Greg Bear is “a writer who is rapidly redefining the shape of the modern hard science fiction novel” (Keith Ferrell, Omni Magazine), and in Moving Mars he explores one very plausible scenario for the future of Earth’s neighboring planet.
Mars is a colonial world governed by corporate interests on Earth. The citizens of Mars are hardworking, brave, and intelligent, but held back by their lack of access to the best education, and the desire of Earthly powers to keep the best inventions for themselves. The young Martians – the second and third generation born on Mars – have little loyalty to the Earth, and strong belief that their planet can be independent. The revolution begins slowly, but matures to its inevitable conclusion.
In this 1995 Nebula Award-winning novel, a revolution is transforming the formerly passive Earth-colony of Mars. While opposing political factions on Mars battle for the support of colonists, scientists make a staggering scientific breakthrough that at once fuels the conflict and creates a united Mars front, as the technically superior Earth tries to take credit for it. Backed against a wall, colonial leaders are forced to make a monumental decision that changes the future of Mars forever.
Enormously entertaining, this book is like an old friend I keep returning to. Moving Mars is one of my favorite “hard” sci-fi novels.Written from the point of view of a woman growing up on Mars and coming to maturity in an era of enormous political upheaval. This book gives us an incredibly plausible and detailed look at what may be in store for us and our descendants in the coming 150 years. The “new” science is breathtaking, sobering, thought provoking. The consequences of the breakthroughs involved are terrifying.Â
Good read; solid SF I’ve enjoyed other Greg Bear novels, so thought I’d give this one a try. Glad I did. Premise is that humans have colonized the moon and Mars, living in pressurized underground caverns and occasional pressurized buildings. In this environment, we get firsthand experience with some of the political issues that seize the frontier-mentality, independent “red rabbits” of Mars, and some of the political wrangling between Earth and its outposts. There’s some leaps of technology here…
It’s not going to knock you off your feet I am reading the Nebula Award winning novels in chronological order. This is the winner for 1996.On the whole, this is a fun book. It’s not too serious, but not too light either. I couldn’t really buy into the characters and their motivations were sometimes obscure. I liked some of the science babble. The political stuff did not strike me as believable. Still, I don’r regret reading it.