Disclaimer: Review given in return for a copy of the ebook.
Heirs of Mars: Joseph Robert Lewis
While I’m obliged to give a review, don’t think that I’m doing this at all under protest. I enjoyed reading this novel immensely. The setting is well described, slotting you into a somewhat broken down world, Mars, part way through the terraforming cycle.
Too often in science fiction, you’re info dumped on. Where the author tries to get the entire setting described quickly. Not here. While you have a basic understanding pretty quickly, it’s continually expanded as the story progresses. Bits and pieces of what people say and do, filling in the gaps, expanding on what was already described. It’s a natural way for it to happen, and doesn’t feel at all forced. And as the viewpoint changes, following one character or group, before moving on to another (and back) you get to see more than any one person knows, in story.
There are a few themes touched on, the main one being the nature of what makes someone human. It’s far from the first time it’s been done, but this is a fairly good example of it.
The characters are, in most part, nicely three dimensional, as are the masses of people.
Probably a 4 on the Moh scale of hardness. No FTL, but it does have neural mapping, and synthetic intelligence.
I highly recommend this book. And as it’s a cheap kindle ebook, you’ve got little to lose.