Artemis: A gripping sci-fi thriller from the author of The Martian

Andy Weir's latest book is a bit different from his previous works in a few major ways. If you're expecting more of the same, you won't get it. What you will get is the science, the engineering, and the humanity. The book is written from the perspective of a snarky, not-altogether-likable female protagonist. There's a bit of "The Martian" in the voice he'd given her, so it sometimes borders on feeling like an attempt to affect the same tone. With the character being quite different, and with the style of story being entirely different, this doesn't always come across as a good fit. With that said, the story itself is interesting enough to grab your attention, and it certainly goes places. Like Weir's other works, it feels shorter than it is. Artemis is a quick read. While the setting is larger than in his other books, it still feels rather confined and limited. This makes the cast of characters small enough to easily track, and the it has the add-on effect of keeping things tight and focused. The protagonist is smart, insightful, and capable - so much so that other characters comment about it fairly often. This can land differently with different readers. Some might see her as a "Mary Sue" - the magic female with no growth, no flaws, and unearned, unexplainable "powers". Others might see her as the type of person who would naturally have a book written about her. I'm leaning towards the latter, as despite her intelligence and skill, she makes plenty of mistakes, she relies on others (including the men in her life), and things rarely (if ever) go exactly as she plans. As far as I'm concerned, the "Mary Sue" argument doesn't hold water. She may be harder to like. She's certainly a criminal. Her cleverness is often overcome by her character flaws, to be true. Even so, I figure most people will find the story, as told through her eyes, to be engaging enough to make the ride worth it. I can't rank this against Weir's previous works, as it's really in a different genre. If you like capers, you'll probably like this. Think "Outland" (the film with Sean Connery) mixed with "To Have and Have Not" (featuring Humphrey Bogart). Maybe add some science-core from Weir's own style, and throw in a modernized, rebellious Elizabeth Bennett for some Jane Austen fans. There are some offhand mentions of sexual notions and odd relationships, but this isn't a romance novel, nor is it pornographic in any way. In all, the characters are true to themselves and their motivations make sense, the science is spot-on, the pacing is quick, and the story doesn't disappoint. I'm certainly glad I read it.

The Martian was my favorite book in 2016, and I was also a fan of the movie when I saw it in 2017. When I heard that Andy Weir was releasing a new book I was stoked and waited eagerly for its release. In November of last year, Artemis hit the shelves. The blurb revealed that it was another book set in space, but this time on the Moon. Wow. I couldn't wait to get a copy and delve back into Weir's universe. As with The Martian, the book does contain a lot of the author's trademark detail (ie. technical explanations etc), which I think is an asset in adding authenticity to the plot. It shows that the content is well researched and that what is happening is scientifically and technically possible. Artemis is a settlement on the moon, which comprises of a number of domes (named after famous astronauts) where a sizeable population of 2000 people live. Aside from the local mining industry, part of its economy is fed by tourism, where people wealthy enough come from Earth to visit the Moon for a vacation. Besides the obvious attraction of being on the Moon, the other main tourist spot is the site of the lunar landing. It reminded me of the mock-up that I went to at NASA in Florida, but instead of sitting in a theatre with a replica lander and special effects, the space tourists are at the real site looking through a thick glass wall at the actual landing module and astronaut footprints. The main character, Jazz, is a young woman who is making her humble living as a courier/ deliverer/ small-time smuggler. Although she seemed nice enough, I don't think I really got onboard with her. Maybe it's just me, but I think it's easier to connect with someone who is on the side of good, rather than someone who is on the side that we normally oppose. That said, we do love Han Solo, and he was a smuggler! I found the first half of the book very slow. I realize that it was all about setting up for the second half, but I didn't find it that engaging. Perhaps I was expecting too much, given how much I liked The Martian. I think that my memories of Weir's first book kept me going to see where it was all leading. Jazz is a strong woman, driven mainly by her need for cash and a want to improve her life. Maybe it was her self-focus that failed to click with me. In the first half of the book she makes some questionable decisions that definitely make her some enemies, and as such, it sets up for the ensuing plot line. Once we moved into the second half things got much better. The plot was thickening, the pace quickened, thrilling arrived, and there was a lot more happening. In order to move forward and try to fix things, Jazz needed to dig deep and find unique ways to deal with the situation she was in. This was reminiscent of what I liked about The Martian - making the most of what you have to keep going. Without giving too much away, there was a section of the plot in the second half that I thought would have been a much more exciting area to focus on and expand, instead of the amount of time allocated to the first half. I hope that makes sense. In my opinion, it would have made for a more exciting and thrilling story. In a Nutshell - Artemis is a good book, which gets better as you read more. If you find yourself lagging during the first half, hang in there and keep reading. Although it's not as good as The Martian, it should keep sci-fi fans entertained.

I thought for a while about why I didn’t like this novel as much as The Martian, which is a truly wonderful book. Artemis has the same sort of scientific realism in its imagining of the first colony on the moon, built near the Apollo 11 moon landing. Weir’s moon base has parts that are as gritty as the spacecraft in Alien and parts that are as sparkly as a hotel on Park Avenue. Weir is an expert at creating a setting that seems wholly real and possible, even though we haven’t seen anything like it yet. So, why is this novel something of a disappointment? Because, whereas the events of The Martian, though clearly fictional, felt like they could really happen; here, the entire plot is simply a typical thriller with an exotic scientific setting. Jazz is a great character and there are certainly some moments that provide intrigue and thrills. Ultimately, however, you never for a moment believe this is something that might actually happen in the future. It’s a believable, futuristic setting wasted.

When I review books I do not reiterate what I read. I do not pick it apart to where there is nothing left for the would be reader to discover for themselves. I like to let the potential reader know if I liked it overall with a few extra details. So no worry on spoilers. I'll keep my thoughts on it as short as possible. I'll start by saying that I enjoyed The Martian for the humor and technical aspects of the science portrayed. The details brought me to an unfamiliar landscape with a situation I will likely never be in. I was entertained, it flowed smoothly, and it made me appreciate this writers style. Having said that, I bought Artemis without knowing anything about it other than who had written it. I did not know what to expect. When I began reading it, I could tell I was in for fun ride, so to speak. What a cool story, with interesting, fun characters. Once again science and an unfamiliar landscape drew me in, yet with situations just familiar enough to be able to relate. I could visualize the surroundings, I felt like I knew the characters, I was curious as to how the situation/s would resolve given that the norms of Artemis are wildly different than what we know of Earth. I just enjoyed the heck out of it. Furthermore, what I found is that I didn't want the story to end. Situations can resolve, but I want to be able to continue to observe the life of these people. There is so much story just given the setting. I would love to see more of these characters and more story to be told of this way of life. There is a lot of rich material to work from, and would absolutely be a wonderful way to delve deeper into all of it. I really hope this isn't a once and done story line/story setting. It was a gem of a read. Nicely done!

Fun read, but nothing close to Project Hail Mary or The Martian. If you haven't read those books, do so. I enjoy Weir's writing style but Artemis seems to be a bit thin on details and a bit boring in the middle. For me, this was an elongated short story.

I read this because I loved the Martian, but I loved this too. If you’re expecting it to be even close to the same style/vibe as the Martian you will be disappointed. But it has its own voice and the main character is likable and spunky, if somewhat stubborn and infuriating. Twists and turns, a murder mystery, and an unexpected love. 10/10 one of my favorite sci-fi’s of the year!

Taught and engaging thriller set in an intriguing, demanding environment. Fun, fast read and a well-worked-out caper threaded through the technical constraints of its lunar setting. Another Weir home run. The excitement of Andy Weir's brilliant "The Martian" was the grinding technical challenges its protagonist had to meet, and his ingenuity in doing so. The plot was essentially nothing more than an extended series of DIY plans under conditions that seemed impossible. "Artemis" highlights the same technical mastery but works it into a more traditional story-line - essentially a heist caper set in the underworld of cutthroat corporate competition in the unusual setting of the essentially piratical economy inside the air domes of the first-ever lunar colony. This gives the book more of a sense of narrative flow, but also de-centers the technical material that so fascinated many of Weir's fans in the first book. Although this book works very well in melding its multiple avenues of background knowledge - technical, economic, cultural, and personal - they serve to dilute one another so that the detailed exegesis of welding in lunar vacuum is intercut with the dynamics of clan- and guild-based feudal economies, complicated by the intergenerational religious and personal politics of the protagonist's family, the developmental economy of a frontier outpost with no atmosphere, the chemistry and physics of smelting lunar ore, the protagonist's relationship with her ex-boyfriend's new boyfriend, the running of a smuggling operation between planets, and finally the basic plot of corporate sabotage. Readers who find one of these storylines more interesting than the others will find that 80% of the book is about extraneous issues. Neal Stephenson pulls this kind of complicated didactic narrative off with aplomb; Weir is a worthy runner-up, but this book doesn't have the heft of, say, "The Baroque Cycle" (which it very slightly resembles), or the light-hearted drive of "The Martian". The early-stage libertarian economy of the colony resembles that of Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," but is worked out with much greater economic sophistication. The technical detail is fascinating and carefully considered (do you know how to light a welding torch in outer space? - read this to learn!). The unforgiving physicality of living in such a searing environment pervades every page (how do you control a fire, or an air leak, on the moon? - in both cases, by sacrificing however happens to be inside the closest airlock). Though I think it is less gripping than Weir's previous work, "Artemis" is a fun and exciting read, and the protagonist is a brilliant character with a sassy personality not unlike that of the main character of "The Martian". As to the actual plot: "Jazz" (Jasmine) is a menial laborer in Artemis, the first and only lunar colony. She works as a porter, hand-delivering packages between the handful of pressure domes that make up the city; this also gives her access to the cargo delivery shuttles, which she uses to operate a small side-business in smuggling. She is widely recognized as exceptionally smart and resourceful, but chooses to isolate herself and refuses any assistance from her father, a successful welding-business operator. She is approached by a wealthy resident with an offer of riches in exchange for helping him to acquire the ore-processing concession from the one major corporation in the city. How she goes about it, what the consequences are, exactly what technical processes are required at each stage of the complicated plot, and how she, and the city, came to be what they are, are gradually unfolded. In the end, Jazz is nearly dead and nearly broke, but has an exciting future ahead of her. It will be interesting to meet her again.

I saw the movie the martian before I read the book and a friend said I should read the book. I did and decided I needed to read all of Andy Weir's books. This one I felt was just a good, very entertaining, both scientifically and humorously! I hope this one gets made into a movie as well!!!! Can't for the next Weir novel!

I really enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. The characters are great and the plot very engaging, so I recommend this book for those looking for a sci-fi page turner.

If you enjoyed The Martian, Artemis is another entertaining science-fiction story packed with clever ideas and plenty of action. The novel is set in the late 2080s in Artemis, the first city on the Moon. The story follows Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara, a porter and part-time smuggler who gets pulled into a dangerous conspiracy that could change the future of the lunar colony. What makes the book enjoyable is the mix of humour, problem-solving and realistic science. Andy Weir once again focuses on how technology and ingenuity can help characters survive impossible situations, which was a big part of what made The Martian such a hit. The story moves quickly, with plenty of tension, clever schemes and unexpected twists. The setting of a functioning city on the Moon is also fascinating, giving readers a glimpse of what life, work and crime might look like in a future lunar colony. Overall, Artemis is a fun and engaging sci-fi thriller. It may not quite reach the same heights as The Martian, but it’s still a very enjoyable read for anyone who likes smart science fiction with a sense of adventure.

Fabulous, great read

Loved this book

Adventures on the moon. Good follow up to "The Martian" Lots of details to figure out, but not as technical. I could see the set up then had to wait for the story to mix that into the plot. Main character is set up as clever, but then does many silly mistakes. Good adenture.