Book Recommendation: Mars Series

Per several recommendations from my Dad and G, I just read the Mars series by Kim Stanley Robinson.  It consists of three books:  Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars.  These books tell the story of earth, in the not-so-distant future, becoming overpopulated and having no choice but to use space exploration to solve earthly issues.  A group of 100 talented scientists of all types are chosen to lead the expedition to Mars, and to subsequently lead the efforts to make the planet habitable.

The books are very detailed in many respects.  On the one hand, that's what I appreciate about them.  On the other hand, they can plod along like a crocodile at times.  I feel like I could have actually traveled to Mars in the time it has taken me to get through the trilogy.  But that said, I highly recommend them.

No spoiler alerts here, but I appreciated the following aspects of the books:

• Robinson presents a very scientifc, very researched view of what it takes to travel through space and settle on a planet that is not suited to human life.  There is no atmosphere on Mars; no water; no bacteria; no way for humans to breathe or eat or sustain any kind of life without serious technological advances and processes.
• His descriptions of terraforming, and all kinds of other efforts they undergo, are fascinating.  He gets down in the weeds, and no matter how interested you might be, your eyes will (eventually) glaze over.  However, the books don't read as a kind of nerdy sci-fi, alien-infested account.  They read as a tale of real people, with real flaws, working very hard to make a new kind of life work out.
• And it does work out.  And then all kinds of other problems start.  What about a government?  What happens to a society - to an individual - when removed from all known ways of life?  What psychological, spiritual, emotional, physical and mental problems arise?
• Another interesting tidbit:  humans eventually develop longevity treatments that allow them to regenerate their cell growth, and delay death by many years.  In some cases, by centuries.  What happens to a society then?  What happens to the human brain and memory then?

I can see the colonization of Mars occuring, playing out, like it does in this book.  I can envision people making these sorts of mistakes and societies miscommunicating in these sorts of ways.  If you're ever in the mood for something a bit different, try these out.  But a word of advice:  If you enjoy Red Mars, read the other two shortly after you finish it.  If you take a break, you are likely to forget a lot of important information that plays out for centuries!

Happy Reading!