Review: Mars One by Jonathan Maberry

Title: Mars One 

Author:  Jonathan Maberry
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date:  April 4th, 2018

Pages: 400
Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Series:  Stand Alone
Source:  Audio

 

Go on the adventure of a lifetime with a teen and his family after they are selected to colonize Mars in this thrilling new novel from multiple Bram Stoker Award–winning author Jonathan Maberry.

Tristan has known that he and his family were going to be on the first mission to colonize Mars since he was twelve years old, and he has been training ever since. However, knowing that he would be leaving for Mars with no plan to return didn’t stop him from falling in love with Izzy.

But now, at sixteen, it’s time to leave Earth, and he’s forced to face what he must leave behind in exchange for an uncertain future. When the news hits that another ship is already headed to colonize Mars, and the NeoLuddite terrorist group begins threatening the Mars One project, the mission’s purpose is called into question. Is this all worth it?

I was so excited when I discovered this book. I really liked Rot and Ruin buy this author and wanted to try another. This sounded good, I love a good sci fi. This book was really good. There was a lot more of feelings, family, and coming of age then there was space travel. I mean there were in space, but it was really about the space travel. 

Earth is dying. There are a select few that have been approved to go to Mars and colonize. This has been in the works for decades, as long as Tristan can remember, he knew he would leave Earth one day and find a new home on Mars. His entire life he has been in training for this trip. What Tristan didn't plan on was falling in love before he left. Now the day has come and Tristan must say goodbye to his girlfriend, Izzy, and all of his friends. He is getting on a spaceship and going into space to eventually reach Mars. Which takes about 9 months. The trip is not easy and things happen, people die, it is questionable if they will ever even make it to Mars. 

I really enjoyed this book. It was really different than I anticipated but I did like it. There was a lot less space exploration than I expected and really no Mars. I was hoping to get through the trip quickly and follow the families around on Mars. Nope, not what I got. What I got was a boy who was confused and heartbroken and not sure of what he really wanted any more since falling in love. 

There was a little bit of the story unfolding before Tristan leaves for Mars. We see him with his girlfriend, Izzy, and with this friends. We see him struggle to say goodbye. Once on the trip, we see his relationships struggle. I am pretty sure this type of long-distance relationship would never work. 

Tristan is an interesting character. What I did love about him, he was smart and resourceful and really loved his family and friends fiercely. He trusted a little too easy and has very little experience in the real world. I mean he is not even 18 yet and he is giving up life as an ordinary person. So when he starts to have issues with what he is giving up and fear of what he is doing. I totally got it. I did feel at times he was a bit whiny and too emotional, but maybe that's because I don't know anything about teenage boy minds and hearts. 

The trip doesn't go easy for the two space shuttles and there is a bit of mystery that goes on in the story. I did like this aspect. I really wish the story was a bit more involved in the mystery and less on the coming of age at times. I think the mystery and the thriller part of the story really rocked. 

The pacing was good even if a few places felt a tad slow. The slow parts really didn't last long but there was a lot of time spent inside Tristan's head. I think that is the main issue I had with the book. A little more action and character interaction would have been nice. Although I still enjoyed the book as is. 

It was for sure an interesting read and made me think about things a bit more than I usually do. 

Good solid read. 

JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning suspense author, editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. He was named one of the Today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. His books have been sold to more than two-dozen countries.