Customer Reviews

Glory Be to Mars

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Thomas W. Cronin has given readers a satisfying, exciting, nail-biting conclusion to his Mars series. The underlying themes of self-reliance, independence, and self-determination inform a book that is very different from the first two books of the series. Glory Be To Mars is a novel of war and strategy that takes place about 30 years on from Give Us This Mars. The Earth and the U.N. are determined to take Mars from the Martians. Their impetus for war is an alleged weapon of mass destruction that has been developed by the Martians. The Earth has superior numbers and technology - the Martians have their own Martian desert fox. The war plays out on an accurate version of Mars that is informed by data from the latest Mars missions. The children of the characters from the first 2 books are the main players. Once the story gets rolling - an Earth attack on a nonmilitary Martian operation - the action never lets up [leave yourself a big block of time for reading - once you get started, you won't want to quit reading!]. My only concern involves Cronin's use of current biological knowledge [genetics] and that concern didn't take away from my ability to suspend my disbelief - hey it's fiction! - but I would love to have a discussion with Cronin about what traits are heritable in humans. I shall say no more on the subject since I refuse to be a spoiler and I want you to read this book. Besides fans of the first two books in this series and lovers of Mars fiction, Glory Be To Mars should find a whole new audience in lovers of military fiction. I hate to see the series end here, so if Mr. Cronin can find another creative and nonrepetitive way to extend the series, I know I'll be ready for another great Martian read!

This third book of the series is a continuation of the struggle for control of the settlement on Mars, as a second generation living on Mars defends the only home it has ever known. The plot moves along at a fast pace, with plenty of action, and interesting characters. The necessary science and military technology in the story are clearly explained.

I very much enjoyed this book. It shows what a near future Martian war could look like. The Martians do not have the sophisticated military aircraft of the invading coalition, but have other strengths that enable them to challenge the invaders from Earth. Edward Russell, for example, is a young man with a keen interest in military history and tactics, and the plot of the book reveals his hidden military genius. Also, I liked the book for the way it reinforces old themes of human nature like love, war, and the struggle for control. These themes are reflected in a fascinating and unusual plot.