Ben Bova - Mars

Pros: Great Reading, I can't put it down

Cons: Not very many technical details if that is important to you

Review: This book immediately captured me because of its structure. It is not a chronological order than eventually build to landing on Mars. It starts with a team of scientists and astronauts already on Mars and you learn how each member of the team got there....

Pros: Good strong characters

Cons: Undeveloped in spots

Review: Interesting look at the forces and motivations behind humankind's first visit to Mars. There is not so much technical information about flying to another planet as the analysis of the many personalities involved in the global and national politics, and...

Pros: Some good technical details.

Cons: Pedestrian writing style, poor character development.

The Bottom Line: A character-centered science fiction novel without any interesting characters...unfortunately.

Review: Bova's novel is an attempt to show the human/political sides of a manned mission to our red neighbor along with some of the technical details for which hard science fiction fans yearn. In doing so, it fails to deliver enough of either world to its ...