(I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley/ Crown Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Another great book from Andy Weir in keeping with a somewhat similar familiarity to The Martian.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot, and really liked the characters, especially our protagonist, "Jazz." Jazz is a spunky, witty, and quite shameless resident of Artemis, which is a quite realistic and believable future colonization on the Moon. She works as a courier, by trade, but may or may not have her hand in some not-so-credible underground business deals from time to time. This ultimately drives the plot as to her involvement in the events that transpire.

I'll leave it at that insofar as the plot goes... I don't want to throw out any sort of spoilers, and this is one of those short, sweet, and quick reads wherein it would be far too easy to give away too much info.

As short and sweet as it is, though, Andy Weir is truly a master at still being able to pack in plenty of info, background, description, and detail, all while not straying too far from the action or overall plot. If you've read The Martian, you know exactly what I'm referring to here. On the same note, Weir is superb at tossing in numerous bits of science and geography trivia in his books. I no longer even bother to fact-check these inferences: The man does his research and pretty well knows his stuff. If nothing else, even if you don't enjoy the book, stick with it and you'll come away having learned a few things!

Overall, it was a "good" read. My only real complaint is that it seemed purposely more movie-script oriented than novel oriented. Given that The Martian was made into a fantastic film, and that the rights to Artemis have already been purchased and set up for production, this should come as no surprise. I can't fault him there, though. Well played, Mr. Weir. Cash in! I will add, however, where I enjoyed The Martian equally as much as I did its later film version, I found myself thinking throughout this read that I will probably enjoy the film version of Artemis moreso than the book. It's a rare occasion that this happens, of course, but read it and let me know if you get the same sense.

My only other complaint with Artemis is that far too many things go just right and at just the right time or last second for our lovely protagonist. Of course, we're rooting for her, but I get a little turned off when I automatically know that, no matter how sketchy a situation is, the miraculous is bound to happen any second and the moons will align just right (see what I did there?) and everything will be just fine. This takes some of the suspense out of a reading and I will say that the last 1/4 of the book dragged for me just a teeny bit.

Would I recommend it, though? Absolutely. It's definitely worth buying and reading and, with the holidays right around the corner, it's certainly worth grabbing a few extra copies as gifts or stocking stuffers (unless you're like me and have no friends or family who read anything but their phone screens!)

Bottom line? 3.5 stars from me... Given a little more suspense and not knowing everything would work out perfectly for every SNAFU, it'd be a definite 4.0 star book.

Jazz Bashara is a smuggler of harmless contraband on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon that's mostly populated by the super wealthy and tourists on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. After all, she's got bills to pay and her job as a porter barely covers the rent. She changes her tune when she's offered the opportunity to make a fortune by pulling off a seemingly perfect (and impossible) crime. Before Jazz knows it, she's walked straight into a conspiracy for control of the city and that her only chance of living relies on a plan that's even riskier than the first.

When I saw this novel available to request on NetGalley, I crossed my fingers and hoped that I'd get approved. I fully expected not to for such a hyped up release, but when I read the notification saying I had I might have shrieked in excitement. Now that I've finished it, I can officially say that I absolutely loved it. I was hooked on Weir's new sci-fi novel right from the first page. It's one of those books that I wanted to read in one sitting, but I restrained myself so I could savor it for a little while longer. My expectations were sky high based on how much I loved The Martian, and for the most part Artemis lives up to it. Of course, it's quite a bit different, but if you like the technology, science, and sense of humor of The Martian as well as an incredibly memorable and unique lead and heists stories you need to meet Jazz stat.

Overall, Artemis by Andy Weir is an absolute must read if you need a new sci-fi caper in your life. It's a quick and addicting read that you want to savor for as long as you can. This novel has definitely made my list of favorite reads of 2017. Andy Weir certainly knows how to tell a story and I can't wait to see what he does next!

You can find my review here: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-minus-reviews/review-x-2-artemis-by-andy-weir

Andy Weir is such an American Superman - compture programer, writer, geek, nice guy, HUGE success story - that I feel badly acknowledging he not a very good writer. But he has his finger on the zeitgeist of giving the people what they want and with great lashings of science, space opera and whizz kid know-how. Thank goodness he dropped the Zhek book because it sounds like a dud, and went with what is a fun ride of a book with Artemis. Did I enjoy it? Yes! Will I recommend it? Sure! Do I look forward to the next Andy Weir book? Not really, but I swore I wouldn't read another of his titles after The Martian and I have and lived to review it, so never say never!

Few debut novelists achieve the kind of success that Andy Weir did. “The Martian” was one of those books that captures the collective imagination. From Weir’s self-publishing of the novel in 2011 to Crown Publishing’s purchase and re-release of the book in 2014 to the commercially and critically triumphant 2015 film adaptation, “The Martian” has been wildly successful in every way.

But then the question becomes: What next?

For Weir, it’s “Artemis.” The author’s sophomore effort is another near-future sci-fi offering; this one is set a little closer to home. Rather than survival on Mars, we’re looking at a city on the moon. One thing that hasn’t changed – Weir’s propensity for smart, smart-aleck protagonists and a feasibly constructed eye toward the science side of science fiction. And while this second effort might not reach the heights of “The Martian,” it soars plenty high in its own right.

Jasmine Bashara – Jazz to her friends – lives in Artemis, the sole city on the moon. She’s one of just over two thousand residents; it’s not a big city, even though it took big dreams (and big money) to bring it to life. It’s a place with a unique manufacturing sector and a thriving tourism industry. It’s a phenomenal place to be rich, but not so great for the poorer folks.

Jazz isn’t rich.

She’s a hustler, making her living on the fringes. Ostensibly, she’s a porter – a glorified delivery person – but she’s aiming for something more, an EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) license that will authorize her to officially and legally venture beyond the city’s domes. She’s also a smuggler, the primary source of all contraband that comes into the city. It is in that capacity that she finds herself recruited by one of Artemis’s eccentric billionaire residents to engage in something a little more illegal (and a lot more difficult) than she’s used to. It’s a big, risky job, but if she can pull it off, she’ll be set for life.

It doesn’t take long for complications to arise – complications unlike anything seen in the entire history of Artemis. Jazz quickly discovers that there are forces at work behind the scenes of the city – some good, others sinister. She’s left to reconcile with abandoned friends and erstwhile enemies, with no notion of who she can truly trust; she’s the only one who can cobble together a coalition that might stand a chance in staving off the complete collapse of her beloved city in the sky.

“Artemis” has a lot going for it. It has the same sort of zippy adventure vibe that made “The Martian” such an engaging, page-turning read. It invites the reader to consume it in big chunks, with a constant sense of the kinetic. While the constant motion can occasionally get to be a bit much, for the most part, it serves to captivate, keeping us in its high-speed orbit.

Weir’s great about the introduction and understanding of scientific concepts – a skill he wields with aplomb in “Artemis.” It’s not like you’re not getting a treatise on atmospheric dynamics or gravitational differentials or vacuum-based chemistry; instead, enough detail is sprinkled throughout that an additional layer of plausibility develops. That extra layer can do wonders for the impact of sci-fi – near-future stuff in particular benefits from that manner of realism.

One could argue that Jazz is a bit of a Mary Sue – SO brilliant, SO clever, SO cool – but Weir handles that sort of character better than most; Mark Watney in “The Martian” was much the same. Jazz manages to be interesting despite her seemingly across-the-board exceptionalness; yes, she’s quick with a quip and often proves capable in ways that strain credulity a bit, but she also has a few flaws and issues baked into her character. They’re not much, but they’re (mostly) enough.

It doesn’t hurt that “Artemis” is ultimately quite funny, both situationally and in terms of dialogue. Weir’s got a knack for a specific brand of dorky humor; it’s not for everyone, but if you dig it, odds are that you’ll REALLY dig it. That humor – combined with the attention to detail – is where “Artemis” really shines.

“Artemis” has its flaws. There are moments when Weir loses his way in terms of writing his female lead; there are a couple of head-scratching moments with regards to Jazz. And the propulsive nature of the narrative occasionally means that some nuance gets lost along the way.

In the grand scheme of things, however, those flaws are fairly minor – there’s enough humor and heart in “Artemis” to overcome a few issues. We’re talking about an engaging and interesting piece of genre fiction. No one straddles the line between hard and soft sci-fi quite like Andy Weir does; that balance makes his work a ton of fun to read.

“Artemis” might not land on Mars, but making it to the moon is still pretty impressive.

Weir brings more science facts to his fiction. The boiling point on the moon would make coffee taste very different, for example. Fans of the Martian will also enjoy this although without the singular survival narrative, it isn't quite as engaging and I personally didn't find the moon as interesting as Mars. For moon fans, I would suggest the film "Moon" by Duncan Jones.

Look, I loved The Martian. Mark Watney was a badass, the story was super exciting and full of adventure, and the sciency-part simple enough that my non-scientific mind could grasp most of it. I'm pretty sure I squealed in delight when I saw Andy Weir had a new book coming out - and I definitely squealed when Artemis popped up in my Netgalley approvals.

And then, I waited three months to read it because I still haven't gotten over how horrible Armada, Ernest Cline's follow-up to Ready Player One was. I was terrified Artemis would be the same thing - an author writes a book I adore, only to follow up with a disaster. It didn't help that several reviewers I respect bashed Artemis. 

Eventually I realized I couldn't put it off forever. So with a lot of trepidation, I gave it a go.

And. Well. Sigh.

What made The Martian such a great book was that you had this great, likeable character in a situation where he's totally in over his head, but it's either figure it out or die, so he figures it out. Artemis follows a similar story arc....except that the best thing about Jazz Bashara is her name, and the story lacks all of the urgency that worked so well in The Martian. 

Let's talk about Jazz first. Weir clearly has no idea how to write a female character. Or at least, not a likable female character. Jazz is flippant, rude, and talks like a frat boy. She's entitled, but I'll give her this - she makes no excuses about what a bitch she is. She has a couple of things she's committed to - her word, namely, but they aren't enough to make me care much about her. And that's the thing...rather than hate her, I simply didn't care that she existed. Not what you want to say about a main character. 

As for the story, I didn't really care about that either. Maybe that's because I'm not really sure Jazz cared. It all just felt....boring. Dull. Unimportant. Kind of like, oh hey, let's go commit a felony to get rich, oops that didn't work out, maybe we'll try something else. Oh, you want to kill me? Meh. I'll just hide out in a closet. 

I wish I was joking, but that's about the gist of it. I gave it 3 stars, but that was generous - it's closer to 2.5. 

Artemis isn't a go-out-and-buy-it-right-now book, and unless you're just desperate for something to read, not really even one I'd put anywhere near the top of your list. Put it on hold through the library, and maybe in a few months it'll get to you. Go back and read The Martian instead.

I was granted an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you for this opportunity, even though I sadly did not finish it before the publication date.

This book was fantastic! I loved the plot of this book, and Jazz is a firecracker of a main character. Everyone in this book had just enough description to make them memorable, but not so much that I got confused as to who was who. The Rube Goldberg-esque process of science and stealth is really a unique and fun read, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I will definitely be buying a copy of this for my shelf!

Artemis by Andy Weir is the follow up novel to the massive break out hit The Martian. Before I start the review, proper I have to disclose that I received a copy of this book from Crown Publishing through Netgalley. With that out of the way, let’s get into the meat and potatoes. Artemis is a space odyssey of the highest order! Our protagonist Jazz is a porter by day and a smuggler at night. She is a teenager who rebels as a lifestyle and is a nonconformist by choice. I loved how Weir uses real hard science, but in lay terms to either explain an otherwise complex science process or to base his not far from actual science fiction. Weir does a superb job of capturing what I term real world speak. Written language, even in novels, can often not truly capture how people actually talk in everyday life. Because he does this though, it makes the novel flow much better and a breeze to read. Any reader who liked The Martian will be sucked into this high paced story with no problem! Artemis is an excellent follow up to The Martian. The present day story has an almost a spy thriller feel to it. The past story is told through a pen pal series of letters that will give the reader a fuller picture of Jazz. Artemis is a full complete narrative that left me satisfied and wanting another book from Andy Weir. Artemis is a shining example of why I read science fiction a full five stars! This book shouldn’t be missed!

3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jazz is a young girl on the moon's only settlement, Artemis. She is barely scrapping by working as a courier and a black market smuggler. She is very bright and always working the angles. Jazz is estranged from her father and has had her share of heartaches. When she's given the opportunity of a lifetime to finally get ahead of the game by committing a risky crime, she jumps at the chance. She just didn't count on quite so many complications.

The book is a quick, fun read. The chapters are short, the characters are fairly likeable and the story is interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. I haven't read The Martian, so I can't compare the two, but I will read more books from this author.

DNF'ing because I cannot get behind the portrayal of this main character.

I loved the Martian, and even though I had heard reservations about the main character of Artemis, I was still excited to give it a try. By 24% however, I am feeling disappointed and confused at how an author I had admired for such a fun, exciting and scientifically accessible story as the Martian can have gotten this character so very wrong. We need diverse characters, and I am here for a Saudi lady hero, but right now, with the feelings towards Muslims what they are, the last thing we need is a smuggler/saboteur using the religious trappings of the culture to further the terrorist/wrong-doer image. These are not the only issues I have with her image, but they are enough.

I absolutely do not believe the author did this maliciously, I have seen an interview where he mentions giving the script to every woman he knows that he trusted with the manuscript before publishing to make sure he had written the character as well as possible. I feel that either they failed him, or his editor did, or he didn't take as much advice as he should. Maybe in another time of less social tension this wouldn't have stuck out so badly to me, but right now, I just can't recommend this, or even finish reading it myself.

I'm willing to give future work a try, but this one is not for me with my current feelings about our world in general.

I spent most of my early years, from the age of 12 or so, reading science fiction. That was pretty much it for me except when school required that I read other things. Then somewhere along the way I discovered thrillers and mysteries and pretty much moved my reading over to that. Well, I have to say that Artemis takes me back to why I loved science fiction so much. The characters are great, the plot is imaginative, and the concept of a moon colony that really works, both physically and economically is totally involving, and most importantly quite believable. I had intended to read The Martian, but never got around to it, but now that I've read this, I'll have to find the time. This is great stuff, the real deal. I have a hunch a whole lot of folks are going to enjoy this one.

The entire time I read this novel, it just had this very childish vibe to it. The crime and the consequences of it were serious, however it was delivered in such a childish, peppy manner that I couldn't take it seriously. It was this weird mashup of a 1930s detective story with its mysterious characters and twists and turns, and some funny teen novel. And I didn't really like it. I couldn't get a handle on the mood or tone of this novel at all, and it just made everything seem like a big joke. Jazz's character was also an issue for me. I have no problem with female characters who don't act in a feminine way. However, it really felt as if the author was struggling to create Jazz. Every now and then, the author makes some really cringy assertion to make it clear that Jazz is a female. I also didn't like the fact that Jazz talks to the reader sometimes in an attempt to add humor to the situation; it was just very awkward. None of the jokes were funny and the joviality of it all was just cringe-worthy. I didn't actually mind the fact that the author included scientific information; I learned a lot of things that I didn't know, and it wasn't delivered in a heavy pedantic way. But the whole plot was just not intense enough for me to feel pulled into it and I really couldn't care about anything in this novel. So far, I'm not really getting a great impression of this author's work ... but maybe, just maybe, when I have nothing left to read.... I'll give The Martian a try. For now, this novel gets a 2/5 from me.

This book had my favorite parts of THE MARTIAN--the humor, the science, the high-stakes plot--from a completely new perspective. I'm a sucker for The Perfect Crime tropes, and this one was no exception. I think people who read Weir's first novel will be pleasantly surprised with how fresh Artemis feels, while still retaining the things we all loved about his debut.

Very rarely do I get excited about new release books. Normally I wait at least a year to see if the book can live up to its hype, but there are a few authors I make an exception for. Andy Weir is one of them. I read The Martian in 2015 after the movie was already in production, because I had heard so many good things about it and it sounded like the type of book both my husband and I would love. It ended up being my favorite book of the year.

So when I found out Andy Weir was publishing a new book this year about a female smuggler on the moon, I was stoked! For the moment I only have an e-book copy courtesy of Netgalley, but you can bet I’m going to get a hardcover copy because the cover is gorgeous, and it will sit nicely next to my lovingly worn paperback copy of The Martian.

About Artemis! The first half of this novel felt different from The Martian. Our main character and narrator, Jazz, is a 26-year old citizen of Artemis, the only city on the moon. She is also a genius, but she chooses to live the life of a smuggler, despite everyone else’s opinion that she could be doing something extraordinary with her talents. Andy Weir takes a while to describe the city of Artemis, the way it works (it’s run more like a corporation than a government), and the people in it, and it’s easy to get used to Jazz’s smart-alec personality.

The second half of the novel brought me back to the summer I read The Martian, when every chapter it felt like my own life was hanging in the balance. Jazz is a master problem solver, and sometimes she’s a trial and error learner, which creates a lot of anxiety for the reader! Toward the end of the novel, every chapter had at least one everything is screwed and everyone is gonna die moment, and I enjoyed every minute of it!

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Artemis was both a technical science fiction novel and a murder mystery story. The characters Andy Weir created were amazing and very realistic. Jazz has some great friends; my only qualm was that I wish we got to actually meet Kelvin.

(Review will be published on Macarons & Paperbacks on 11/22/17)

I read "Martian" long before it became a movie. I loved it.
Artemis is weaker mostly because:

1) the protagonist is not as likable as the one in the "Martian"
2) the plot is weak

Weir writes hard science fiction, which means he writes SF books that are based on real science.
I love that.

For example, you learn things such as:

"Lunar dust is extremely bad to breathe. It's made of teeny, tiny rocks, and there's been no weather to smooth them out. Each mote is a spiky, barbed nightmare just waiting to tear up your lungs."

Still, it's not enough to make up for weak characters and a plot about the main character trying to blow up the main oxygen supply on the moon.

Some things just can't be described. And stepping onto the moon was one of them. - Buzz Aldrin

I love this book. I wasn't quite sure how I'd like it because I enjoyed author Weir's THE MARTIAN so much but no problem there. I like ARTEMIS just as much or maybe even more.

Wonderful characters, stellar (or should I say lunar) world building, quite a bit of science but pretty easy to understand, a fun storyline - it has it all.

Jazz Bashara is the protagonist of the story. She is a Saudi Arabian citizen who has lived in Artemis, the moon's only city since she was six years old.

Her father is a welder who wanted her to become a welder too but Jazz had her own plans on what she wanted out of life.

So she is a porter, delivering goods over all the different sections of the city, at least when she's not smuggling. She augments her income in various not-quite-legal ways.

The problems really start though when she takes on a job that just might be too much for her.

I love Jazz, I like her pen pal, I like so many of the characters. I can see this book being made into a movie, too, plus I'd love to read a sequel to it (and I don't say that often).

I received this book from Crown Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review of the story.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book! One of the reasons that the majority of advance copies I request are from authors I've read and enjoyed is because I really hate giving a negative dedicated review. I absolutely devoured The Martian, and it was one of my favorite books of 2014. The idea of a female protagonist who was going to 'science the sh*t' out of things on the moon was also very appealing. Alas...

Let me start with the good: Weir is SUPERB at world building. The city of Artemis is fully realized in my mind and full of fun and unique details about the way people live, eat and entertain themselves on the moon. Like many great sci-fi novels, I can ABSOLUTELY picture the inevitable movie version. And, like Mark Watney's character in The Martian, Jazz's ingenuity was compelling. However...

The main character has a similar irreverent shtick that worked in The Martian, but didn't work for me in this novel. The salty language was not used to any kind of great humor - I just felt as if Jazz somehow needed it to make her seem tough and have a chip on her shoulder. For the life of me, I never really figured out why she was so angry at the world or her dad. If I did, it might have gone a long way to make me want to pick up the book more often and care about her plight. The action was fun, but I didn't care how it would play out. It's one thing to think about being stranded on another planet, trying to get home to your family. That has drama and heart. An inexplicably angry woman trying to pull off an illegal heist? Not so much.

If interesting science (lots of stuff about heat, atmosphere, how things would work on the moon in zero gravity - like the way dust settles, which was really interesting!) or a cinematic heist sounds like fun fare, by all means, you should definitely read Artemis. These are things I nerd out on as well, but I just wanted a little more.

So, one of the best parts of reviewing books is being able to surprise your wife with a particularly exciting book that they’ve been looking forward to, forever. Except she didn’t even know it was coming out. I knew how much she’d loved The Martian a couple of years ago when she first read it, and I was positive she’d be excited to read this newest novel from the same author.

When I told her I’d gotten a review copy of it, she squeed. Literally. I kid you not.

So, without further ado, here is my wife – Wendy – to review Andy Weir’s newest novel: Artemis.

I love sci-fi.

I love strong, well-written heroines.

I love Andy Weir.

I came a little late to the Andy Weir loving game. In 2015, Mr. Weir catapulted onto my radar with the impending release of the film adaptation of his novel, The Martian. Having read my fair share of sci-fi and having a borderline unhealthy obsession with the genre as a whole, I was taken by surprise with this new Matt Damon venture. I decided, as all good geeks do, to read the book first.

The Martian was my favorite novel of 2015. I laughed, I gasped, I hooted, and I chewed on my perfectly polished and manicured nails that I never-ever put into my mouth…it was that good. I ignored my wife entirely while on a flight during a weekend getaway, and she was rewarded by my presence with only random giggles brought about by Mark Watney’s antics. I gave a copy to a friend for a Christmas gift that year, and recommend the novel to all of my sci-fi friends who like me, had somehow missed out on this gift from Andy Weir’s brain.

It is now 2017, and what reward could I expect from the universe for having survived some of the shittiest years ever in my personal record since Mark left me googly eyed?

Jazz.

I LOVE me some Jazz.

I want you to understand that when it comes to the world of literature, I am a snob. I am impossible to please, and I go into novels with nearly a determination to find something to fault. I hate being caught up in fads and trends—so if someone else loves it, I must hate it. Maybe I’m a closeted hipster…

You want to really get me up into a tizzy? Write a female lead, and do it wrong. In the past, even my favorite authors have managed to screw up all-time-favorite heroines in series that I’ve followed for years, and I spare them no criticisms in my disappointment. You see, I am incredibly difficult to please, and it is impossible to get me to stop working on the 57,000 things I have in process long enough to have me watch a film or read a book. If you are going to hook me—you’d better be damn good.

Jazz is that good.

There is this line in the sand when writing strong women that many authors can’t seem to traverse. They’ll toe the safe side of the line and downplay her strengths the second someone with a Y-chromosome steps into the scene. Or they take her to the other side of the line and make her into some kind of completely unrealistic, sociopathic, robot, superwoman who needs no help from no one. Now, I’ll admit I had some concerns going into this novel about Andy’s version of a female lead. I’d read Mark and as a pioneering space pirate he was incredibly well written, but I didn’t know if Andy could give me that same connection to someone of the opposite sex. I needn’t have worried. He did not disappoint.

Jazz is a complex, intricate, and extraordinary character who is also incredibly relatable. Without giving away spoilers (Jazz’s character development is, I feel, important for you to experience firsthand, as the author intended) I will tell you that I felt like Jazz’s life and my own had more parallels than I thought possible. I had felt some of her same lows, and known some of her same highs, and I understood how beautiful it is to witness the chaos of a woman who is unapologetically herself. Jazz was neither over nor underwritten, she was developed with the perfect blend of intellect, spunk, guile, morality, and I-don’t-give-a-shit attitude.

You may have found in other novels with an incredibly well written character who has an established voice, that the supporting characters fall flat, or blend—that didn’t happen here. Every character was as three dimensional and dynamic to me as Jazz, and I finished the book finding myself wishing I could have a little more of their stories, too. I envisioned a series of novels, perhaps even an HBO series, (move over GoT – Jazz is here to play) or maybe even a movie trilogy. When the book ended, I was immediately thrown into the dreaded book hang-over stage. Do I do a two-part Weir re-read and start with The Martian, do I immediately start Artemis again, do I contemplate other novels on my shelves, or throw myself headlong into a TV binge?

I read Artemis fast. From start to finish it took me 12 hours, with a break for that pesky sleeping thing and taking children to school in the middle. I honestly, can’t remember the last time I shut the world out like that and let myself become absorbed into something else. I love sci-fi for this very reason. I’ve long dreamed of other worlds and alien cultures, and I’ve always been painfully aware that I was born a few centuries too soon. I find myself staring at the stars heartbroken that I’ll never leave this planet, from time to time. And I can become quite despondent when I think of all the amazing things I’ll never see or experience out there in the universe; so for me, a solidly written science fiction novel is a boon to this trapped soul with an insatiable intergalactic wanderlust. This book was exactly what I needed.

Artemis moves fast, it delivers on the “science-ing”, and it is an incredibly well built world. Once an author passes my personal character test, the world building is normally where I get them. This world spared no details and did it without cramming a ton of history down my throat. Andy Weir then takes it a step further now, apparently feeling overly confident because he had just delivered into my hands an amazing heroine and a solid world, by giving you some seriously good science. I don’t much enjoy fantasy novels, because I’ve never been able to suspend the entire logical part of my brain that commands some part of the story I’m reading must be at least partly believable.

This is why I love science fiction. I get the extraordinary worlds, settings, and stories with the very real possibility that this could actually happen, be happening, or have happened. The annoying left side of my brain is now happy and satisfied that this fiction actually makes sense, allowing the right side of my brain to take over and submerge us into the story. The hard science details are here, as painfully developed and implanted as the “soft world shell” they sit in, creating one harmonious blend of fact and fiction. As I read and become more immersed in the story, the excitement level just continues to escalate. This is a unique skill not all authors have perfected. Leaving you feeling like you’re actually there with Jazz moving through the events as they unfold? Bonus. I didn’t guess anything that came.

Ahh, guessing the whole plot is the final nail I have driven into a few writer coffins. I said earlier my brain is always processing a high number of tasks, this does not stop when I begin reading—it simply redirects into the story. If I can guess the end, you fail. You want to win me over? Keep me guessing. Artemis certainly didn’t disappoint here either. Every few seconds I felt like I was getting the shock of my life. Reading from Jazz’s POV though, I’m sure that was exactly the point.

If Mark was my favorite read from 2015, Jazz certainly secured 2017. I am now officially a fangirl, and anxiously awaiting more from Andy Weir.

You do a credit to the genre, Weir. Please give us more soon.