Artemis by Andy Weir was my most anticipated read of 2017 and it did not disappoint! Filled with heaps of action that should be familiar to fans of The Martian, Artemis is about a roguish woman named Jazz Bashara who is cut from the same cloth as other famous sci-fi rouges. Think Han Solo, Malcolm Reynolds or even Peter Quill (AKA Star-Lord). However, while those sci-fi’s take place in the far future, Artemis could be considered near future in relation to the world of The Martian. Here’s the set-up: Artemis is a small lunar colony in which many objects, including flammable substances (such as alcohol and cigarettes) are tightly regulated or banned by Artemis’s government. Jazz is Artemis’s best smuggler with the right amount of attitude and scruples to be a good protagonist. She puts her effective, but small-scale operation at risk when one of the wealthiest businessmen on Artemis offers her the biggest contract she’s ever taken on and the action really begins.

This plot is only one aspect of what was an engaging book. I could read descriptions about the inner workings of Artemis for days on end as it is a very well imagined and fleshed out world in typical Weir style. It’s a sci-fi world (moon-city really) where the limitations and science behind it seem possible, just as they did in The Martian, although more advanced. It’s refreshing to read sci-fi novels where the problems faced by the main character need thought and planning to deal with the limitations of the environment (e.g. vacuums, no air, low-gravity etc.)

I appreciate that Weir was trying to write a more character-driven novel, as Artemis has a good supporting cast of characters and he builds interesting back-story into Jazz’s character that may have been missing (although not necessarily needed) from Mark Watney’s character in The Martian. I think that Artemis is a successful follow-up to The Martian and it is great to see that Weir is trying something new in his writing, while keeping enough of the old. It really feels like an evolutionary step. One last Artemis comparison, the city of Artemis itself reminded me a bit of the colony-ship from Ascension, a recent TV mini-series about 1960s space settlers where the culture of Earth was very much carried over to the new space locale.

I’d recommend Artemis to fans of The Martian (obviously), but also fans of space-opera, John Scalzi and to fans of any of the famous space smugglers I mentioned earlier in my review.

Note that this review is for an ARC of Artemis which I received from Crown Publishing through NetGalley.

Andy Weir, the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Martian, his debut novel, has followed up with another hard science fiction work, Artemis, probably also destined to become a movie thriller. Weir's earlier book pitted a stranded astronaut against the inimical Martian environment. The structure of the story was necessarily episodic, the reader continuing reading just to see what deadly aspect of Mars the protagonist would face next and his ingenuity in dealing with it. Artemis is much more plot-driven, more in the spirit of a classic crime story.

Jazz (Jasmine) is a sassy, very intelligent free-willed 20-something year old who lives in a small lunar colony, just squeaking by on the income from her job as a porter and boosting her savings by smuggling. She dreams of someday living in a space larger than her current “capsule domicile”, an enclosed coffin-like bunk with a door that locks, all she can currently afford. As a smuggler of cigars, electronics and other small contraband, she has developed a reputation for being honest (i.e. keeping to the agreed-upon bargain) and ethical (she will not smuggle in firearms, drugs, etc.)

A rich entrepreneur offers Jazz a fortune if she will sabotage the moon's primary industry, aluminum production, so he can take over the operation. This is way outside her comfort zone, but she is ingenious and a very fast learner, so she comes up with a plan and, needing the money, agrees to take the job. Now she has to deal with not only the moon-base security people, their alarms and processes, and the extremely harsh lunar environment she has always contended with, but also she must outwit the personnel and procedures of her target.

Andy Weir has expanded his horizons in the writing of Artemis. His talent for describing the science of running in low gravity, the danger of fire, base safety protocols, even the nitty-gritty details of welding in a vacuum, is given ample opportunity to shine, ala The Martian. However, with his new story, he has added the development of multiple characters and their interactions and has a crime-focussed plot. Survival in a hostile environment is still an important part of the story, but surviving hostile humans certainly ups the ante, making the story thrilling and, in my opinion, (and I'll probably take some heat for this) more interesting than his debut novel. The characters and plot are now intriguing as well as displaying an awesome grasp of the hard science involved. I can't wait for the movie!

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

I kept visualizing this book as a movie, and I feel sure it will be soon. I love the intelligence and strength of the female heroine, even though she isn't wholly "good." And the setting! So cool! I loved that I need need to be a scientist to understand the science. Weir makes it easy to understand and follow. Highly recommended!

**3 Goodreads Stars**

I really, really, REALLY wanted to love this book because the premise sounded enticing and I enjoyed the movie version of Andy Weir's prior book, The Martian. Unfortunately for Artemis, I just finished reading a 5 chapter excerpt of Annalee Newitz's sci-fi thriller Autonomous, which I could not put down. Artemis paled in comparison to Autonomous. 

Let's start with the good, which is what earned this book 3 stars. The plot was what kept me going, though a major spoiler happened fairly early in the book (which could have been drawn out much longer in my humble opinion). The book was action-packed and fast-paced. While I am not into the nitty-gritty details of how things work, the author also paid close attention to the minutiae of all the tech and gadgets in the book. Weir has built a somehwat convincing environment and world, one that I could easily imagine on the screen. 

The plot involves Jazz, a lower class employee working as a freight porter on a colony on the moon (known as "Artemis"). The moon has become habitable (though questionably so for those who have little money), and has become a popular place for wealthy tourists from Earth. Jazz aspires to become one of the elite, to enjoy the pleasures reserved for the moon's über wealthy residents, by smuggling freight deemed illegal by moon colony standards. Jazz compromises what little ethics she has by accepting an offer to engage in corporate espionage, which, if successful, will guarantee her a life of wealth and leisure. 

Now to the bad. Like Artemis, Autonomous features an enterprising young female lead in a futuristic world where corporations own nations (or in the case of Artemis, the moon) and people often engage in questionable behavior simply in order to survive. Both leads are also smart, science-oriented females who use their wits to outfox society's oppressive rules and their corporate overlords. Artemis, however, fails where Autonomous succeeds; Autonomous creates a believable character who goes by female pronouns and the name Jack, whereas Artemis trivialized the experience of rough and tough welder/smuggler named Jazz who goes by female pronouns. You can't simply write in a female smuggler/welder to be considered a progressive author; you need to understand her motivations (beyond sexuality/sex and $$, because believe it or not women are more interesting than that: for the latter issue, see below), her struggles, and her life. 

As another reviewer (https://www.goodreads.com/BookswithEmilyFox) put it, the female lead (Jazz) was sexualized to the point it felt as though the author could not possibly imagine what goes on in the mind of a savvy woman. There were numerous moments where the character mentioned how sexy she was out of the blue; in one case, Jazz discussed the possibility of a wet t-shirt contest after being splashed with a little water in what was a completely non-sexual scene. One of the scientists with whom Jazz was working also constantly asked her about her sexual behavior after devising a reusable condom that he asked her to test out (really??!). Perhaps if it was just a few isolated comments I wouldn't care, but seemingly scientific and tense scenes were constantly interrupted by awkward sexual comments and scenarios that were really out of place (and obnoxious, and, more importantly, out of character for Jazz). 

Though this is not explored in depth, Jazz and her father are from Saudi Arabia, and Jazz's father is a practicing Muslim. I felt like this was sort of an afterthought rather than something truly explored. I'd be curious to see how this element of Jazz's identity is examined if this book is turned into a film.

Finally, there were a few instances where I was left shaking my head at the language used. The author (in the voice of Jazz) used the words "whorish" and "ghetto" in different scenes. Just like the sex comments, these phrases seemed really out of character for Jazz, a young woman who is both poor and objectified by the men surrounding her.

You would think that a second book set in space might be repetitive, but Weir makes it cool to be a nerd in this lunar frontier town. Painting his main character into tight spots that require brains to get her out of trouble, he creates a diverse and engaging world that makes you care for every breath they take. Using projections of hard science and a sharp sense of humor Artemis is a great read for fans of space thrillers.

Who can resist a “near-future heist story set on the moon”? Jazz Bashara is equally as brilliant and funny as The Martian‘s Mark Watney, with a hefty dose of rebelliousness and risk-taking. The story itself is a bit predictable, but watching Jazz get out of all the predicaments she finds herself in is highly entertaining. It’s her fast-talking and fast-thinking character, and the intricate relationships with friends and family that will keep the pages turning.

Andy Weir has quickly jumped to the top of my favorite authors list. His follow up novel to his smash success The Martian, will be another runaway success! Artemis is a whirlwind sabotage/heist adventure set on the moon! At times I felt like I was reading the screen play for a movie like Oceans 11 where a cast of misfits is trying to pull off a huge heist under insane circumstances for a huge payoff. I loved the main character Jazz from the moment I "met her:. The book starts off with a bang putting Jazz immediately in a life or death situation and her intelligence and snarky sense of humor are apparent right away. She is an easy character to love and root for even when she is making incredibly risky and stupid decisions. She is a strong female lead with the male characters all falling well below her on the intelligence and charisma charts. This book will keep you on your toes from page one and keep you guessing the whole way through. Even though there is a ton of science in the book, it never makes you feel like you don't understand the content and you won't struggle to catch up with the novel when trying to figure out what they are talking about. Artemis and The Martian are similar in that they both are set in space, have fantastic main characters, they are easy to understand while being scientific, and pack a serious comedic punch. I think anyone who reads this book will love it and I can see this being a huge hit when it is released in November. Let's hope there is a movie made out of this one too! I would love to see Jazz and her colorful language on the big screen. Plus the cast of additional characters all have their own quirks and flaws that make them unique and well rounded. Cheers to Andy Weir and his latest achievement!

Weir has out done himself! His latest novel is better than The Martian. The story line and plot flows to make this a page turner. The science explanations are a wonderment. The protagonist could be an inspiration for young ladies to delve into STEM industry. Despite the foul language, this novel could be a good YA-Adult crossover.. Artemis is an absolute joy to read. A thrill ride to the moon with characters that make the trip exhilarating..

4+ Stars

Dangerous place to live......the Moon.

Andy Weir, one of my favorite authors, serves up another winner with his new sci-fi thriller ARTEMIS....and Jazz Bashara is the spirited and defiant main attraction.

Jasmine/Jazz is basically a nice person, has a smart mouth, works as a lowly Porter, and drives around in a cart she calls Trigger. AND....despite her sideline of smuggling, AND....superior IQ, she still lives in a room the size of a coffin...literally...and wants out!

SO....with an offer she can't refuse to finally make some REALLY big bucks, Jazz plots a course to accomplish her most difficult and dangerous of illegal activities that threaten not only her life, but risk exile to her homeland of Saudi Arabia.

ARTEMIS is a super fun read with some intense moments, is just a little techie and unlike THE MARTIAN has more of a young adult feel to it, BUT....no problem....there's sabotage, murder and revenge....plus a side story going on via email to earth....all wrapped up in a highly entertaining narrative depicting the extreme dangers of living on the Moon.

AND....last but not least....there's the finale when Jazz meets up with the ultimate of disasters with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide....unless she can hold her breath.

MANY THANKS to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sadly did not enjoy this as much as the Martian. The main character was definitely not as interesting, and the author doesn't have the skill to really sketch out a farther future timeline in a way that makes it interesting. Overall, a pass.

While I liked the story line, I was not as thrilled with the main character. This was not promoted as a YA or New Adult book , but I felt at times I was reading a YA main character. You don't find out about her age, 26 years old, until towards the end of the book. (Which is fine) However, as I am reading, I kept saying is she 16? 18? I felt like she was too immature for what life experiences she had gone through. I would think that most 20-something adults would be saying themselves- Grow up! Get over it!

Hey look. It’s “Mark Watney Goes To The Moon.” Now with 100% more vagina!!!

Artemis is the story of Jasmine (Jazz) Bashara, a young woman who has lived on the moon ever since her family immigrated there when she was six years old. Jazz’s only dream is to rich, a goal she is trying to achieve one “slug” at a time working as a porter (with a little smuggling on the side). When Jazz is offered 1,000,000 slugs to sabotage the local aluminum company’s anorthite ore harvesters she can’t refuse. That’s when the poo begins to hit the proverbial fan and Jazz finds out that someone out there is willing to do anything - including murder - in order to keep what everyone thought of as a nearly obsolete industry going. But why?????

As I said before, if you enjoyed The Martian, there’s a solid chance you’ll like this too. Dial back your expectations a bit and know before going in that you haven’t experienced a caper like this since The Muppets did one. The jokes and antics of the cast of characters are very much over-the-top, and – much like its predecessor – Andy Weir proves that: 'In the face of overwhelming odds, I'm left with one option. I'm going to have to science the shit out of this." Now, I’m not one who researches the “what ifs” when it comes to books. I am smart enough to know dinosaurs probably can’t be created from fossilized, prehistoric mosquitos, but that didn’t make me love Jeff Goldblum, errrrr, I mean Jurassic Park any less. That being said, I have a feeling that the majority of Andy Weir’s science might be real. And boy does he like talking about it! In case you were wondering, yes I am fully aware of the fact that I’m saying there was “too much science” in this one after giving 5 Stars to a book that taught me (in great detail) how to grow potatoes with my own poop.

The good news is, Artemis is inclusive without being super IN YO’ FACE about it by having not only a female lead, but one who is also Saudi Arabian, and who is surrounded by a cast of characters of various races and sexuality. Not to mention, you haven’t seen a bad guy like this one in space since good ol' Mom from Futurama.

I have to admit, I was a bit terrified that Weir’s sophomore novel wouldn't hold up after being somewhat inundated by his super shorts that have been released en masse since The Martian hit it big. The positive side of that was, (1) he didn’t take advantage of his fans by charging for those little few-pagers and (2) he kind of hit one out of the park with Annie’s Day. All in all? I give Artemis two thumbs up.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

How do you follow "The Martian"? With "Artemis" is how!

Female protagonist, Jazz Bashara leads a criminal-ish life on Artemis - the first and only city on the Moon. Living paycheck to paycheck, Jazz is always looking out for the next best way to make some slugs - Artemis money. When she comes upon what she believes to be a surefire way to become rich, she jumps at the chance. What this means is rekindling relationships with many people in her life that she has shut out as well as trusting others - both of which are way out of her norm.

The fate of the city may very well be in the hands of this young entrepreneur. Can she make the choices necessary to secure its fate?

Andy Weir has proven that he knows science. He can write a hell of an adventurous novel full of tension, fascination, and heart. And of course I HAD to read a book about a woman who is a smuggler living on the only city on the moon.

Jazz Bashera is a young woman living in Artemis, the only city on the moon, where there is an international community of residents working to support the city, and a constant stream of tourism because who the hell wouldn't want to visit the moon given the chance?! Being that literally every citizen is an ex-pat it allows for characters of a huge variety of ethnicities, races, sexualities, and religions which I LOVED. Here's just a sampling of the characters you get in this book:

Jazz - Saudi Arabian woman - insanely smart and so so sarcastic
Jazz's Dad - Saudi Arabian man - Muslim
Dale - Gay man - Jewish
Lena - Norwegian girl - Disabled
Ngugi - Kenyan woman - HEAD OF THE WHOLE DAMN CITY! YES!!
Bob - American man - Former Marine
Svobo - Ukranian man - insanely smart
Kelvin - Kenyan man - Resident of Earth

Just like in The Martian Weir's ability to make the science in his story fascinating and relatively easy to understand seriously amazes me. Although there were no space-ninjas in this book I was still able to grasp all the theories Jazz was having to deal with as she problem solves through them.

The book also transitioned really well through the use of emails between Jazz and her near life long pen pal Kelvin living on Earth in Kenya. Their correspondence made for a fantastic method of feeding the reader further information about Jazz's history.

Where Weir needs a bit more practice is in writing a female protagonist. From the beginning I went back and forth wondering if this was an adult novel or a YA novel because Jazz comes off as a 16-18 year old girl. I even tried to trace the events through her history to approximate her age and I still only got 19-20. I questioned it constantly throughout the book until about 60-70% into the book she finally says "I'm 26" and I was shocked!! There was no freaking way! She just did not come off as a woman in her 20's no matter how much she talked about sex. That being said her sassiness/assholishness was off the charts and I loved every minute of that!

So yeah, totally recommend this book, and I am definitely set to read every book Weir writes at this point! I would also appreciate a more books set in in the amazing city of Artemis!

Much appreciation to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel for an honest review.

Artemis is a captivating novel set on the moon and about a girl who is strong, gutsy, and takes no BS from anyone. I loved her strength and her snarky attitude. And just like The Martian, Artemis is a scientific goldmine. I simply could not get enough of all the science, it's what I loved best about The Martian.

Very fast-paced, exciting, set on the moon, featuring a likable rogue of a character. I enjoyed reading this, and look forward to his next book.

There was not as much peril saturation as in the Martian. Jazz was likable. Some of the humor was geeky, sexist and awkward. I think have the main character be female just allowed for Weir to include more sexual humor. Writing a character of the opposite gender can be difficult.

Artemis would make a good movie, and would need very little adjusting. There is an underlying stubborn faith in the goodness of humanity in Weir's books. So no matter the peril or hopelessness of the situation, the books remain positive and leave you feeling upbeat.

First, I want to thank Crown Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book!

After reading, "The Martian" last year and really loving it; I was excited to read Artemis! The setting takes place in a city built on the moon and the main character, Jazz, has committed a crime for her friend by blowing up and smuggling their main oxygen source to make a lot of money; what she doesn't anticipate is murder.

Okay, I found the setting to be really awesome; I mean it's city on the moon!! However, most of this book agitated me. Jazz was a very annoying character! She's 26 years old and has the mouth of a teenage boy. I could tell she was very bright scientifically (so much so it was a little over my head), but then when she tried to insult someone or just really converse in general she was so stupid! I think Andy Weir needs to stick with writing male characters.

This book comes out in November, so hopefully you guys will enjoy it more.

I have to admit that I’ve never picked up The Martian (I know, I know). I’ve heard great things about it but was skeptical about liking a sci-fi book—it’s not usually my go-to genre. However, I decided to give Artemis a try on the recommendation of a friend. I was pleasantly surprised!

Jasmine Bashara, better known as “Jazz”, has lived on the moon in a colony called Artemis since she was six years old. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Jazz moved with her Father, a respected welder, to become part of the first and only lunar civilization. Artemis has 2,000 permanent residents, but relies heavily on rich tourists visiting from Earth. A spunky and often crass Jazz, a lower-class woman with a record of being trouble, uses her position as a porter to smuggle contraband to desiring citizens. Through her connections, she is sucked into a risky plan that will shift power in the community—one that comes with a payout large enough to get her out of poverty and into her dream life. However, things go awry and she finds herself entangled in a mess of assassins, murder and deceit. Luckily, she’s smarter than people assume.

This book was a fast-paced page turner. I actually didn’t realize that Jazz was a female at the beginning (I hadn’t read a lot about the book before starting) which made it a bit of a shock. She’s mouthy, feisty, sexually experienced and street smart. I have read a couple reviews that criticize Weir’s take on a female character and while I can see where people are coming from, I also think that her character isn’t completely unrealistic. I did think some of her lines were a bit overdone and stereotypical but overall found her to be pretty hilarious (at times she seemed more like a teenager than a woman in her 20s, though). I am curious if my opinion would change if I read The Martian.

There’s a ton of science talk going on but it’s mostly easy to follow. I am not even remotely a science person so there were definitely parts where my brain clouded over and I wanted to move on, but I imagine someone who cared about those topics would be thrilled. My major critique was that I didn’t see enough character development of the supporting characters—I just wasn’t invested in their storylines. There were a couple characters that almost seemed like filler at the end.

Overall, an enjoyable fast read infused with a ton of well-researched facts sure to draw in the science buffs amongst us.

Fantastic! Artemis is an incredible piece of science fiction - exciting, clever and even funny. Jazz Bashara is an incredible lead, fast thinking, creative, and delightfully devious.  When it comes to skirting the law on the moon, Jazz is one of the best even if her bank account doesn't reflect her intelligence or skill.  For the most part, she smuggles in items from Earth. Between that and her porter job she is just scraping by. But a big chance comes her way - 1 million credits to sabotage the ore harvesting machinery of Artemis’s aluminum processor. Of course Jazz didn't count on the complications resulting from her efforts.  On the run from a murderous cartel, Jazz has only one chance to save her skin and Artemis's future.  

Andy Weir’s characters were wonderful.  I absolutely loved Svoboda.  He was adorably geeky and his innocent enthusiasm was a perfect match for Jazz.  No matter how complex the situation becomes, Jazz is able to find a way forward.  Devious as she is, Jazz isn't one to take advantage or harm others.  Her word is her bond and a deal is a deal.

Andy Weir has given readers a fast paced science fiction caper with memorable characters, a thrilling plot, and a bevy of twists and turns that will keep you glued to the page.  I hope that readers will have the chance to see more of Jazz in future.

5 / 5

I received a copy of Artemis from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom