Mars Underground

by William K. Hartmann

2032. The human race has established colonies on Mars. For years Dr. Alwyn Stafford researched its biggest Did life evolve on the Red Planet? The answer, except for simple, long-dead microorganisms, was no.

Now retired, Stafford stubbornly continues his quest. Rumors say he's been going farther than ever before into the Martian deserts.

Then he goes out and doesn't return. As the search for him grow, it becomes apparent that the old man found something that will forever change humanity's place in the cosmos...

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 1997

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional first hard-SF novel
My 1997 review:
It's 2030 in Mars City. Crusty old scientist Alwyn Stafford is out on a solo Mars-buggy trip in Hellespontus. Now he's overdue, and his young protege "Carter Jahns" (nudge, wink) is leading the search. Annie Pohaku, a reporter newly-arrived from Earth, tags along.

Stafford isn't found before his air runs out, and is presumed dead. Carter finds the abandoned buggy. Oddly, it had been deliberately hidden. The director of Hellas Station is uncooperative. Carter heads to the University of Phobos to study satellite imagery for clues to the fate of his friend. He finds interesting IR imagery; overnight, the imagery is lost due to "computer error". Annie has followed. They become lovers, and plot the next move in an increasingly-murky mystery...

Hmmph. I've never much cared for plot-outline book reviews, but how else do you start one? Astronomer and planetary scientist Hartmann makes an impressive fiction debut in "Mars Underground". The areology and extrapolation are impeccable, as one might expect. Less-expected, but equally welcome, are fully-formed characters - people you come to care about - set in a well-paced story with intriguing plot twists and a satisfying resolution. Bravo!

[Micheal · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my most favorite Science Fiction novels. William K. Hartmann creates a fascinating story of life in a Martian colony full of mystery and intrigue. I never get tired of this one.

[Marc Goldstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The year is 2031, and the colonization of Mars is in its infancy. Alwyn Stafford, renown scientist and Mars' most famous resident disappears into the vast Martian desert. Carter Jahns, the colony's chief engineer and Stafford's closest friend, heads the investigation into his disappearance. Journalist Annie Pohaku and local artist Phillipe Brach join the search, which leads them all into the mysteries of Mars' past, and the uncertainties of its future.

Anyone interested in the Mars Sojourner/Pathfinder mission will find Mars Underground captivating. Hartmann, a real-life scientist with the Mars Global Surveyor team, describes the Martian environment with unique passion and telling detail.

Hartmann's passion for Mars spills over into his characters, who, each in their own way, personify the hope that Mars offers for the future of humankind. Mars pervades every facet of the characters' lives in ways both explicit and subliminal, coloring their moods and decisions. Carter Jahns, the forward-thinking architect of the colonization effort, grasps the opportunity to completely reinvent the rules of society with enthusiasm. That his idealism is often derided as naïvete doesn't dissuade him. Phillipe, the artist in residence, draws his muse from the boundless Martian frontier. Annie smashes conventional boundaries with her sexual liberation and her journalistic insistence on freedom of information.

Mars Underground is an ambitious first novel. Hartman, obviously a student of science fiction, experiments with the genre, mixing in elements of romance, mystery, and political intrigue (not to mention a tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs' great Martian hero, John Carter). The result somehow avoids becoming convoluted; rather, it successfully captures the complexity of the human experience juxtaposed against the Martian backdrop.

Stafford's disappearance leads the protagonists through the history of Mars, from humankind's first fledgling steps onto the red planet to the planet's ancient past. Uncertainty over how to handle the secrets uncovered in the investigation sparks a debate of contrasting political positions on the future of humankind on Mars -- and by implication, our future in general. Hartman neatly stitches together the threads of our emotional connection to Mars, its mysterious past, and the hope its frontier offers for the future. When we look at Mars, we see ourselves.

[Albireo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr & Mrs: Can it become more real? We say no! The best "Mars" book ever. Hands down.
Hartmann is a world known planetologist and he absolutely succeeds in blending an interesting storyline with vivid descriptions of the Martian surface. You almost think, you ARE there...

[Richard Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The basic underlying story of the old timer explorer of Mars who disappears and the search that follows is very well written and if the author had cut the book back to 225-250 pages, leaving out some of the mind-numbing long descriptions of the inner thoughts of various characters, it would have boosted the book up to a 4 star level in my opinion. The techy search is good and well worth the descriptive paper. The attempts to sabotage the search for various reasons is also well done. So, as a reader of science fiction for over 50 years, I would say, skim through the late night bedroom rendezvous, unless that's why you read Sci-Fi. Skim over also the mental contortions of the central characters and concentrate on what is the underlying faster moving plot. Eat up the surface walks and the rides in the dune buses across the uncharted dust seas with their cyclonic dust devils. Devour the descriptions of light and the hazards that exist in a world where preparation for the journey is everything because, without sufficient protection, food, water and, oh, yes, oxygen, you aren't going to come back to spin tales of aliens. In the ending, I could have used a bit more descriptive work by the author on the alien vessel to perhaps bring me back for a sequel. Where did that shining projectile that approached the speed of light as it departed Mars actually go? Was it a messenger? Was anything on the receiving end? A lot of questions remain when we reach the final page.

[Robert Rosales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worst prologue ever!! I struggled with the beginning of this book. I just couldn't get into it. I was actually contemplating abandoning it and starting another book. I fought through it and continued. It wasn't until I hit 100 pages that the story actually began. The characters had solidified and then it began to get interesting.

Although it got better, I still felt it had some filler, maybe too much for my liking. Eventually the book won me over and I was looking forward to the time when I could sit down and read it. The ending was ok, kind of wrapped things up in way that left me somewhat satisfied.

I do feel the story could have done without all the unnecessary filler and could easy be condensed to a 200-250 page book and come out being a much better read.

[Bookmole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finally managed to finish this. I felt compelled to know what had happened to Stafford, who (at first) seemed the only reasonable character in the book.

But it was hard. So very hard. Even though well-written, in the sense it was not turgid, or adjective ridden, or just bad, it was ultimately banal. The "triangle" of reporter, artist and administrator was unexciting; the only saving grace was the descriptions of Mars, seeming almost as though Hartmann had been there.

Even the final denouement was predictable. Honestly, cannot recommend. If you want to read a good book on Mars, go for the Mars trilogy (Red, Green and Blue) by Kim Stanley Robinson.

[Sebastian Jaymes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it on and off before sleep each night. I enjoyed it and Couldn't wait to get back to the red planet. Tons of factual information about the actual make-up of Mars in a fun and interesting little mystery story with just a touch of romance.

[Megan]

DNS 7/16/2021

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not good

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's an intriguing mystery buried here in this book. Unfortunately, to get to it, you have to slog through page after page of descriptions of research protocol, half-baked philosophy, and a love triangle about as appealing as watching Barbie dolls being bumped together. The three main characters are the most boring people I've read about in a long time. They have no personalities and no chemistry with each other. Yet I had to read about the painful, never-ending relationship drama between them when all I wanted was to get back to the mystery.

The prose isn't bad. The descriptions of the scenery on Mars are evocative. But the boring characters and huge amount of filler killed this book for me. William K. Hartmann is apparently an astronomer and physicist who's worked on space missions and written several nonfiction books. If this is the best he can do as far as character development is concerned, he should stick to nonfiction.

[J.M. Brister · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up in a used book store on a whim. It stood on my shelf for awhile until I finally decided to read it. Some parts were okay, but the plot started losing steam at the end. Why not go into the alien artifact more? I was actually looking for more science in this science fiction book than the romance between the three main characters...

[Colin Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was terrible, I couldn't even finish it. The science seemed fine, but I in no way cared about any of the characters. the interactions between the characters felt forced and unnatural, their emotions toward each other swinging all over the spectrum, and they all seem to have a hatred of journalist that is completely out of proportion with any of the actions shown in the book.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading Feb/Mar 2010

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seemed interesting and the ending is very good. Unfortunately the plot is very slow.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

1

[Roger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plucky girl reporter sleeps with an engineer and an artist while investigating the story of the century...on Mars, of course.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.

[Hugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Hartmann, but not my last! Great story.