As It Is On Mars

by Thomas William Cronin

In this new edition, the story is unchanged, as is the length of the book, but there is a significant improvement in how the tale is told in the beginning chapters.

In Chapter One of the old edition, the scene was a Congressional hearing, where we find out only indirectly about the catastrophe on Mars. In the new Chapter One, the scene is the NASA landing site, where we directly experience the horror and anguish of the two survivors as they deal with the disaster and its aftermath.
This edition also has three maps, and minor updates to reflect the latest Mars science and geology. The tale continues to be set on an accurate Mars, and lays the foundation for the very different struggle in Book Two of the Series, Give Us This Mars (2003), and finally the Great Martian War in Book Three, Give Us This Mars (2005).

The story begins in February 2038, the year of an attractive window for a
manned mission to Mars. The first manned missions have landed-an
American/European NASA mission in Kasei Valley, and a small Japanese mission in
Ares Valley, some 1700 miles to the east.

The Japanese mission arrived first, but was crippled by the loss of its farm
building. An elderly scientist who is also a Zen master is the only one still
alive-facing starvation.

The large thirteen-member NASA mission landed later. There were originally
fourteen, but one was lost on the journey to Mars. Except for this, the mission
is a success initially. On the morning the story opens, however, in February
2038, a catastrophe strikes the NASA mission. The landing site is practically
obliterated, and eleven astronauts are killed instantly.

But that morning, an American engineer, John Erway, and a French doctor,
Denise Lavoisier, are away on a rover expedition. They come back to wrecked
landing site, but manage to get a message to Mission Control.
A hearing on
the disaster takes place in Washington next day. It turns out that the stranded
pair have food for only two weeks. The NASA mission's seventh lander is due to
arrive in ten days, however, carrying enough food to keep the pair alive for
three years.

There is shock in government when the NASA chief reveals that rescuing the
two survivors would cost about as much as the original Mars mission:
$400
billion dollars! A conspiracy is hatched, without NASA's knowledge, and the CIA
sabotages the seventh lander's antenna. NASA loses control, and can't send the
lander the commands needed to prevent it from burning up in the Martian
atmosphere. There is now no hope for the stranded pair, and they break off
contact with Earth, to die in private.

But John Erway has figured out the CIA plot, so that the two do realize they
are being sacrificed, to conserve hundreds of billions of dollars for social
programs that could save many lives.

They are not prepared to endure a death of slow starvation, however, and
prefer an easier way. John goes first. He takes sleeping pills, and gets in his
grave one evening, to die in his sleep when his air runs out. But then, as
Denise sits sobbing, waiting for him to die, an event takes place that nobody
could have anticipated.

This unexpected event triggers the story in the book, converting the initial
tragic drama to a tale of high adventure and heroic deeds, and a true Martian
saga.

439 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book several years ago and I enjoyed it so much that I still haven't forgotten it. It combines interesting well-drawn characters, a plot full of twists, turns, and political intrigue, space adventure in the best hard science fiction tradition, lots of realistic science and engineering, and a liberal dash of philosophy and religion (mainly Zen Buddhism). Some readers might find this last a turnoff, but it's well-integrated into the story and despite my irreligious tendencies, I enjoyed these aspects of the story just as much as the rest.

It's probably been about 5 years since I read it, and writing about has made want to go read it again, which is pretty high praise from me.

4.5 stars.

[Sara Petsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this because I am fascinated by things having to do with space and Mars in general! It's an entertaining story, but sometimes gets bogged down in technical/scientific stuff. But I really couldn't put it down once I got into it!

[Bookwyrm13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of the human determination to survive against any odds. And of the human tendency toward envy without realizing the effort involved.