Another highly enjoyable YA science fiction read. This adventure splits its page count between Mars, outer space, and a dystopian Earth. The world-building is detailed and sound, the flying action sequences are edge-of-your-seat breathtaking, and the dystopian concept is uniquely creepy. I had trouble putting it down to go to bed.My one real quibble is that the character of Ethan, who seems to be on the autism spectrum, sometimes seems more like Commander Data from Star Trek than a human person. His genius and literalism I'm willing to accept, but his overly formal speech is over the top at times. I really enjoyed this book. It's an action-adventure that brings to mind the same old feeling I got as a teen reading classic Anne McCaffrey and CJ Cherryh science fiction, but with just enough space-opera to keep me turning pages.I like that the author was unafraid to go over-the-top with Earth society, and although I felt the shadow of Hunger Games with some of the Earth scenes, it didn't detract from the story. If I were a teenager, the scenes would have made perfect sense from an adventure perspective. As a grown adult, I did question some of them, but it's due to personal taste--the storyline I was most interested in was only tangential to some of those Earth scenes. Still, the book as a whole worked very well for me.The premise of a teenaged hotshot pilot with the survival of an entire planet in her hands might seem a bit of a stretch to the adult reader, but it makes sense given the context of a colony where young people have to grow up fast, and those great teenage reflexes come in handy when doing things like piloting starships, even if the maturity might not be caught up. However, the "hotshot kid" is one of the most beloved tropes in science fiction and YA literature. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that stories with this trope--whether books, movies, TV shows, or other media--are instrumental in inspiring both the wonder of discovery and the tissue-deep belief that in space, no one can tell you you can't be anything you want to be.That sense of hope, of striving to exceed your abilities, pervades the story, and it's one of many reasons I'll keep reading the series.
What do You think about Saving Mars (2012)?
Swanson sends us offFrom Mars to Earth with guide JessRisk-takers will love
—Boarding90
