The Martians (Hardcover)

I needn't have worried. THE MARTIANS is a fine climax to the series, and provides followers of the saga with a wonderfully moving "goodbye" to the Mars we've come to love so much.

This is a collection of short stories, essays, fictional documents and poems designed to both tie up loose ends and provide startling, intriguing glimpses into possible alternative KSR martian timelines... reading some of the stories offers tantalising glimpses of "What Might Have Been". Reading other parts of the book you learn about events from already-established Red Mars characters pasts' which have, until then, either only been hinted at or kept completely hidden. Other stories explore the physical and political landscapes of KSR's Mars through the eyes of new, original characters, or characters from previously-published - but hard to find - short stories set on KSR's Mars. The most common reactions I experienced while reading the book were: "Aaah, NOW I see..!" or "What?! I had no idea!" or even "You know, I actually wondered about that myself..."

As for the poems, they show the depth of Kim's love affair with Mars, and provide yet more background detail to the struggles of the colonists and terraformers. There's something for everyone in here: frustrated reds, impatient Greens, whatever your colour you're represented in the poetry.

I can definitely recommend THE MARTIANS to anyone already in love with KSR's Mars and its characters. Newcomers to the series definitely shouldn't start here however.

I didn't cry when I finished the book, just after midnight on the day I bought it, but probably only because of the clever way Robinson wraps the whole thing up in such a magically personal way. Instead I walked out into my yard and looked up at Mars itself, shining like a garnet above the trees, and wished it goodbye. For now. He'll be back, he won't be able to help himself. The guy's in love... :-)

I usually find short story Sci Fi quite dissatisfying, as if the author is presenting discarded ideas or plot strands didn't quite work out. In this degree, Robinson has done pretty well, and most of the collection left me content on such bite-sized morsels. For once, the whole exceeded the sum of the parts. However, this is not for readers who have not enjoyed the preceeding volumes.

For me, Robinson succeeds best in his wonderful landscape imagery, and the book continues to show you around the planet as looking through a lens. The Martians furthers the conviction that if you found yourself on Mars in a few years time, you would recognise it instantly - no guide book required.