Red Mars

The Good: Science of the terraforming of Mars with interesting and original ideas

The Bad: Excessive socio-political discourse about the colonization of Mars which takes up just as much of the book as the science (if not more). Conflicting governmental ideologies, trans-national corporations, the eventual rebellion and civil war...this all slowly becomes a drudgery -- especialy with Robinson's descriptive overkill. I realize that a lot of people might look at this and remark, "But that is what the story is really about!". So be it, but it was not at all what I expected before starting the book and future readers should understand this before diving into it.

In the midst of these competing themes of politics and science, we have the love triangle between John Boone, Frank Chalmers, and Maya Toitovna. At best it is a distraction from the politics Robinson is beating you over the head with; at worst it is quite annoying.

I had to force myself to finish this tedious novel after reaching about the halfway point. Robinson's politics ad nauseum overshadows the science. Not sure if I will continue with trilogy.