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Red Mars

By: Kim Stanley Robinson
Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
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Publisher's summary

Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, Red Mars is the first book in Kim Stanley Robinson's best-selling trilogy. Red Mars is praised by scientists for its detailed visions of future technology. It is also hailed by authors and critics for its vivid characters and dramatic conflicts.

For centuries, the red planet has enticed the people of Earth. Now an international group of scientists has colonized Mars. Leaving Earth forever, these 100 people have traveled nine months to reach their new home. This is the remarkable story of the world they create - and the hidden power struggles of those who want to control it.

Although it is fiction, Red Mars is based on years of research. As living spaces and greenhouses multiply, an astonishing panorama of our galactic future rises from the red dust. Through Richard Ferrone's narration, each scene is energized with the designs and dreams of the extraordinary pioneers.

©1993 Kim Stanley Robinson (P)2000 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

  • Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1993

"Generously blending hard science with canny insight into human strengths and weaknesses, this suspenseful sf saga should appeal to a wide range of readers." (Library Journal)
"The ultimate in future history." (Daily Mail)

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What listeners say about Red Mars

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

patience Pays Off

This is a long book that moves slowly, but deliberately, through the colonization of Mars. The author's grasp of several technologies is impressive, yet is written in an almost poetic style. It is a great read well worth the effort.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Life on Mars

An expansive saga that begins with the first 100 settlers. It continues into the future encompassing complicated relationships, The politics of progress that are for or against terraforming, etc. The detail and flow of this book has made it my favorite. This is a hard sci-fi book encompassing many fields of science.

I do alot of driving. Some books are difficult to listen to when driving late into the night. I become drowsy leading to unsafe driving. This book keeps my attention in such an engaging way that I would end up parked in the driveway unwilling to stop!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Poor narration ruins it

I have 228 titles currently in my library. This is one of my least favorite narrations of all time. He reads well but without telling or enlivening the story. As for the story itself, it’s a disappointment after New York 2140, which was my first by the author, and superb, as well as a fabulous audio production.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting premise

I appreciated the technical aspects of terraforming Mars and the angst between those who want to develop vs those who want to leave the planet in its natural state. I found myself annoyed by some of the personalities and ended up just wanting to “get done” with the story. May not take on the second book.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Utopian Social Fiction with Annoying Characters

A properly depicted Martian geography and a grand vision of terraforming are the strongest points of the book. Plainly naïve, silly characters may easily discourage more sensitive readers from completing Robinson's opus magnum, though.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant & Prophetic

What an epic! A heady mix of hard SciFi and global politics, with the exception of African people who don't get their do. A dose of Afrofuturism (look it up) would have made it perfect. Still, compelling characters and a great read.

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Epic Story

Red Mars is an impressive work that ages well. Now nearly 30 years since its first publication, only a rollback of the starting date would put it back in sync. Robinson does an excellent job of world building and the characters are compelling and believable. The narration by Richard Ferrone is outstanding. I listened to a sample of Red Mars a few years ago and thought “meh”, but his “ghost story around the campfire” tone kept me interested.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Red Miles

A detailed geotopographical description of Mars . Historical references are sometimes dated and science inconsistent.

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Fresh

Refreshingly non-oversentualized, with a well managed pacing between characters, story, and inner monolgue. The ecological and societal analysis on par with Frank Herbert's Dune

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Wasn’t my cup of tea

It’s a good book and I appreciate the effort that was put into it but it seems like it’s all politics. Even the fight scenes get politics drug into them and I just had a hard time finishing the book

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