completely distance itself from the Marsian people. In fact, the administrators on Earth have actually constructed weapons to make certain that there will be no cross-planetary interaction.
Ordinarily, that would be fine, but there was a suspicious fire that has destroyed 90 percent of the food stores. If the Marsian people are to survive, there must be a way made to interact that will ensure Marsian survival. If only the Marsian people had a capable pilot who knew how to abide by orders. Can Jess stay on mission? That's tough because Jess has been grounded and she has a rebellious spirit.
It was easy to fall into the story, and although the world-building exposition was sophisticated, it minutely detailed the idiosyncrasies beautifully. This is a well-written, strongly plotted story with unique ideas about how terraforming might occur.
January 1, 2013
This is a nice old-fashioned SF coming-of-age story but a bit TOO YA for my adult taste, in the sense that it requires me to be too uncritical. It revolves around a Mars society that cannot raise any food on its own and is dependent for food on an Earth with which it cannot legally have any contact, and an Earth society that thinks everyone on Mars is dead. This Earth also has a practice where everyone is "re-bodied" into a different body (of different ages) 4 times before the end of a mandatory 72-year-old life span. Every 20 years a Mars ship makes a clandestine trip back to earth to exchange tellurium, which Earth needs, for food rations. If this set-up raises a lot of questions in your mind, I am not surprised, because it did in mine, and a lot of the details just do not seem adequately explained or are just not credible.
That being said, the plucky young heroine is engaging and the story is enjoyable if predictable. I find myself wanting to know what happens in book 2 but not enough to spend time reading it.
That being said, the plucky young heroine is engaging and the story is enjoyable if predictable. I find myself wanting to know what happens in book 2 but not enough to spend time reading it.
July 8, 2020
This was a freebie! The synopsis was so interesting that I had to read it! I did enjoy the concept of a Mars Colony even if they couldn't grow their own food! I liked that Ethan was an autistic genius! But there was something about Jess that put me off.
April 13, 2013
I enjoyed this story, and I sort of want to know what happens next, but for some reason I feel really critical of some of the plot points.
Things I did like: I liked the idea of the Mars colonies. I liked how they were surviving, but not very well. I liked the images of what was needed to survive daily life on Mars: the walk-out suits, the ration bars, the bi-annum visits with the planetary dog. These were fun and interesting details that helped make the Marsian world realistic to me.
I also loved Jessamyn's sense of wonder. I like that it is a key motivating factor for her, and what it implies about her character. I've never seen this characteristic brought out in a novel before, but I think here it did both the character and the plotline justice.
And the idea of re-bodying cracked me up. I thought it was so fascinating, I had to explain it to my husband. The concept also provides the novel with a lot of interesting plot-twist possibilities which Swanson utilizes well.
1. I don't understand how Jess got to be pilot of the Galleon. Not only is she only a pilot trainee when the mission begins, but she was suspended for her refusal to obey direct orders. While I don't think we were ever told exactly how many people live on Mars, I got the feeling it must have been at least as many as live in a small city on earth, so maybe 50k? Surely, out of that many people, there must have been at least one person who was a more skilled pilot than Jess. She's intuitive and talented, fine, but I have to believe experience would count for far, far more in a scenario where the survival of the whole planet is at stake.
Similarly, When the survival of said planet depends on people following orders very carefully, who on God's red Mars would assign a delinquent who not only got in trouble, but never comes to understand why what she did was wrong? Okay, the CEO liked her honesty, but I would have expected them to at least require her to make some kind of formal declaration of understanding about what she did wrong.
On paper, she's given the pilot job because she's the only one who can help her brother survive the trip. So why not send her along solely in the capacity of her brother's keeper? Nothing in the story suggests that the ships were physically limited to 5-person crews.
2. Jessamyn's lack of common sense really bothered me. It led to the above problems with her refusing to obey orders and then refusing to understand why that was a problem. It also leads to nearly all the plot complications. She doesn't know beans about how things work on Earth, but instead of being cautious and observant, she leaps to conclusions about everything from what's edible to appropriate disguises to how carefully she will be monitored by the Terrans. I know one of the central themes was her struggle to see things from other people's perspectives, but this went slightly outside those lines to simple stupidity. I wanted to shake her on several occasions.
I can't blame Jess for being a 17-year-old. I think she acted exactly like a 17-year-old would act. I blame other people for ignoring this and giving her the duties of a 30-year-old and for expecting her to act differently than her history suggested she would.
3. Pavel. Nice kid. Bit of a twinkie. Too much of a Deus ex Machina. He kept somehow being in all the right places at all the right times with - despite his relationship to his powerful aunt, rather than because of it - all the appropriate access to resources Jess needed to help her get out of the next impossible scrape.
I dunno. In the end, I'm kind of disappointed by this book that wasHugo-nominated and* Kirkus-awarded and so very well reviewed. I also feel like I can guess how the series progresses, what with an illicit attempted rescue mission for Ethan and Harpreet, discovery of the Marsians by the evil Lucca, a bit of war between them, and then Lucca somehow deposed to be replaced by her Marsian-sympathizing nephew who will bring about a new era of peace and cooperation and lovesies with Jess. All speculation of course.
*I don't remember where I got the idea it was Hugo-nominated, but apparently it was not. In any case, the fact that I thought it was did influence my quantity of disappointment, so I'll just cross that bit out instead of deleting it. :)
Things I did like: I liked the idea of the Mars colonies. I liked how they were surviving, but not very well. I liked the images of what was needed to survive daily life on Mars: the walk-out suits, the ration bars, the bi-annum visits with the planetary dog. These were fun and interesting details that helped make the Marsian world realistic to me.
I also loved Jessamyn's sense of wonder. I like that it is a key motivating factor for her, and what it implies about her character. I've never seen this characteristic brought out in a novel before, but I think here it did both the character and the plotline justice.
And the idea of re-bodying cracked me up. I thought it was so fascinating, I had to explain it to my husband. The concept also provides the novel with a lot of interesting plot-twist possibilities which Swanson utilizes well.
1. I don't understand how Jess got to be pilot of the Galleon. Not only is she only a pilot trainee when the mission begins, but she was suspended for her refusal to obey direct orders. While I don't think we were ever told exactly how many people live on Mars, I got the feeling it must have been at least as many as live in a small city on earth, so maybe 50k? Surely, out of that many people, there must have been at least one person who was a more skilled pilot than Jess. She's intuitive and talented, fine, but I have to believe experience would count for far, far more in a scenario where the survival of the whole planet is at stake.
Similarly, When the survival of said planet depends on people following orders very carefully, who on God's red Mars would assign a delinquent who not only got in trouble, but never comes to understand why what she did was wrong? Okay, the CEO liked her honesty, but I would have expected them to at least require her to make some kind of formal declaration of understanding about what she did wrong.
On paper, she's given the pilot job because she's the only one who can help her brother survive the trip. So why not send her along solely in the capacity of her brother's keeper? Nothing in the story suggests that the ships were physically limited to 5-person crews.
2. Jessamyn's lack of common sense really bothered me. It led to the above problems with her refusing to obey orders and then refusing to understand why that was a problem. It also leads to nearly all the plot complications. She doesn't know beans about how things work on Earth, but instead of being cautious and observant, she leaps to conclusions about everything from what's edible to appropriate disguises to how carefully she will be monitored by the Terrans. I know one of the central themes was her struggle to see things from other people's perspectives, but this went slightly outside those lines to simple stupidity. I wanted to shake her on several occasions.
I can't blame Jess for being a 17-year-old. I think she acted exactly like a 17-year-old would act. I blame other people for ignoring this and giving her the duties of a 30-year-old and for expecting her to act differently than her history suggested she would.
3. Pavel. Nice kid. Bit of a twinkie. Too much of a Deus ex Machina. He kept somehow being in all the right places at all the right times with - despite his relationship to his powerful aunt, rather than because of it - all the appropriate access to resources Jess needed to help her get out of the next impossible scrape.
I dunno. In the end, I'm kind of disappointed by this book that was
*I don't remember where I got the idea it was Hugo-nominated, but apparently it was not. In any case, the fact that I thought it was did influence my quantity of disappointment, so I'll just cross that bit out instead of deleting it. :)
June 5, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It's an action-adventure that brings to mind the same old feeling I got as a teen reading classic Anne McCaffrey and CJ Cherryh science fiction, but with just enough space-opera to keep me turning pages.
I like that the author was unafraid to go over-the-top with Earth society, and although I felt the shadow of Hunger Games with some of the Earth scenes, it didn't detract from the story. If I were a teenager, the scenes would have made perfect sense from an adventure perspective. As a grown adult, I did question some of them, but it's due to personal taste--the storyline I was most interested in was only tangential to some of those Earth scenes. Still, the book as a whole worked very well for me.
The premise of a teenaged hotshot pilot with the survival of an entire planet in her hands might seem a bit of a stretch to the adult reader, but it makes sense given the context of a colony where young people have to grow up fast, and those great teenage reflexes come in handy when doing things like piloting starships, even if the maturity might not be caught up.
However, the "hotshot kid" is one of the most beloved tropes in science fiction and YA literature. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that stories with this trope--whether books, movies, TV shows, or other media--are instrumental in inspiring both the wonder of discovery and the tissue-deep belief that in space, no one can tell you you can't be anything you want to be.
That sense of hope, of striving to exceed your abilities, pervades the story, and it's one of many reasons I'll keep reading the series.
I like that the author was unafraid to go over-the-top with Earth society, and although I felt the shadow of Hunger Games with some of the Earth scenes, it didn't detract from the story. If I were a teenager, the scenes would have made perfect sense from an adventure perspective. As a grown adult, I did question some of them, but it's due to personal taste--the storyline I was most interested in was only tangential to some of those Earth scenes. Still, the book as a whole worked very well for me.
The premise of a teenaged hotshot pilot with the survival of an entire planet in her hands might seem a bit of a stretch to the adult reader, but it makes sense given the context of a colony where young people have to grow up fast, and those great teenage reflexes come in handy when doing things like piloting starships, even if the maturity might not be caught up.
However, the "hotshot kid" is one of the most beloved tropes in science fiction and YA literature. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that stories with this trope--whether books, movies, TV shows, or other media--are instrumental in inspiring both the wonder of discovery and the tissue-deep belief that in space, no one can tell you you can't be anything you want to be.
That sense of hope, of striving to exceed your abilities, pervades the story, and it's one of many reasons I'll keep reading the series.
June 5, 2015
This reminds me of a Heinlein juvenile, in all the best ways. A bright, rebellious redheaded teen gets sent on an emergency mission because her neuro-atypical brother can't handle the trip without her, and of course things go sideways from there. I was alternately reminded of Podkayne of Mars and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and that's pretty fine company.
There are some interesting social and scientific ideas here, and it's always fun to see Earth through the eyes of someone who's only ever known Mars. There's a bit of reading between the lines required, but we gradually get to see that the Mars colony is in pretty bad shape, holding on by pure determination and refusal to quit. I'm looking forward to seeing how one plot development affects her brother, but saying more would be a major spoiler.
The book's not without its flaws, though. One scientific clunker is that the Mars colony has trouble with peroxide - it's just H2O2; it'll break down into oxygen and water just fine. There are a few formatting flaws, too, such as the ship names not being italicized. (They are in the second book, which means this one clashes by comparison.) They're not huge problems, but there are enough flaws for me to deny the book a fifth star. I've already started on book two (of six), though, and I may well blaze through the whole series in short order.
There are some interesting social and scientific ideas here, and it's always fun to see Earth through the eyes of someone who's only ever known Mars. There's a bit of reading between the lines required, but we gradually get to see that the Mars colony is in pretty bad shape, holding on by pure determination and refusal to quit. I'm looking forward to seeing how one plot development affects her brother, but saying more would be a major spoiler.
The book's not without its flaws, though. One scientific clunker is that the Mars colony has trouble with peroxide - it's just H2O2; it'll break down into oxygen and water just fine. There are a few formatting flaws, too, such as the ship names not being italicized. (They are in the second book, which means this one clashes by comparison.) They're not huge problems, but there are enough flaws for me to deny the book a fifth star. I've already started on book two (of six), though, and I may well blaze through the whole series in short order.
May 9, 2020
Fascinating scenario of a struggling Martian colony concealing its existence from a dystopian Earth. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 12, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5
It took me awhile to get into this book. In the beginning this book was kind of slow and confusing, but the book really picked up after that! Closer to the end, I really enjoyed this book, and if it wasn't for how long it took for me to get into this book., it would have 4 stars!
But I will most definitely be reading the next book!
It took me awhile to get into this book. In the beginning this book was kind of slow and confusing, but the book really picked up after that! Closer to the end, I really enjoyed this book, and if it wasn't for how long it took for me to get into this book., it would have 4 stars!
But I will most definitely be reading the next book!
April 10, 2013
I picked this up after Nathan Lowell recommended the sequel. I take Nathan's recommendations seriously, since I discovered Debora Geary, one of my favourite authors, through him, so I started out predisposed to like this a lot.
I did enjoy it, too, despite massive setting issues. More on that in a moment.
The writing is smooth and competent, with only occasional errors: capitol instead of capital, physician's when it should be physicians', discretely instead of discreetly, enormity used to mean largeness instead of dreadfulness. Not too bad. Four stars.
The plot is full of incident, with high stakes, suspense and drama. Unfortunately, the setup for the plot to be high-stakes, suspenseful and dramatic broke my suspension of disbelief and then danced on the pieces. (Again, more of that shortly.) Four stars for plot.
The characters were diverse, though I didn't think they achieved a lot of depth or departed far from their archetypes. We have the wise mentor, the stick-up-the-butt ambitious captain, the rash youth, the idealistic youth, the villiany villainous villain who is far too villainous (shooting minions, really?), the great and beloved leader. The only character who struck me as really original was the protagonist's brother, who's somewhere on the autism spectrum, and even then, he falls into the autistic-savant stereotype. I'm only giving three stars for characters. They weren't great, but at least they weren't annoying, and they took action based on clear goals that meant something to them. On reflection, probably three and a half.
Now, the setting. The author says in a note at the end, "I’ve done my best to keep the (meager) science in SAVING MARS at least somewhat accurate, but there are many points where I felt free to get quite speculative, and I’m sure there are numerous out-and-out errors as well." Well, yes. There are numerous out-and-out errors. In fact, I struggle to think of a single thing about the setting that I found remotely plausible. Not the astrophysics, though in space opera that generally gets a pass, but also not the politics, the economics, the sociology, the neuroscience, the medical science, the agricultural science (or extremely dubious lack thereof), the nutritional science, the way the people of Mars store their food in a high-oxygen environment when that is not what you do with anything that's remotely perishable, the logistics, the communications technology, the computer science, the pilot training that leaves out the ability to operate some of the communications devices for no apparent plot-relevant reason, or the nicknames "Lobster" and "Kipper" used by people who know nothing of seafood.
I could nitpick at the setting all day, but I'll confine myself to the two most prominent things, on which so much of the plot hinges.
The characters have to get off Mars for two reasons. Firstly, they can't grow their own food because of toxins in the soil, so they have to go to Earth every 17 years and get enough ration bars to last the entire population for the next 17 years. The population is more than 4000 (since that's mentioned as the number of people who have toured a facility early in the book), which at two ration bars per person per day for 17 years adds up to a huge number (and mass) of ration bars. The obvious question is, if they can somehow, inexplicably, lift that much mass off Earth, why don't they bring back some non-toxic soil to grow things in? Leaving aside the highly dubious idea that they wouldn't be able to find some other way around it. Leaving aside the highly dubious idea that the problem even existed in the first place. (No non-toxic soil on an entire planet?)
They also need to go to Earth to try and hack the killer satellites that are supposed to keep them on Mars in the first place. I'm no hacker, but I would have thought that if you could hack them from Earth you could hack them from Mars. Maybe not, though. I'll let that one pass, with a dubious look.
So we have a highly contrived reason that the characters need to go to Earth. They've had a war with Earth, and Earth thinks they're all dead by now anyway. One of the reasons they haven't restored contact with Earth is that Earth has a system of compulsory body-switching which, supposedly, has stabilized their society and their resource usage. People get 18 years in the body they were born in, then switch into a 54-year-old body to learn their trade. At 72 they switch to a 36-year-old body and work for 18 years, and then get to switch again into an 18-year-old body for their retirement, after which they die (having lived 72 years in total).
To me, this makes no sociological, psychological or economic sense, quite apart from the neuroscience being completely handwaved. At what time are children born? How are they born? If they're born naturally, from bodies that are in their prime childbearing years, everyone would be the children of retirees and lose their parents before the age of 18. Since this apparently isn't the case, is it all done with artificial wombs? How is this making more efficient use of resources?
I didn't buy the body-swapping at all, any more than the need to mount a clandestine mission to Earth, dodging killer satellites, every 17 years and bring back a huge cargo of nothing but ration bars in exchange for refined tellurium (which is poisonous to handle, incidentally, and you wouldn't carry round a bar of it in your bag).
No, sorry, it's one star for setting. I can forgive a few bits of dodgy science, but nothing about this setting makes sense to me. Most of the setting elements, in fact, are arguably out-and-out wrong.
That makes 12-and-maybe-a-half stars out of a possible 20, or just over two out of five. I'm going to be extra-generous (because I did enjoy the story, blatantly rigged though it was) and round up to three stars. I don't think I'll be reading the sequel, though, because all that bad worldbuilding is just too much work.
I did enjoy it, too, despite massive setting issues. More on that in a moment.
The writing is smooth and competent, with only occasional errors: capitol instead of capital, physician's when it should be physicians', discretely instead of discreetly, enormity used to mean largeness instead of dreadfulness. Not too bad. Four stars.
The plot is full of incident, with high stakes, suspense and drama. Unfortunately, the setup for the plot to be high-stakes, suspenseful and dramatic broke my suspension of disbelief and then danced on the pieces. (Again, more of that shortly.) Four stars for plot.
The characters were diverse, though I didn't think they achieved a lot of depth or departed far from their archetypes. We have the wise mentor, the stick-up-the-butt ambitious captain, the rash youth, the idealistic youth, the villiany villainous villain who is far too villainous (shooting minions, really?), the great and beloved leader. The only character who struck me as really original was the protagonist's brother, who's somewhere on the autism spectrum, and even then, he falls into the autistic-savant stereotype. I'm only giving three stars for characters. They weren't great, but at least they weren't annoying, and they took action based on clear goals that meant something to them. On reflection, probably three and a half.
Now, the setting. The author says in a note at the end, "I’ve done my best to keep the (meager) science in SAVING MARS at least somewhat accurate, but there are many points where I felt free to get quite speculative, and I’m sure there are numerous out-and-out errors as well." Well, yes. There are numerous out-and-out errors. In fact, I struggle to think of a single thing about the setting that I found remotely plausible. Not the astrophysics, though in space opera that generally gets a pass, but also not the politics, the economics, the sociology, the neuroscience, the medical science, the agricultural science (or extremely dubious lack thereof), the nutritional science, the way the people of Mars store their food in a high-oxygen environment when that is not what you do with anything that's remotely perishable, the logistics, the communications technology, the computer science, the pilot training that leaves out the ability to operate some of the communications devices for no apparent plot-relevant reason, or the nicknames "Lobster" and "Kipper" used by people who know nothing of seafood.
I could nitpick at the setting all day, but I'll confine myself to the two most prominent things, on which so much of the plot hinges.
The characters have to get off Mars for two reasons. Firstly, they can't grow their own food because of toxins in the soil, so they have to go to Earth every 17 years and get enough ration bars to last the entire population for the next 17 years. The population is more than 4000 (since that's mentioned as the number of people who have toured a facility early in the book), which at two ration bars per person per day for 17 years adds up to a huge number (and mass) of ration bars. The obvious question is, if they can somehow, inexplicably, lift that much mass off Earth, why don't they bring back some non-toxic soil to grow things in? Leaving aside the highly dubious idea that they wouldn't be able to find some other way around it. Leaving aside the highly dubious idea that the problem even existed in the first place. (No non-toxic soil on an entire planet?)
They also need to go to Earth to try and hack the killer satellites that are supposed to keep them on Mars in the first place. I'm no hacker, but I would have thought that if you could hack them from Earth you could hack them from Mars. Maybe not, though. I'll let that one pass, with a dubious look.
So we have a highly contrived reason that the characters need to go to Earth. They've had a war with Earth, and Earth thinks they're all dead by now anyway. One of the reasons they haven't restored contact with Earth is that Earth has a system of compulsory body-switching which, supposedly, has stabilized their society and their resource usage. People get 18 years in the body they were born in, then switch into a 54-year-old body to learn their trade. At 72 they switch to a 36-year-old body and work for 18 years, and then get to switch again into an 18-year-old body for their retirement, after which they die (having lived 72 years in total).
To me, this makes no sociological, psychological or economic sense, quite apart from the neuroscience being completely handwaved. At what time are children born? How are they born? If they're born naturally, from bodies that are in their prime childbearing years, everyone would be the children of retirees and lose their parents before the age of 18. Since this apparently isn't the case, is it all done with artificial wombs? How is this making more efficient use of resources?
I didn't buy the body-swapping at all, any more than the need to mount a clandestine mission to Earth, dodging killer satellites, every 17 years and bring back a huge cargo of nothing but ration bars in exchange for refined tellurium (which is poisonous to handle, incidentally, and you wouldn't carry round a bar of it in your bag).
No, sorry, it's one star for setting. I can forgive a few bits of dodgy science, but nothing about this setting makes sense to me. Most of the setting elements, in fact, are arguably out-and-out wrong.
That makes 12-and-maybe-a-half stars out of a possible 20, or just over two out of five. I'm going to be extra-generous (because I did enjoy the story, blatantly rigged though it was) and round up to three stars. I don't think I'll be reading the sequel, though, because all that bad worldbuilding is just too much work.
June 14, 2025
I’m autistic. I mention this because the brother of Our Plucky Heroine is written to be an autistic super genius who can design inventions at 15 years old that keep the entire Marsian [more on this shortly] colony running. Such a shame he collects dog hair as a hobby and can’t abide crowds.
I absolutely hate these types of characters. They do a disservice to all autistic people because the not-us are disappointed in whatever one of us they stumble across. Either we’re capable of masking enough to handle being around them and so there’s not as much pathos to enjoy or even though we are obviously unlike them we can’t invent cold fusion over their lunch hour so they have no patience with our disability. CartoonAutism is super annoying.
Coincidentally so is the rest of this book. The entire food supply burns up so they have to run a pirate raid on Earth to get more because [complicated story of earth-mars relations from which we get both the lack of food and the stupid idea that “Martian” is an epithet and you’re supposed to say “Marsian” instead.]
I think I’m just too old for this book. Maybe I’d have enjoyed it when I was 13 and books about older teen girls were aspirational. But at 55 I just think “yeah right this entire colony is gonna trust their food replenishment to a dog-hair-collecting boy and his plucky-yet-rebellious 17yo sister.” Diplomacy is far more believable than this.
I absolutely hate these types of characters. They do a disservice to all autistic people because the not-us are disappointed in whatever one of us they stumble across. Either we’re capable of masking enough to handle being around them and so there’s not as much pathos to enjoy or even though we are obviously unlike them we can’t invent cold fusion over their lunch hour so they have no patience with our disability. CartoonAutism is super annoying.
Coincidentally so is the rest of this book. The entire food supply burns up so they have to run a pirate raid on Earth to get more because [complicated story of earth-mars relations from which we get both the lack of food and the stupid idea that “Martian” is an epithet and you’re supposed to say “Marsian” instead.]
I think I’m just too old for this book. Maybe I’d have enjoyed it when I was 13 and books about older teen girls were aspirational. But at 55 I just think “yeah right this entire colony is gonna trust their food replenishment to a dog-hair-collecting boy and his plucky-yet-rebellious 17yo sister.” Diplomacy is far more believable than this.
March 30, 2020
Super interesting concept and well written. I will definitely be finishing this series at some point.
September 11, 2012
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to the lovely Cidney Swanson.)
17-year-old Jessamyn Jaarda lives on Mars with her parents and older brother Ethan. It has been nearly 2 centuries since the initiative to populate Mars began, and a lot has changed in that time. The Earth has cut Mars off, and there is a treaty in place that means that Mars is to have zero contact with Earth.
The Marsians have been unable to produce an edible food source on Mars though, and with supplies running out they must journey to Earth secretly, to exchange trillium (a very expensive product found in abandon on Mars) for ration bars which the Marsians live on.
Jess has wanted all her life to be a pilot, and a trip to Earth is her ultimate dream, so when her pilot license is suspended, and her brother is going to Earth without her, she’s determined to find a way to get to Earth, and also a way to help her brother who shows signs of autism, and is also a geneius with technology.
Can Jess find a way to Earth? Can she get the ration bars that Mars is so desperate for? And can she get the Marsians back safely?
Wow! This book was good! Jessamyn was such a strong character with a remarkable drive and determination to help her people. I totally loved her, and loved how she always strove to be the best at what she was doing, and never wanted to give up even when it seemed that all was lost.
Ethan (Jess’ brother) showed signs of autism, but was also incredibly intelligent, I like how this was woven into the story, and how Jess took time to help her brother through difficult moments. I think it’s inspiring to see an author writing characters who have ‘disabilities’ but work with them, rather than showing people with disabilities as being worthless.
There were also a lot of wonderful ideas about the future society of both Earth and Mars which were brilliant little touches. At one point I was so into the book that I had to remind myself that no, this wasn’t real, and no, I am not really a Marsian (I know – silly, but the book just had me totally hooked.)
The storyline had a bit of everything, and there was never a dull moment! There was sci-fi, dystopian societies, mystery, and even a bit of romance. I really loved the excitement and anticipation in this book! I was so on edge by the time I got towards the end of the book, and was desperate to know what would happen next!
Overall; a fantastic YA dystpian/ Sci-fi novel. Definitely one to watch out for!
9 out of 10.
(author interview and giveaway coming soon!)
17-year-old Jessamyn Jaarda lives on Mars with her parents and older brother Ethan. It has been nearly 2 centuries since the initiative to populate Mars began, and a lot has changed in that time. The Earth has cut Mars off, and there is a treaty in place that means that Mars is to have zero contact with Earth.
The Marsians have been unable to produce an edible food source on Mars though, and with supplies running out they must journey to Earth secretly, to exchange trillium (a very expensive product found in abandon on Mars) for ration bars which the Marsians live on.
Jess has wanted all her life to be a pilot, and a trip to Earth is her ultimate dream, so when her pilot license is suspended, and her brother is going to Earth without her, she’s determined to find a way to get to Earth, and also a way to help her brother who shows signs of autism, and is also a geneius with technology.
Can Jess find a way to Earth? Can she get the ration bars that Mars is so desperate for? And can she get the Marsians back safely?
Wow! This book was good! Jessamyn was such a strong character with a remarkable drive and determination to help her people. I totally loved her, and loved how she always strove to be the best at what she was doing, and never wanted to give up even when it seemed that all was lost.
Ethan (Jess’ brother) showed signs of autism, but was also incredibly intelligent, I like how this was woven into the story, and how Jess took time to help her brother through difficult moments. I think it’s inspiring to see an author writing characters who have ‘disabilities’ but work with them, rather than showing people with disabilities as being worthless.
There were also a lot of wonderful ideas about the future society of both Earth and Mars which were brilliant little touches. At one point I was so into the book that I had to remind myself that no, this wasn’t real, and no, I am not really a Marsian (I know – silly, but the book just had me totally hooked.)
The storyline had a bit of everything, and there was never a dull moment! There was sci-fi, dystopian societies, mystery, and even a bit of romance. I really loved the excitement and anticipation in this book! I was so on edge by the time I got towards the end of the book, and was desperate to know what would happen next!
Overall; a fantastic YA dystpian/ Sci-fi novel. Definitely one to watch out for!
9 out of 10.
(author interview and giveaway coming soon!)
July 6, 2014
This book was incredible!!! And nothing at all what I expected. It was beautifully written sci-fi with excellent characters. They snuck in my heart and made themselves comfy there! I didn't even knew I cared about them so much.
Jess is not a typical MC. For one she grew up on Mars, for second she had no teen angst and "I shall doom my planet to save a boy" attitude. In those situation, I often wonder what would I do? Would I risk everyone else's safety for selfish reasons? And often I find myself snorting and dismissing the stupid notion. But Jess convinced me I would stop at nothing to save people I love. Her emotions were so palpable and true, you could do nothing but experience it. She wasn't selfish but loved Ethan too much and he needed help at the moment more than the entire planet. So, I did relate to her. Ethan was my favorite with his quirkiness and sharp mind. I loved there relationship, sibling always looking out for each other. I can definitely see my self falling for Pavel. He risked too much not to love him!
I enjoyed discovering new earth and old habits that are hard do get rid off. The villain was so scary and so realistically characterized I had to applaud!
Mars was so different, and just because it's citizens needed each other to survive. That is what made them so generous and genuine, something we lost long time ago.
I loved this book!!! Reading it made me lost track of time and I was so engrossed in the story I forgot to eat!...or feed my husband. It's amazing how both worlds are described and how characters are introduced. I didn't expected to love this book so much.
I would have given it a 5 star rating if not few of confusing things. Like re-boding. Which really confused the hell out of me and would have loved to have it explained better. And at times book seemed too long and slow. But not enough to loose my attention. Please! This book is sooo good, definitely recommend it and plus, it's a freebie!
Happy Reading!
Jess is not a typical MC. For one she grew up on Mars, for second she had no teen angst and "I shall doom my planet to save a boy" attitude. In those situation, I often wonder what would I do? Would I risk everyone else's safety for selfish reasons? And often I find myself snorting and dismissing the stupid notion. But Jess convinced me I would stop at nothing to save people I love. Her emotions were so palpable and true, you could do nothing but experience it. She wasn't selfish but loved Ethan too much and he needed help at the moment more than the entire planet. So, I did relate to her. Ethan was my favorite with his quirkiness and sharp mind. I loved there relationship, sibling always looking out for each other. I can definitely see my self falling for Pavel. He risked too much not to love him!
I enjoyed discovering new earth and old habits that are hard do get rid off. The villain was so scary and so realistically characterized I had to applaud!
Mars was so different, and just because it's citizens needed each other to survive. That is what made them so generous and genuine, something we lost long time ago.
I loved this book!!! Reading it made me lost track of time and I was so engrossed in the story I forgot to eat!...or feed my husband. It's amazing how both worlds are described and how characters are introduced. I didn't expected to love this book so much.
I would have given it a 5 star rating if not few of confusing things. Like re-boding. Which really confused the hell out of me and would have loved to have it explained better. And at times book seemed too long and slow. But not enough to loose my attention. Please! This book is sooo good, definitely recommend it and plus, it's a freebie!
Happy Reading!
August 24, 2012
(From Word Vagabond: Supporting Independent and Small Press Authors)
When the food supply of Mars’ human settlement is decimated, seventeen-year-old Jessamyn Jaarda, the best pilot Mars Colonial has ever seen, flies to Earth to raid for food. Earth-Mars relations couldn’t be worse, and her brother is captured during the raid. Breaking rules of secrecy and no contact, Jess finds an ally in Pavel, nephew to a government official, but their friendship only makes more agonizing the choice before her: Save her brother or save her planet?
Saving Mars is a book of rare quality in the young adult market, and one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read, period. It is tightly plotted, beautifully written, brave and heart-rending. The main characters will thoroughly win your heart and the world-building is masterfully done. It’s well-written without being over-written, and complex without being inaccessible. I related to the main character, Jessamyn, from the very first line, and I was rooting for her all the way.
The pacing is never dull, but it doesn’t rush through character development or plot, either. Each of the major characters has depth and personality, and the relationships between them are genuine and deeply touching. The most poignant connections are between Jess and her autistic-spectrum brother, Ethan. Ethan is also, incidentally, the most well-rounded of the characters, and it’s easy to care about him just as much as Jess does.
I wish I could do the book justice in this review, but honestly I always find it harder to review books I love than ones I simply like. In the end all I can say is this: if you love indie, sci-fi, or young adult books at all, buy this book. You won’t be disappointed.
March 14, 2013
Originally posted on Bookshelf (full review)
It was very entertaining and I was interested from the beginning. This is a new take on dystopian novels. We get to see a new world with new characters in a place filled with love, understanding and belief that kindness saves us from destroying each other.
As always I look for the moral of the story and I found great things here. We saw characters facing their worse fears and standing up for themselves. The main character felt like she had a high responsibility but it wasn't hers to take. The love she had for her family made her think she could handle it. It's amazing how so many people take responsibilities out of love but we need to know how to let others live their own lives. There is only so much we can do to help and we need to know when to let go.
It was very entertaining and I was interested from the beginning. This is a new take on dystopian novels. We get to see a new world with new characters in a place filled with love, understanding and belief that kindness saves us from destroying each other.
As always I look for the moral of the story and I found great things here. We saw characters facing their worse fears and standing up for themselves. The main character felt like she had a high responsibility but it wasn't hers to take. The love she had for her family made her think she could handle it. It's amazing how so many people take responsibilities out of love but we need to know how to let others live their own lives. There is only so much we can do to help and we need to know when to let go.
December 19, 2016
OK younger YA adventure, notable chiefly for the protagonist's "alter-abled" autistic brother. It's plain that the author knows more about autism than about piloting, since the former comes across as vivid and realistic and the latter...doesn't. Not continuing with the sequels, since the plot summaries pretty much fill in all the blanks for me.
Best line: "You've made my life immeasurably better by not barbecuing my dog. Thank you, Jessamyn."
Best line: "You've made my life immeasurably better by not barbecuing my dog. Thank you, Jessamyn."
December 24, 2012
The book is plot driven and some of the situations that Jess finds herself in seem forced. I thought the genius brother was a bit of a cliché. Why can’t a genius be well adjusted for a change and smart enough to sell his inventions. Overall, it isn’t a bad read, but I would like to see more character development and less plot.
February 28, 2015
I just finished reading this fantastic YA scifi/dystopian novel by Cidney Swanson, and I immediately had to pick up book two! I highly recommend this book!
My full review can be found here: http://youtu.be/0DQxuXdamHM
My full review can be found here: http://youtu.be/0DQxuXdamHM
February 5, 2013
I totally fell in love with this book. It was delightful. The first half was a little slow maybe, setting up the story, but I don't see how it could have been different. Once Jessamyn got to Earth, I couldn't put the book down. And then I went on the prowl for the rest of Swanson's books.
March 16, 2013
I enjoyed this book a lot. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. A great YA space adventure.
May 12, 2013
Full review coming soon.
May 17, 2019
Saving Mars (The Saving Mars Series 1) by Cidney Swanson
I loved this this book. So much that even though I had purchased it as an individual before the triple pack came out, I went ahead and purchased the tri-pack. It's quite worth it.
I've already read and enjoyed the Ripple trilogy by Cidney and having loved that so much I purchased the saving Mars book 1 to get me started into that group of stories. I had let it set for a while I was doing other things and reading other things, but once I started reading Jessamyn Jaarda's story I couldn't put it down.
I think it's been noted by some that they felt the story has incredible science and I can see how that objection works what with having Mars being reliant upon Earth for food and having the entire population of Earth believing that no one is left alive on Mars, despite the food raids that Marsian's perpetrate every so many years.
Fortunately for me when I read I look for good character development. All the primary characters in Saving Mars are quite well crafted. But that doesn't stop me from appreciating the story including everything mentioned above.
Marsians are shown as more down to Earth type people than the people on Earth but they've had to scrape for their existence ever since the Earth decided to abandon its attempts to change Mars to something livable. The Marsians are still working toward that goal, but until they can do that they have to sneak to Earth to obtain food. Sneaking to Earth is complicated by a network of satellites that might be described as star-wars technology set up around Mars to destroy anything trying to leave Mars. It has long since passed the projected time that Earth Governments expected everyone who remained on Mars to die.
Against the odds and with the food raids they survive and they have developed a school to teach pilots to fly past the barrier to get to Earth to barter for food with Tellurium. Jessamyn is one of these pilots, but she also just an average teen who feels the need to prove herself.
When a fire destroys a majority of the supplies of food Jess and her brother and several others are chosen to break through the barrier and bring back food. But this time they also mean to break into the center that controls the star-wars satellites and bring the barrier down.
On earth there is a strange cultural shock of a sort in that everyone can and is pressured to switch bodies through consciousness transfer which is assisted by the use of tellurium. The transfer facilitates young people to older bodies supposedly for experience and ultimately for older people to gain younger bodies. There is an age limit for everyone to the age of 72. Most of Earth population seem to be alright with this although as the story progresses it seems fraught with peer pressure and in some cases court mandate with criminals. The whole concept seems a bit seedy and invasive with some lingering insidiousness that begins to rear its head.
This is a tightly woven story with a satisfactory conclusion despite that its being a part of a series. There's enough left open to want you to pick up the next book and get started right away. This is typical of Cidney's writing and I expect the best from her in the remainder of the series.
I'm a definite fan and I hope this makes you read this novel and become just as much a fan.
Great YA and Adult SFF with maybe more focus on fantasy; fans of these types of books should really love these. Even Romance readers should like this, though the Romance does not dominate.
If you like immersion into characters then you can't go wrong with this one.
J.L. Dobias
I loved this this book. So much that even though I had purchased it as an individual before the triple pack came out, I went ahead and purchased the tri-pack. It's quite worth it.
I've already read and enjoyed the Ripple trilogy by Cidney and having loved that so much I purchased the saving Mars book 1 to get me started into that group of stories. I had let it set for a while I was doing other things and reading other things, but once I started reading Jessamyn Jaarda's story I couldn't put it down.
I think it's been noted by some that they felt the story has incredible science and I can see how that objection works what with having Mars being reliant upon Earth for food and having the entire population of Earth believing that no one is left alive on Mars, despite the food raids that Marsian's perpetrate every so many years.
Fortunately for me when I read I look for good character development. All the primary characters in Saving Mars are quite well crafted. But that doesn't stop me from appreciating the story including everything mentioned above.
Marsians are shown as more down to Earth type people than the people on Earth but they've had to scrape for their existence ever since the Earth decided to abandon its attempts to change Mars to something livable. The Marsians are still working toward that goal, but until they can do that they have to sneak to Earth to obtain food. Sneaking to Earth is complicated by a network of satellites that might be described as star-wars technology set up around Mars to destroy anything trying to leave Mars. It has long since passed the projected time that Earth Governments expected everyone who remained on Mars to die.
Against the odds and with the food raids they survive and they have developed a school to teach pilots to fly past the barrier to get to Earth to barter for food with Tellurium. Jessamyn is one of these pilots, but she also just an average teen who feels the need to prove herself.
When a fire destroys a majority of the supplies of food Jess and her brother and several others are chosen to break through the barrier and bring back food. But this time they also mean to break into the center that controls the star-wars satellites and bring the barrier down.
On earth there is a strange cultural shock of a sort in that everyone can and is pressured to switch bodies through consciousness transfer which is assisted by the use of tellurium. The transfer facilitates young people to older bodies supposedly for experience and ultimately for older people to gain younger bodies. There is an age limit for everyone to the age of 72. Most of Earth population seem to be alright with this although as the story progresses it seems fraught with peer pressure and in some cases court mandate with criminals. The whole concept seems a bit seedy and invasive with some lingering insidiousness that begins to rear its head.
This is a tightly woven story with a satisfactory conclusion despite that its being a part of a series. There's enough left open to want you to pick up the next book and get started right away. This is typical of Cidney's writing and I expect the best from her in the remainder of the series.
I'm a definite fan and I hope this makes you read this novel and become just as much a fan.
Great YA and Adult SFF with maybe more focus on fantasy; fans of these types of books should really love these. Even Romance readers should like this, though the Romance does not dominate.
If you like immersion into characters then you can't go wrong with this one.
J.L. Dobias
September 18, 2016
I loved most of this book so much. I almost want to give it five stars in spite of its flaws, but I was feeling very four-star by the time I finished the last page (what was that epilogue, honestly).
The good: this book is a really fun, engaging adventure. The world-building comes across organically, shown or mentioned in pieces spread across the narrative as they became relevant. The overall pacing is very good.
Even better than those things are the characters. While Jess walks a fine line between stock YA heroine and actual character, there's enough consistency to her idiosyncrasies that in the end she manages to stand on her own, and I liked her a lot. She dares to be occasionally bratty and unlikable, but with pathos and her own rationale and morality. She is neither aggressively stoic nor wildly emotional, as she is clearly aiming for the former but sometimes can't help feeling the latter--which is more than fair, as she goes through the ringer for sure.
Ethan is wonderful. While he's not explicitly referred to as autistic, as the Marsians don't seem to have this word in their vocab, the fact that he is so is made very clear by his speech, mannerisms, and thought patterns. If a character reacts to him with frustration or annoyance for his needs, it's not shown in a good light. Jess is overprotective in a way that is treated as something she needs to work on. Ethan is shown to have certain needs but he's accommodated with minimal to no spite, bitterness, or exasperation. While it's a bit of a Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer situation--Ethan is a savant, which makes him objectively valuable to his community--people accept this as being part of who he is. No one is attempting to cure him. All anybody wants to do is what he needs them to do in order to help him cope and function with minimal distress. Now, without spoiling things, the way this book ended makes me wary that that tone may shift, but it was handled so sensitively the rest of the time that I am fully giving Swanson the benefit of the doubt on this.
As a corollary, not being autistic myself, I can't exactly speak for how accurate or positive in terms of that specific representation he is, but as someone who has a disability with a number of overlapping symptoms, I could still relate to him a great deal and was really thrilled with what I read. I don't usually get to have a sympathetic character to relate to on that level.
There are a number of secondary and minor characters like Harpreet, Mei Lo, and Wallace who add color (both figuratively and literally, I guess) to the world. They are distinct and memorable even with comparatively limited screen time, so to speak, and I cared about what happened to them as much as Jess and Ethan. People are nice and rude, tough and crafty, blunt and diplomatic, each with individual strengths and weaknesses.
And the bad: while the pacing was good, the structure as a bit wonky. This is not a book that can stand on its own. I don't just mean a cliffhanger ending; only, it is clearly something meant to be part of a much larger whole. As a result it reads like that, the first part of a long story. While it never dragged while I was reading, when I got to the end the ratio of how much time was devoted to each plot point seemed skewed. It's something that I think only becomes apparent in hindsight, though.
Also let's talk about the romance. At first I had the pipe dream that there would be none of it at all. For over half a book, there was not so much as a hint of it. And then a boy the right age was introduced and I thought immediately, "oh, brother, here we go." Here's the thing: I think Pavel is a decent character who has a lot of potential. I also think his relationship with Jess has a lot of potential. However, everything about his introduction was so painfully contrived, it was like an unwanted detour through a corny little roadside tourist attraction. While they only use the word "friend" (thank Hermes), there's no doubt whatsoever that it's romance at first sight (unless Pavel had been a girl, then of course it would just be gals being pals). The diverting of focus onto Pavel after I'd built up a relationship with these other characters made the latter group feel like they had been merely placeholders waiting until the love interest could be properly introduced. I think there could have been something really awesome here, if Jess and Pavel were given the chance to be wary of one another, building a gradual trust or perhaps being forced to trust by circumstance, then becoming friends, and THEN getting into the romance, but they leapfrogged over all the good stuff and got down to business right away--again, all done in the most glaringly contrived way possible. Nothing about it felt natural or organic, which is a damn shame.
Like I said, the focus is diverted away from the characters I cared about to give space to Pavel and his plot-relevant aunt, and again the way it was done harkens back to how this was only part of a longer book. Since I said the characters were arguably the best part about the book, well, you can imagine how I felt about that and what it did to the narrative. I have a deep fear that the other characters are meant to become a backdrop of tragedy for Jess and Pavel's "Romeo and Juliet," by which I mean YA lit shorthand for "couple who's obviously going to get together but, like, has to angst a lot first, because love I guess." I have been burned by this setup far too offer to feel anything other than deep cynicism.
But I hope I'm wrong! I really do. Because I loved the rest of this book and very much want to find that in the rest of the series. There are five more books and we've already blown any chance for a slow-build relationship (unless Pavel is red herring). I deeply want to be completely wrong about all of this and continue enjoying my adventures with Jess and friends as they desperately work to save everything they care about.
The good: this book is a really fun, engaging adventure. The world-building comes across organically, shown or mentioned in pieces spread across the narrative as they became relevant. The overall pacing is very good.
Even better than those things are the characters. While Jess walks a fine line between stock YA heroine and actual character, there's enough consistency to her idiosyncrasies that in the end she manages to stand on her own, and I liked her a lot. She dares to be occasionally bratty and unlikable, but with pathos and her own rationale and morality. She is neither aggressively stoic nor wildly emotional, as she is clearly aiming for the former but sometimes can't help feeling the latter--which is more than fair, as she goes through the ringer for sure.
Ethan is wonderful. While he's not explicitly referred to as autistic, as the Marsians don't seem to have this word in their vocab, the fact that he is so is made very clear by his speech, mannerisms, and thought patterns. If a character reacts to him with frustration or annoyance for his needs, it's not shown in a good light. Jess is overprotective in a way that is treated as something she needs to work on. Ethan is shown to have certain needs but he's accommodated with minimal to no spite, bitterness, or exasperation. While it's a bit of a Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer situation--Ethan is a savant, which makes him objectively valuable to his community--people accept this as being part of who he is. No one is attempting to cure him. All anybody wants to do is what he needs them to do in order to help him cope and function with minimal distress. Now, without spoiling things, the way this book ended makes me wary that that tone may shift, but it was handled so sensitively the rest of the time that I am fully giving Swanson the benefit of the doubt on this.
As a corollary, not being autistic myself, I can't exactly speak for how accurate or positive in terms of that specific representation he is, but as someone who has a disability with a number of overlapping symptoms, I could still relate to him a great deal and was really thrilled with what I read. I don't usually get to have a sympathetic character to relate to on that level.
There are a number of secondary and minor characters like Harpreet, Mei Lo, and Wallace who add color (both figuratively and literally, I guess) to the world. They are distinct and memorable even with comparatively limited screen time, so to speak, and I cared about what happened to them as much as Jess and Ethan. People are nice and rude, tough and crafty, blunt and diplomatic, each with individual strengths and weaknesses.
And the bad: while the pacing was good, the structure as a bit wonky. This is not a book that can stand on its own. I don't just mean a cliffhanger ending; only, it is clearly something meant to be part of a much larger whole. As a result it reads like that, the first part of a long story. While it never dragged while I was reading, when I got to the end the ratio of how much time was devoted to each plot point seemed skewed. It's something that I think only becomes apparent in hindsight, though.
Also let's talk about the romance. At first I had the pipe dream that there would be none of it at all. For over half a book, there was not so much as a hint of it. And then a boy the right age was introduced and I thought immediately, "oh, brother, here we go." Here's the thing: I think Pavel is a decent character who has a lot of potential. I also think his relationship with Jess has a lot of potential. However, everything about his introduction was so painfully contrived, it was like an unwanted detour through a corny little roadside tourist attraction. While they only use the word "friend" (thank Hermes), there's no doubt whatsoever that it's romance at first sight (unless Pavel had been a girl, then of course it would just be gals being pals). The diverting of focus onto Pavel after I'd built up a relationship with these other characters made the latter group feel like they had been merely placeholders waiting until the love interest could be properly introduced. I think there could have been something really awesome here, if Jess and Pavel were given the chance to be wary of one another, building a gradual trust or perhaps being forced to trust by circumstance, then becoming friends, and THEN getting into the romance, but they leapfrogged over all the good stuff and got down to business right away--again, all done in the most glaringly contrived way possible. Nothing about it felt natural or organic, which is a damn shame.
Like I said, the focus is diverted away from the characters I cared about to give space to Pavel and his plot-relevant aunt, and again the way it was done harkens back to how this was only part of a longer book. Since I said the characters were arguably the best part about the book, well, you can imagine how I felt about that and what it did to the narrative. I have a deep fear that the other characters are meant to become a backdrop of tragedy for Jess and Pavel's "Romeo and Juliet," by which I mean YA lit shorthand for "couple who's obviously going to get together but, like, has to angst a lot first, because love I guess." I have been burned by this setup far too offer to feel anything other than deep cynicism.
But I hope I'm wrong! I really do. Because I loved the rest of this book and very much want to find that in the rest of the series. There are five more books and we've already blown any chance for a slow-build relationship (unless Pavel is red herring). I deeply want to be completely wrong about all of this and continue enjoying my adventures with Jess and friends as they desperately work to save everything they care about.
February 9, 2025
This was the most generic, paint-by-numbers YA SF ever. Spunky cute girl who's the bestest pilot ever even as a teen lives on Mars, always getting in trouble because she's just too feisty and independent to follow orders. The first chapter is her borrowing one of the Mars colony's fliers to go pilfer some polar ice for her mother. Her flier encounters engine troubles on the way home, she disobeys orders to eject because she knows better than base control and thinks she can land it, which of course she does, but now she's grounded. Man, adults are such buzzkills!
The whole thing should appeal to me, as a lover of Heinlein's juveniles, but Jessamyn's ("Jessamyn"? Seriously?) personality so far is "hotshot pilot with a 'tude" and the description looks like it's going to be Generic YA Plot #4b. We've got the autistic brother for disability rep, we've got the feisty defiant girlboss as a STRAWNG FEMALE CHARACTAH! and she's going to have a romance with the bad guy's nephew. So, like, Hunger Games on Mars or something. The opening just wasn't that interesting and nothing about the writing grabbed me. Another "I wanted to like it but I didn't like it enough to continue."
The whole thing should appeal to me, as a lover of Heinlein's juveniles, but Jessamyn's ("Jessamyn"? Seriously?) personality so far is "hotshot pilot with a 'tude" and the description looks like it's going to be Generic YA Plot #4b. We've got the autistic brother for disability rep, we've got the feisty defiant girlboss as a STRAWNG FEMALE CHARACTAH! and she's going to have a romance with the bad guy's nephew. So, like, Hunger Games on Mars or something. The opening just wasn't that interesting and nothing about the writing grabbed me. Another "I wanted to like it but I didn't like it enough to continue."
August 19, 2020
Stopped reading at 26%
The story has potential and middle schoolers might enjoy it best. I found the plot complications contrived, too easily avoided, and lacking the feel of true ‘stakes.” Yes, there’s been a serious problem that will result in mass starvation without some action. Ok. Good to know. Nothing feels truly bad for the character because the reader knows she gets what she wants based on the blurb. At 26% of the way in, it just feels like reading a fluffy story or watching an after school special with lessons on how to behave, how treat people with atypical brains with grace and patience, and how to be honest.
The story has potential and middle schoolers might enjoy it best. I found the plot complications contrived, too easily avoided, and lacking the feel of true ‘stakes.” Yes, there’s been a serious problem that will result in mass starvation without some action. Ok. Good to know. Nothing feels truly bad for the character because the reader knows she gets what she wants based on the blurb. At 26% of the way in, it just feels like reading a fluffy story or watching an after school special with lessons on how to behave, how treat people with atypical brains with grace and patience, and how to be honest.
February 8, 2022
A Martian’s tale of cheating death, and living life.
When Jess starts out on her journey to be a space ships pilot, she’s not sure of exactly whom she is, besides a darn good pilot, or what’s she’ll become. When you start your journey with a bad attitude and somewhat good intentions, it can take a bit to get your bearings. The character development for Jess, and her family makes me wish we had more interactions between them. We do get to see how she’s become the big little sister for her Neuro divergent brother. Also, we don’t get a lot of details about Mars itself, so I look forward to these in the next book.
When Jess starts out on her journey to be a space ships pilot, she’s not sure of exactly whom she is, besides a darn good pilot, or what’s she’ll become. When you start your journey with a bad attitude and somewhat good intentions, it can take a bit to get your bearings. The character development for Jess, and her family makes me wish we had more interactions between them. We do get to see how she’s become the big little sister for her Neuro divergent brother. Also, we don’t get a lot of details about Mars itself, so I look forward to these in the next book.
January 5, 2025
This book has staying power. Written over 10 years ago, the Mars series follows Jessamyn and her brother, Ethan, as they cross an interstellar blockade to grab food for their starving planet. The terraforming on mars was interesting, the false narrative on Earth regarding the former colony was believable, and the world building was above average. The story fell apart for me because the main character was over the top whiny, insubordinate, and so hormonal as to be insufferable. I would have liked her to be more STEM oriented and methodical instead of a pilot who runs on emotions and instinct. But that is my opinion and your reading experience may be far different.
March 8, 2019
It is a good story for starters of fantasy and sci-fy. I do like the characters and the story line. There are a few plot holes and developmental issues I have with the story and the timeline seems a bit scattered. I would read one part of the story, and in the next paragraph of the same chapter, the protagonist would have done a four week skip to something important without a good transition. Usually these transitions would happen at the end of a chapter and the start of a new one; not mid chapter. Overall, a good story to read and I recommend for those who want a different taste.
March 9, 2020
There were a lot of great aspects of worldbuilding, particularly the concept of rebodying, but on the whole, this book suffered from pacing issues. Each section was much too drawn out, and the writer felt the need to overemphasize basic plot points: Jess is SUCH A GOOD PILOT! Ethan is SO DIFFERENT! Pavel is SO GOOD! You're writing for young adults, not idiots; give them credit for being able to pick up on subtle themes. Not sure I'll continue with the series, if it takes 6 books of this to get through the story.
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