Rating: 
Summary: Been there, Done that!
Review: I really enjoyed this book! But... I've spend several seasons at McMurdo as a female beeker, and I truly identified with the social scene as portrayed by Robinson. (I particularly like how he captured the nuances of male/female tent sharing.) But reading the book if you have never experienced McMurdo wouldn't be the same pleasure. There are a lot of inside jokes! As a scientist, I appreciated the careful attention to scientific detail, but must admit that I was overwhelmed by it in some instances. However, Robinson deals marvelously with the politics of the place, and the potential for the growing ecotourism business. There's no doubt in my mind that the exploitation of the continent could turn into a situation like he describes, and this book has tremendous value for generating discussion as to the future of the "pristine" Antarctic continent. My favorite section of the book was the fantasy (?) portrayal of the South Pole Station. This was one part of the book where I could not distinguish reality from science fiction, because I have not been to there. This section was absolutely superb and magical.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent combination of history, politics, & science.
Review: "Antarctica" is a remarkable combination of adventure, history, politics, and futuristic communication. It includes accurate information on Antarctic topography, current weather and past climates, early explorations, and conflicts between preservation and exploitation. The principal characters are "X," Val, and Wade. X is a large man and a member of the underclass, a support services employee. Val is a guide who helps crazy tourists retrace the paths of early explorers. And Wade is a representative from Senator Chase, sent to find out just what is going on down in Antarctica.All three get caught up in struggles between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and groups far less interested in maintaining research on the continent. There are "ecoteurs" who want to evict all humans and their machines, there are "ferals" who simply want to live in Antarctica, and there are companies seeking to tap massive deposits of oil and gas. How this plays out with violence, then ? temporary compromise, sound very familiar. I have not read Robinson's "Red Mars," "Blue Mars," "Green Mars," or "A Short, Sharp Shock" but I will try at least one.
Rating: 
Summary: Old territory
Review: This story covers the same subject matter as the three Mars books Robinson has written. Unfortunately, it doesn't work very well this time. His characters are thin, the plot is very slow to develop, and too much time is spent with characters giving speeches about political correctness and environmental issues. One character literally "phones in" his part just to give Robinson the excuse to do much of his preaching. Robinson seems obsessed with the idea of co-ops as the ideal living arrangement and they appear here yet again. The resolution of the plot is not convincing. All in all, a pretty dismal book unless you read it for its political message.
Rating: 
Summary: wonderfull visual imagery
Review: A well crafted tale of the not very distant future in a very harsh environment. Wonderful visual imagery and good character development makes this book a worthwile read. Anyone living in an area that deals with similar weather will relate to the problems the characters deal with during outdoor physical activities. This is certainly the best book I've read from this year's release. I most definitely recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: You need some antarctic background to enjoy it
Review: I'm a science fiction reader, but I picked up Antarctica because I recently read Cherry-Gerard's The Worst Journey in the World and Arthur's Antarctic Navigation. Bringing the familiarity with Scott's expedition and "famous" places on the continent that these provided to Robinson's Antarctica made it a pleasant page turner. Without that prior knowledge as a hook I'm not sure I would have been so enthralled. I've never been to Antarctica, and have no desire to go there, which is probably why I can appreciate Robinson's romanticization of its places, people, and mythos.
Rating:
Summary: Just Barely sf
Review: "Antarctica" is interesting, but not Robinson's best work. In this story, the author shows that Earth can be an alien environment. However this is the novel's only great success. I like Robinson's writing. However, reading his stories has always meant struggling through his didactics. "Antarctica" is the worst example to-date. You will be able to save yourself 100 pages by paging forward through diversions on academic politics, minutia of the Antarctic Treaty, and long discussions on the foibles of Antarctic historical figures. Despite being listed as science fiction, "Antarctica" barely qualifies. The story is more an action adventure thriller with a very thin veneer of tech. The story could just as well have been written in the context of last Tuesday than ten years in the future. Finally, the novel is written from a multi-character perspective. I've never been overly fond of this technique-it is too difficult to get right. I don't believe Robinson succeeds here either. Of the three main characters (Wade, Val, and X), X (who I thought was the most interesting) never develops and Val frankly seemed too masculine to be a women. "Antarctica" is readable, although I think his "Kalifornia" series is a better introduction to his earthbound work.
Rating:
Summary: Bringing a blast of cool refreshment to a hot summer day
Review: Antarctica is a solid science fiction thriller that shows there is still much to be learned and explored right here on our own planet -- not just in outer space. It is very topical in addressing the subjects of politics, radical conservationists and scientific technology all with a bit of ironic skepticism. Sometimes the plot borders on the melodramatic, but the solid characters and plotline keep the reader moving through a series of highpoints and a most satisfying conclusion. Highly Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Mawkish
Review: The best that can be said about this book is that it offers wonderful thumbnail sketches of the great early expeditions to the Pole....Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen. As for the rest, well, that is best left unsaid. Suffice it to say that Kim Stanley Robinson could use an editor with a honed scalpel.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting but empty
Review: I have been to Antarctica several times having been a participant in Operation Deep Freeze while in the Navy. I find this book to be similar to those experiences, interesting but empty. The descriptions of Antarctica, though not physically true to today's world, have the ring of truth. He well captures the spirit of Antarctica but I could not help wondering when the plot would turn into something. Robinson seems far more at home describing the land then he does the characters, all of whom are rather broadly drawn, or in developing the plot which is rather skeletal. Neither the people nor the theme actually go anywhere, they just look good from a distance. After reading this I do want to go back to Antarctica and experience it again but I do not want to read any more of Robinson's books. I assume that is not what the author intended.
Rating:
Summary: Frozen Corn
Review: Robinson's story was over the top; didactic, preachy and straining the bounds of credulity (blimps on Anarctica?). What it offers are marvelous thumbnail sketches of the great expeditions--Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton. In fact, based on Robinson, I'm about to read about Shackleton. As for the rest, thoroughly skippable.
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