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Summary: From Red to Green to Blue on the Planet Mars
Review: I certainly have mixed feelings about the final volume of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy. "Blue Mars" goes well beyond the terraforming of Mars; indeed, by the time we are half way through this novel humanity has established colonies of different sorts from the planet Mercury top the distant moon Miranda, with colony ships leaving the solar system for distant worlds. The political debates that were so often at the heart of the previous two volumes have become somewhat moot at this point in the proceedings. Even though this technological musings are well beyond my extremely sparse scientific knowledge, I still found them fascinating and having them jettisoned this way was somewhat disappointing. However, when the focus shifts to questions of memory and the problems presented by the longevity treatments, my interest was revived. Even though we end up with less than a dozen of the First Hundred, it does become interesting to see which of the many characters we have followed throughout the trilogy are going to get the final word as to what has happened on Mars. To be fair, I am not sure how this trilogy "should" have ended. There is a memorable moment that symbolizes the point at which Mars has truly become "blue" (in the "Earth" sense of the term), but it does not constitute a traditional climax. But this epic story coming down to a romance between two characters who have been at odds for several hundred pages just rings somewhat hollow, especially since other characters who I expected to take the lead in the politics of Mars never really emerge to that position. Still, the Mars Trilogy is certainly a more interesting way of learning about the scientific dreams for transforming the Red Planet into a habitable world than reading article in scientific journals.
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Summary: Wondrous, but badly edited, conclusion to a masterwork of SF
Review: Kim Stanely Robinson's BLUE MARS is the third book in his epic Mars trilogy, and it follows well the grand scope of the first two books. Here Robinson takes us over almost a hundred years, from the end of the second revolution to the inhabitibility of the Red Mars. Each section of the work is more than ten years apart, and the reader can feel the tide of history and the weariness of the First Hundred as they deal with senescence. It is like those lines of Montale, "There's no inheritance, no good luck charm that can ward off the monsoon's impact on the gossamer of memory." The sole problem, however, is that this work was not edited well. Ann's section doesn't even seem to fit with the sections it is between. Also, some of the other sections seem unorganized. Nonetheless, BLUE MARS is a masterwork of science fiction, and it deserved the Hugo Award. It is a fitting end to the Mars trilogy.
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Summary: A Great Saga Ends (but not really)
Review: When I finished reading Arthur C. Clarke's "Rama" series, I believed that I had just read the greatest science fiction series ever written. While that is still probably true, Kim Stanley Robinson's "Mars" series ("Red Mars", "Green Mars," "Blue Mars") is definitely a contender. The series tells the story of the birth and growth of a human civilzation on Mars, with "Blue Mars" taking the First Hundred colonists into a place where Humankind has never gone before: extreme age. That might not sound like the basis for gripping reading, but it is. Of course, all of the politics and strife of the Mars colony and its tense relationship with Earth, is still present. Is this a conclusion to the series? Not really. But, then life does not have a conclusion when looked at globally, either. By the way, if you think the names of the books are unimaginative (I did before reading them), you'll find that they have underlying meanings that make them appropriate. While the "Mars" books are technically a trilogy, Robinson's "Antarctica" is a very good prequel (like "The Hobbit" is to the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy), and his "The Martians" is a good follow-up, albeit somewhat melancholy. Why do I like these books? 1. The writing itself is excellent. You find few, if any, editing mistakes or contradictions. The viewpoint shifts between main characters to give you a fuller picture (also done brilliantly in George R. R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series). 2. The characters are believable, engaging, and very three-dimensional. You come away feeling that you know these people, and that these would be the types of people who would be sent to colonize Mars and come out of a new Martian civilization, as set up in the two previous books. 3. Hard issues are dealt with in realistic ways. Do they reshape Mars to fit humans (and lose the harsh beauty of Mars and its geological record), or do they reshape themselves to fit Mars (which is much harder and limits the inhabitability of Mars)? Do they do government and economy and society according to one or more existing models, do they follow the dictates of Earth, or do they (and can they?) create something new? What happens when (some, chosen) people stop dying? 4. There is a healthy dose of adventure in this book, although there is a slightly melancholy tone to it as well. 5. The technology involved in the story contiues its believable, albeit rapid, progression from the previous books in the series. If you're new to science fiction, start either with the "Mars" series or Clarke's "Rama" series. Either one will make you a lifelong fan.
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Summary: To Walk by the Seas of Mars
Review: Remember back to the scenes in RED MARS; the struggles to maintain a habitat at minimum for human survival. Here in BLUE MARS, we wind up maintaining old Mars ecology in domes. The world has come to Mars, Mars has become the world. The never ending pot of politics and greed is as strong as ever. The sabotage and intrigue among the competing groups of the First Hundred and Their offspring and followers is unflagging.The difference here is in the way we see the landscape of this emerging work of man-which in truth has always been the star of the show. From the great manmade scars of the cablefall to the emerging grasslands and seas, the freezings and the floods. These books are about a far away planet that captures our imagination like no other. There is very little we can do to convince ouselves that WE will change, but that is not the issue. Its interesting to see how little we do change; Robinson tells it like it is. The imagery of the changing of another world at the hands of our species is what we all want to peek in on. I enjoyed all the Mars books. I can say "Read Them ALL" Thanks KSR, good work.
Rating: 
Summary: a man's tale
Review: I was told that this book was excellent and that it had won awards. Well, after reading it, I can't say I cared for it or any of it's brethern. Too much sex and politcs. After thinking about it, I realized that those whom had recommended to book to me were men. After talking to some other females, they agreed with me. So, this must be a man's book! However, it had more science in it than Red Mars; so, I found it a better read.
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Summary: A satisfying conclusion
Review: There are many who thought that "Blue Mars" failed because it didn't have plot, character development, or action. And to this I laugh. Loud and long. First, plot. The second attempt to destroy the socket is a major event that catalyzes the beginning of a Martian government. Ann's health and Sax's subsequent intervention lead four of the Martians to a return home. Nirgal tries for the simple life and learns firsthand how terraforming affects day to day life on Mars. Advanced fusion allows settlements on Mercury, the moons of the outer planets, and a starship to Alpha Centauri. And the book closes with a reconcilliation between two characters who have always had their differences. Trying to compare the action and plot in Blue Mars to its two predeccesors is difficult, mostly because those two have <so> much happening there is almost too much action. Think back to Red Mars, if you've read it, and try to summerize everything that happened. It's tough. Blue Mars is a different book, it is more philosophical, more contemplative. Rather than holding these qualities against it, we should commend Robinson for not sticking with the exact same format, and try something different. As far as the characters go, Sax Russell is the most changed. His relationship with Ann, and all they go through in this book, really cement his status as My Favorite Character. The fact that he changes his whole ideology and practice just to appeal to one person makes him that much more endearing as a character. Ann's thoughts near the end about being several different people makes sense when you think about the journey her character has taken throughout her life. Nadia and Art made the section about the constitution (which I will admit got a little tedious) much more bearable. And Nirgal remained Nirgal throughout, a piece of much-needed stability. This book is great. Not as great as Red Mars, but that's like comparing The Godfather to The Godfather Part II. I mean, Part II was so immensely good, so beyond good, that trying to compare even a really great movie to it just shows how great it is. So let's dispense with the injustice of consantly comparing Blue Mars to Red Mars. Read this book. Don't listen to all those reviews that say you'll fall asleep or throw it across the room. Read this book. You will have to pay attention, but if you consider "reading" flipping through the pages until you see something interesting, then you have problems. Read this book. You will be rewarded.
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Summary: Robinson falls in love with his descriptions, forgets plot
Review: After reading Green Mars, I couldn't wait to see how the trilogy turned out. Alas, I was disappointed. Robinson seems to have fallen in love with his vision of the future, and describes it in great and glorious detail, but doesn't seem to DO anything in this new environment he's created. I admit I like novels with action, and these endless descriptions bored me, so perhaps others have a different opinion. I could see the value in describing Mars in such detail in the 1st book of the series, to set the stage. And scientifically it was interesting, as I don't know much about Mars except what appears on The National and in Time Magazine. But scientific interest isn't satisfied with speculation about how Mars might look (in minute detail) after several decades of terraforming. A tedious ending to what otherwise was an interesting and entertaining series.
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Summary: A Science-Fictional Utopia
Review: One must truly admire the men and women in the Hugp convention, who chose to give this book the Hugo award for best novel. I'm a long lasting science fiction fan( the kind that get notious everytime someone calls I, Robot 'Sci-Fi' and that shudders to the sight of movie tie ins). I've had my disagreements with the Hugo award decisions, of course, but I had the notion that I knew what they were looking for. Now I know I don't. I honestly don't know what the common, plot oriented reader can truly get out of Blue Mars. This is not an attempt to grude against the novel, but simply a statement - people like me, who like plot oriented tales, who like characters which are -I can't seem to find the word: passionate, perhaps, or passionly written - well, I don't think you'd find this kind of thing here. I'm certain even the most faithful fan of this book won't call it a page turner, and won't discuss the brilliance of the plot. As for the characters, I personnal cared but for few of them, Sax, Nadia, maybe even Michael and Ann. I still feel that the most fascinating characters - John, and to a greater extent Frank and Andrey(sp?) - were terminated before their time. It is a subjective statement, I admit, but one that I think is shared by many. Sure, avid fans might ignore it rushly, but I do think the great amount of people who find the characters less than appealing indicates something, not so much about the quality of the writing but of the author's intention. This is not, as one could think, a Novel of ideas. I do not have the background to challange Mr. Robinson's speculations about physics, chemistry or biology, but at least the economic theory Robinson proposes is shallow, a collection of phrases and slogans and mixture of philosophies that creates the world he envisions. I think this might be the secret for Robinson's success. For if Ursula K Leguin's The Dispossed was an ambigious utopia, this is a mysterious, science fictional one. I think Mr. Robinson created the future as a land of hard science fiction - where it is science fiction, not science, that transforms the world. In the Foundation trilogy, Asimov's imaginary science revolutionizes the world, but the science is never exposed in details. In the Mars trilogy Robinson created a science fictional science, and a science fictional Utopia - a world that is changed by the fictional creation of a science. I think I can see how this is appealing to the hard core science fiction fan. The creation of not only the universe in which the science change the world, as Asimov did, but also of the science itself. Alas, this vision is not my vision, and the book, an ode for this science fictional science, is not one I can truly enjoy.
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Summary: A series as old as Ann and twice as strident
Review: Many of the characters in Blue Mars are geriatric survivors from Red Mars, and Robinson is apparently intent on making us feel what it must be like to be pushing 200 years old. It is a stinging indictment of any book this long that, when main characters die, you just don't care. Too many of the series' characters are one-dimensional, and the book-long evolution of Ann and Sax is neither believable nor particularly compelling. Robinson's record on projecting logical consequences seems to be hit and miss. The great flood, which struck me as a bit of a deus ex machina in Green Mars, seems to result in serious consequences only when convenient for the plot. His treatment of economics and politics is just too glib. The gift economy he introduced in Red Mars and periodically trots out is never explained, except in the vaguest terms. The scientific collectives on Mars are free from the necessity of performing market-driven research. Hooray! But who, exactly, is going to buy that new mass spectrometer the lab needs? We know that the workers control the means of production now, but where (external to the collective) is the money (resources, whatever) coming from? As far as the hard science goes, I get the feeling that Robinson can't even keep himself interested. What began in Red Mars as painstaking incremental changes that would take centuries to become noticeable, has become by Blue Mars a sort of magic wand. Gross ecological and geological changes are accomplished with a rapidity that starts to break down the willing suspension of disbelief. It took two books to get enough air on the planet that exposure wouldn't mean instant death; by the middle of Blue Mars, characters are running around naked living off of wild animals, hang gliding, and sailing enormous seas. The Terran subplots seem largely pointless and unconvincing; the only one that contributed significantly was Michel's stunning discovery that you can't go home again. Michael Moorcock's Cornelius Chronicles used the fascinating device of mirroring the societal and physical entropy occuring within the story in its very construction, with events occurring out of sequence and chapters progressively fragmenting. Robinson has succeeded on the same level, making the reader feel as if he is actually experiencing the fatigue of extreme old age...
Rating:
Summary: A joy
Review: KSM completed his astounding trilogy by further demonstrating his gift as a writer of human stories as well as technological and political development. Blue Mars, although suffering from a few passages of Robinson describing the landscape in a little too much detail, is a triumph of scale. KSM's gift is the ability to find the human truths, conflicts and mental meanderings at the heart of events epic in scale. He moves between these extremes of focus with agility, and makes a fantastical story line seem as real as a sociological history of our current time. Blue Mars carries forth the rush of events from the previous two books, but allows for more time spent with the introspection of our now well-familiar characters. They, despite age and experience, struggle with reality and truth, thus bringing a fitting conclusion to a triology that is as much about how we define ourselves as people and give life meaning as it is about the colonization of Mars.
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