Before Mars

The Planetfall Series, Book 3

By: Emma Newman

Narrated by: Emma Newman

Length: 12 hrs

Publisher's summary

After months of travel, Anna Kubrin finally arrives on Mars for her new job as a geologist and de facto artist-in-residence. Already she feels like she is losing the connection with her husband and baby at home on Earth - and she'll be on Mars for over a year.

Throwing herself into her work, she tries her best to fit in with the team. But in her new room on the base, Anna finds a mysterious note written in her own handwriting, warning her not to trust the colony psychologist. A note she can't remember writing. She unpacks her wedding ring, only to find it has been replaced by a fake.

Finding a footprint in a place the colony AI claims has never been visited by humans, Anna begins to suspect that her assignment isn't as simple as she was led to believe. Is she caught up in an elaborate corporate conspiracy, or is she actually losing her mind?

Regardless of what horrors she might discover, or what they might do to her sanity, Anna has to find the truth before her own mind destroys her.

©2018 Emma Newman (P)2018 Tantor

Hit me hard

This is my favorite so far in the Planetfall series. Each protagonist has struggled with mental illness stemming from past trauma. I found this character’s response very relatable. I felt the world building layering in a way that was more satisfying than the jump from Planetfall to After Atlas. I also appreciate the Thriller style mystery (similar to Atlas) more than the murder mystery of After Atlas. The world that has been built is a grim one and the emotional impact of the denouement had me in tears for the characters and concerned for our society. Between the mental health struggles and anxiety provoking themes, I this is not a feel good book. Kudos for a book that I could feel so deeply.

Book clubs look no further!

Amazing novel that dares to focus on a female character who is experiencing post partum depression and feelings about motherhood that are practically never spoken aloud, let alone dealt with in science fiction. This book is a tour de force, one of the best novels I've read all year. I hope people who don't normally read scifi pick this up, it can be read without having read the other books in the series. Would make a great book club book for any group that is looking for something meaty that will engender a great discussion.

[I listened to this as an audio book read by Emma Newman, she does a great job]

Great third installment

This was a satisfying third installment to the series with continued interesting development of the universe Newman has developed. The book drags at times, but there is just enough action to move it forward to another provocative conclusion. I particularly like how this book explores the relationship between humans and the AI tech embedded in Newman’s universe.

My only complaint is that the book is slightly bloated with the main character’s inner speech centering on her own perceived failings. This has been the case with all three novels in this series so far. Every main character has obsessively lingered over their own flaws, grinding away at how terrible they feel about themselves and their actions. I have no quibble with flawed protagonists—and Newman has chosen interesting flaws to give her characters. But she (or her editors) needs to ease up on the gas pedal when it comes to giving them pages and pages of repetitive inner monologues focusing on those flaws. It may seem to make her characters more realistic, but it also dulls the edge of her novels.

I am obsessed with this series!

Each book in this series captivated me, haunted me and I could barely force myself to stop listening. This third book was remaniscent of the first, the author has such a gift for slowly peeling back the layers of the main character, leaving you yearning to know more. I love how this series jumps to a different lead character, but is also tied into the previous events of the other lead characters. The huge web of interconnected events, characters and critical choices made linking each of the books is astounding and so beautifully woven by the author. I didn't think I would love the second book as much as I loved the first, but I did. I didnt thinK I would love the 3rd book as much as I loved the second, but I did. Each book is built apon the previous and has made me fallen more and more in love with each book. I cannot wait to start the 4th book!

Another brilliant performance - good book, too

Ms. Newman continues to outdo herself with voice performance. The story was really good. However, in this series, I'm just about over unreliable narrators. This isn't a spoiler as the trustworthiness of the narrator is doubtful from the outset.

Excellent Read and Talented Author

This is the first book I picked up from this author and I was blown away by her writing skills and the story itself. this was a fantastic read and I'm definitely picking up more of her work.

Even better than the Second

I've run out of stars. I gave the second one five stars in each category, and this one again outperforms its predecessor by an order of magnitude. My mind is already anticipating the exponential growth continue into the next book, but infinitely good would be logically impossible. ;D

Audible is like a crack dealer, getting me hooked on books I would have never otherwise read by giving me the first two for free. Not only will I buy the remaining books in the series, but the author has become one of my favorites.

Excellent Story

Emma Newman is an excellent storyteller with the written and spoken word. I recommend this book and the Planetfall series.

Mesmerizing... and a tad disappointing.

Newman is a unique and compelling writer. This story is intense and difficult in places simply because it is so vivid in its portrayal of real human emotion. Regardless, I was captivated from the beginning by a classic mystery set in the perfect moment in the history of her series - a moment in which we already have a clue as to the events of the future and can anticipate the way she will weave it all together for the reveal.

But the end felt ... rushed and anticlimactic, maybe even a little disorienting ... because it wasn't really a reveal at all. It had the feel of an installment story, lackluster by itself, needing something more and depending a little too much on its predecessors - and its successor. This was particularly disappointing because it was so rich with potential and depth! I'm left feeling like the narrative was clipped in the midst of its bloom and then discarded, and now it feels a little pointless in the grand scheme.

Bummer.

Last book spoils the bug reveal of this one.

This is a good book. The authors mix of sci-fi and pathos is unique and wonderful. If you've read the last book you'll know the end of this one from page one but that doesn't make the journey not fun.