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Summary: Definitely science, but just barely fiction
Review: Dr Zubrin's book is as hard as hard scifi can get. Set ten years in the future, this story is almost tomorrow's news. A must for read for those following the developments of the Mars Society. This book is absolutely great on technical merit while engaging and fun to read.
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Summary: It's time to go to Mars!
Review: Every once in a while, I pick up a book thatÕs tough to put down. I read this one in several sittings and as I read, I kept thinking of what a great film it would make. I make this statement because the novel is very visual, has a great cast of characters, and a story line with a interesting perspective on the first manned Mars mission. I like my Science Fiction with a heavy emphasis on science and technology, and this book delivered. I found myself deeply involved with the characters, and their situations as well. The last few chapters, especially the epilog, brought a tear or two to my eyes. I highly recommend this novel.
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Summary: First landing review
Review: exciting through out, realistic characters and scenarios. Characters portray a good cross-section of attitudes towards Mars exploration. A must read for Mars enthusiasts
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Summary: A Great Book By Any Standard
Review: First Landing is simply a great book. It is exciting and dramatic while remaining firmly based on known science. In truth, the political manuevering and chaos on Earth is almost worth reading all on its own. First Landing would make a great movie. The highest praise you can give First Landing is that it is too short. The book could easily have added another 100 pages and still been just as exciting.
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Summary: An Instant Classic of Exploring Mars
Review: First, two caveats: Robert Zubrin is the president of the Mars Society, and I'm the president of a chapter of the Mars Society; and he asked me to post this review after I told him how much I loved the book. So be warned, I was biased before I picked up the book. With that said, I loved this novel, and I found it by far the best of the recent Mars novels that I've read - Zubrin's fiction debut created more lifelike characters and a more compelling plot than "Martian Race" by veteran novelist Gregory Benford, and there's no comparison at all to the hopelessly contrived and woodenly peopled "Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars" trilogy from the Ralph Nader of science fiction, Kim Stanley Robinson. It's also, needless to say, immensely superior to any recent movie about Mars - Hollywood should redeem itself from last year's two fiascos ("Mission to Mars" and "Red Planet") by making a movie out of this book. "First Landing" serves largely as an illustration of Zubrin's mission designs that he perfected as an engineer at Lockheed Martin and then as CEO of Pioneer Astronautics - both of the virtues of the designs and the danger of interfering with them. Anyone who wants to learn more about the technical side of these efforts would get a huge kick out of Zubrin's non-fiction, "The Case for Mars" and "Entering Space," which outline some of the cleverest, most compelling space engineering since the giant leap for mankind in 1969. But this novel goes far beyond mere technical brilliance, upon which much hard science fiction rests. Several genuine, compelling characters are painted with an economy of dialogue and details, and feel more sympathetic and more real than is common in hard science fiction, while not detracting from the fast pace and adventure into the unknown that are the primary goal of the book. Although, one of the five crew members, the geologist, is portrayed so marginally qualified as either an astronaut or a decent person that he feels one-dimensional. For some reason, he's also so similar to real-life astronaut James Reilly, who for several years until 2000 was NASA's only Ph.D. geologist astronaut, it makes me wonder if this is a criticism of NASA's lack of preparation in training qualified geologists to be ready for Mars. The story isn't without a few other flaws. A couple of jarring turns in the story go far beyond mere plot twists and compromise our suspension of disbelief - look out for a murderous rage to appear only to evaporate, and later on, for an even more unexpected decision by two crew members. Perhaps even more disturbing to someone familiar with Zubrin's ideas, was the presence of a historian with no science or engineering training as a fifth crew member, when "The Case for Mars" is emphatic that on the first mission, even such vital positions as doctor, pilot, and commander should be filled as part-time jobs of qualified full-time scientists and engineers. I'm not sure if Zubrin intended that as a mission flaw imposed by the misguided NASA, as with the Venus flyby trajectory, or if seeing the value of Sam Burbank at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station has convinced him that communicating the mission to the public is that much more important than he had previously thought. Whatever the case, the experience on Mars feels very real in this book, as do the dangers the crew face and the heroism with which they respond. It's a quick, classic, gripping adventure in a fascinating new world, one we may be exploring for real in the near future. Overall I loved the book - if you read only one sci fi novel this year, let it be "First Landing."
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Summary: Zubrin's "First Landing" ROCKS !
Review: From the first page, Bob Zubrin's latest book pulled me in and wouldn't let me go, and I see I'm not the only one! Don't start this if you're not ready for a wild ride through space, science and the human spirit. If you share the Dream of bringing Life to Mars (and Mars to Life!), read this book and be re-inspired. If you don't, read it and find out why everybody's talking... about Mars!
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Summary: I read it and I'm sorry
Review: Having read books like "The Case for Mars" (Zubrin's non fiction offering) I could hardly wait to read First Landing. Unfortunately, this book conclusively proves that Zubrin is a first class scientist but he shouldn't give up his day job. Character development is either non-existent or childish. Plot development is transparent and dialogue is juvenile. The technical aspects were first rate but I guess you can't get everything.
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Summary: Mixed Feelings
Review: I felt like I was reading two books in one. When it focused on the Mars mission, the book was thought-provoking and seemed quite plausible (though I'm literally no rocket scientist). However, the characters seemed straight out of daytime drama; overwrought and not what you'd expect from highly skilled pros selected from the top of their respective fields for a Mars mission. The human aspect lacked dimension and the inevitable conflict in an isolated survival situation that could have been as fascinating as the operations aspect, was jarringly overdone.
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Summary: A plausible, provocative tale
Review: I read "First Landing" while living and working with the author in the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island this summer--certainly an inspiring place to dream about the first landing on Mars. With all the drama of a movie blockbuster, Zubrin delivers a "popcorn" read you can't put down. And unlike some of the recent Mars films, Zubrin's tale is plausible and thoughtful. The methods of "Mars Direct"--a cost-effective way to start a colony on Mars within a decade--are woven into the story, with government intrigue and non-stop derring-do. Current questions about protecting Earth from Martian life, coordinating long-duration missions with Earth, and keeping a small crew productive and healthy are well presented. Reaching the last page, I felt the mark of a good storyteller--I wanted to know more about the characters and what happened next. I'd give this book to any reader who might be interested in the story of humanity's next great adventure.
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Summary: Very realistic !
Review: I really liked the fact that the achievements of the first martians was realistic, and the technology they used to reach a point where colonization became inevitable sounded very realistic - something possible in the near future without any mega projects. I find the political drama unfolding on Earth regarding the opposition faced in bringing them back to Earth a little unrealistic. Overall the book was amazing - a little
more visualization of Mars's physical surroundings would have been nice - something Arthur C. Clarke knows very well how to achieve. But overall I think Zubrin has done an excellent job -very readably, inspiring and fast paced novel - you will finish it even before you realize it. Its not a very big novel unlike the Mars series from Kim Stanley.
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