Mars Crossing [Hardcover]

Geoffrey A. Landis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2000

In the fourth decade of the twenty-first century, humans have been to Mars twicebut neither expedition successfully returned. Now, with worldwide interest in manned Mars exploration on the wane, a third expedition has made it by eking out resources from a combination of public and private sponsorship. But from the moment of their landing, everything begins to go wrong. The astronauts only hope of survival lies in trekking halfway across the surface of Mars itself a journey to the limits of human endurance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Alien meets And Then There Were None in this first novel, a fast-paced story of survival and treachery, by Landis, a Hugo and Nebula award winner for his short fiction. In the year 2028, the crew of the Don Quijote are stranded on Mars when a technical mishap occurs, dooming their ship. Five of them set out for an abandoned Brazilian ship, which is at the north poleAhalf the planet away. But owing to body weight, only three will be able to return home on that ship. Their journey across the harsh Martian landscape in rough-terrain vehicles is fraught with dangerAsome topographical, some created: it quickly becomes evident someone is determined to kill the others in order to return to Earth. Unlike many hard SF writers, Landis hasn't forgotten the human element: there's the obligatory sex scene, viewed as a rite of passage abroad ship (and consummated in a weightless environment), and a satisfying, albeit unexpected, denouement that's psychological rather than technological. Though the crew members are basically variations on stock typesAthe stern commander, the weak teenager, the proud black woman, etc.Awithin these limits the effort is reasonably successful. Make no mistake: it's still hard SF, with a fine overlay of techno-lingo ("The cable was made of a superfiber called Spectra 10K. It consisted of a thread of buckminsterfullerine nanotubes woven in a matrix of polyethylene"), but with the mystery structure and liberal dollops of suspense, it should please SF fans of all persuasions. (Dec. 18) Forecast: Landis is not only a respected SF writer (who's won both the Hugo and the Nebula) but a world-class scientist, holder of a NASA fellowship. Booksellers who emphasize both his qualifications for writing this near-future Mars novel should find the title missing from their shelves.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In 2028 a joint NASA-private venture hopes to be third to land on and first to return safely from Mars. (The first crew died from air contamination, the second from fungus infections derived from athlete's foot.) The narrative switches back and forth from the problem facing the expedition--how to get from the landing site to the only still functioning return module on Mars, 3,000 miles away--to the personal histories of the mixed-gender, multiethnic cast. Landis balances characterization and hardware better than usual for this kind of space-exploration yarn, and the losses of sympathetic characters have genuine impact, while depictions of the grim, challenging Martian environment and the recalcitrance of hardware are knowledgeably done, which, given that Landis is a working NASA engineer, isn't surprising. Readers old enough to remember 1950s sf may think they've read the book before, and it is a virtually archetypal planetary exploration tale. But it is thoroughly competently executed, so it should draw the hard-core space-advocacy and Mars readerships and please plenty of others, as well. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (December 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312872011
• ISBN-13: 978-0312872014
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 1 x 6.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #358,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Captivating Trek Across Mars, October 27, 2001

By 

Kevin Spoering (Buffalo, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mars Crossing (Hardcover)

In this near term science fiction novel, circa 2028, Geoffrey Landis gives us an exciting long distance trek across the surface of the planet Mars in a desperate attempt to save themselves after a major equipment malfunction puts them in deadly peril. Two previous Martian missions have both failed. This is an exciting adventure and kept me turning the pages. The plot and character development were excellent, with several flashbacks that brought out the backgrounds and personalities of the astronauts in meticulous detail without becoming monotonous. In some science fiction novels an author sometimes creates too many characters, but here Landis gets it just right. There are many chapters, all very short. Landis is a NASA engineer, so the technical aspects of this novel are superb, and as in all great science fiction the technology takes on a supporting role to the story and the lives of the people involved. This is a well written novel, earthy at times, not stodgy, a joy to read, a brilliant literary work. And you may even learn a little about the real planet Mars, after all, that is what science fiction is all about, a look at future possibilities in an entertaining way, and there is also a surprise ending.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Science 1, Fiction 0, June 13, 2002

By 

Phillip G. Cameron "gottlos" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mars Crossing (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a very uninteresting tale of a multi-national team of astronauts who have landed on Mars and then are forced to trek across the planet to try to save themselves. Sound cool? It ain't. The tale of their boring trudge across Mars is broken up by chapters giving us their utterly implausable backstories. The Trevor/Brandon switcheroo is just too stupid to believe. Identical twins, one 18, one 21, (HUH?) buy $60K worth of Win A Trip To Mars lottery tickets. Older twin wins, has a suspicious accident then the younger twin assumes his identity and takes his place on the mission. Where did the boys get $60K for the lottery tickets? Where were their parents? Why didn't the inevitable celebrity spotlight that would result from their winning uncover their sham. Too, too mind-numbingly dumb.
COL Radkowski's tale is also downright silly. Here's a guy who kills someone during a holdup as a teen and ends up commanding the third mission to Mars. Gimme a break.
Then there is Estrela, the Brazilian prostitute turned geologist. It just keeps getting worse from here, believe me.
Comes complete with an absolutely horrible throwaway ending.
Don't buy this book. Stick with Robinson or Bova for your Mars fix.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Leaves much to be desired, March 10, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mars Crossing (Mass Market Paperback)

Mars Crossing is very plain. I cannot find anything of real substance other than perhaps having some technical details that a NASA engineer can provide.

The prose is dull, neither creating mental imagery nor giving genuine insight into characters' thoughts or feelings. Perhaps the author should read a little Hemmingway for influence. He also too often interjects events from the characters background that only have some superficial relevance to the story. These events become nothing more than diversions from a tale that doesn't grab your attention in the first place, resulting in a schizophrenic mess.

The author has an appallingly juvenile attitude toward human sexuality. All events of a sexual nature either occur in an emotionless, routine fashion or in inappropriate times. Sex in the novel is both meaningless and ineffective.

Yes, Mars Crossing left too much to be desired. Fortunately, I know of more enjoyable novels. If you find yourself longing for an adventure in an alien environment, I'd recommend Arthur C. Clarke's Rama series. If you want a logical and developing plot, then I'd recommend Asimov's recent (1980s and 1990s) additions to his Foundation series or his robot novels. If you desire bold imagination, then read Greg Bear's Eon and Eternity.