What do you think?
Rate this book
The Grand Tour #7
Return to Mars
Jamie Waterman is returning to the Red Planet, this time in charge of an expedition in which he hopes to demonstrate that one can study Martian life not only for the sake of the pursuit but more, that it can be profitable. Waterman also hopes to revisit a part of the canyon where he thought he spied a primitive cliff dwelling during the first Martian mission.
But this second voyage to Mars brings trouble right away as Waterman clashes with Dex Trumball, the son of a billionaire who is backing the expedition. Dex wants to turn the planet into a tourist attraction, while Waterman wants to preserve the planet solely for scientific research.
To further complicate matters, both men are attracted to the expedition's beautiful psychologist, Vijay Shektar, who can't seem to decide which of the two men she prefers. On top of all of this confusion, it seems that another member of the team may be trying to sabotage the mission while the elder Trumball is pulling strings in order to force Waterman to step down as the expedition's leader.
But this second voyage to Mars brings trouble right away as Waterman clashes with Dex Trumball, the son of a billionaire who is backing the expedition. Dex wants to turn the planet into a tourist attraction, while Waterman wants to preserve the planet solely for scientific research.
To further complicate matters, both men are attracted to the expedition's beautiful psychologist, Vijay Shektar, who can't seem to decide which of the two men she prefers. On top of all of this confusion, it seems that another member of the team may be trying to sabotage the mission while the elder Trumball is pulling strings in order to force Waterman to step down as the expedition's leader.
543 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1999
74 people are currently reading
996 people want to read
About the author
Ben Bova
714 books1,028 followersBen Bova was born on November 8, 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1953, while attending Temple University, he married Rosa Cucinotta, they had a son and a daughter. He would later divorce Rosa in 1974. In that same year he married Barbara Berson Rose.
Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.
In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.
In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".
Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.
Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.
Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.
Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).
Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".
http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova
Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.
In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.
In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".
Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.
Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.
Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.
Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).
Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".
http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
January 29, 2025
The discovery of life on Mars!
Navajo geologist-astronaut, Jamie Waterman, blasts off to the red planet for a second time as the leader of a privately funded follow up expedition to the earth's first foray to Mars which ended on a literal cliff-hanger. the discovery of pueblo-like cliff dwellings that seemed to indicate Mars had been inhabited in the past by intelligent life.
The crew, an eclectic blend of nationalities and experts in a variety of scientific and technical fields of endeavour, direct their efforts to the completion of three distinct projects - the examination of the lichen type biology and the geology of the caldera of Olympus Mons, a volcano and the highest mountain in the solar system; the recovery of a priceless artifact from the much earlier Mars Pathfinder expeditions; and the detailed investigation of Jamie's pueblo dwellings with a view to proving once and for all whether Mars had ever been home to an intelligent species of life.
Aside from the hard sci-fi themes of the Martian environment, the research, the overwhelming dangers and difficulties of extraterrestrial exploration in a fundamentally hostile environment, RETURN TO MARS also examines two other central themes - first, the almost insurmountable difficulties of the costs of big budget science and the conflicts that inevitably arise when capitalism attempts to force fundamental research into profit-oriented motives; and, second, the inherent dangers of contaminating a pristine environment such as Mars with untrammeled, loosely controlled exploration, travel, business and (gasp!) even colonization or, worse yet, tourism!
Certainly, Bova was not shy about using RETURN TO MARS as a forum for espousing his own political views on the matter and, for some readers, the strength of the expression of these opinions was seen as a shortcoming in the novel. But, I felt that using Jamie, in particular, a highly educated scientist with an underlying aboriginal Navajo cultural mindset, as the fundamental mouthpiece for these opinions, the left-leaning political statements seemed to come across as heartfelt and completely natural. While some readers might disagree with some of what Jamie had to say, it seemed completely reasonable to hear him and the other scientists express these views. Their disgust and complete antipathy to the notion of tourism directed at the Martian cliff-dwellings was particularly understandable in the context in which it was presented.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
Navajo geologist-astronaut, Jamie Waterman, blasts off to the red planet for a second time as the leader of a privately funded follow up expedition to the earth's first foray to Mars which ended on a literal cliff-hanger. the discovery of pueblo-like cliff dwellings that seemed to indicate Mars had been inhabited in the past by intelligent life.
The crew, an eclectic blend of nationalities and experts in a variety of scientific and technical fields of endeavour, direct their efforts to the completion of three distinct projects - the examination of the lichen type biology and the geology of the caldera of Olympus Mons, a volcano and the highest mountain in the solar system; the recovery of a priceless artifact from the much earlier Mars Pathfinder expeditions; and the detailed investigation of Jamie's pueblo dwellings with a view to proving once and for all whether Mars had ever been home to an intelligent species of life.
Aside from the hard sci-fi themes of the Martian environment, the research, the overwhelming dangers and difficulties of extraterrestrial exploration in a fundamentally hostile environment, RETURN TO MARS also examines two other central themes - first, the almost insurmountable difficulties of the costs of big budget science and the conflicts that inevitably arise when capitalism attempts to force fundamental research into profit-oriented motives; and, second, the inherent dangers of contaminating a pristine environment such as Mars with untrammeled, loosely controlled exploration, travel, business and (gasp!) even colonization or, worse yet, tourism!
Certainly, Bova was not shy about using RETURN TO MARS as a forum for espousing his own political views on the matter and, for some readers, the strength of the expression of these opinions was seen as a shortcoming in the novel. But, I felt that using Jamie, in particular, a highly educated scientist with an underlying aboriginal Navajo cultural mindset, as the fundamental mouthpiece for these opinions, the left-leaning political statements seemed to come across as heartfelt and completely natural. While some readers might disagree with some of what Jamie had to say, it seemed completely reasonable to hear him and the other scientists express these views. Their disgust and complete antipathy to the notion of tourism directed at the Martian cliff-dwellings was particularly understandable in the context in which it was presented.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
July 24, 2025
Honestly just as good as the first! I enjoyed following Jaime Waterman on his second mission back to mars. The politics went up in this one somewhat and of course we had to have the all too convenient divorce from the previous love interest to allow for another…. Inferior one.
However this one expanded well on the first, picked up in some action and was again overall enjoyable.
However this one expanded well on the first, picked up in some action and was again overall enjoyable.
April 4, 2019
Rounded down from 2.5 stars.
This is a tough one to review. The science, the exploration, the adventure, and the characters were all good; but every time Bova attempts to write about romance, or love triangles, or sex, or really any sort of interpersonal relationship or human emotion, I just want to crawl under a rock and die. There was a lot of the cringey stuff in this one, and it was all very very very very bad. I feel sorry for his wife.
This is a tough one to review. The science, the exploration, the adventure, and the characters were all good; but every time Bova attempts to write about romance, or love triangles, or sex, or really any sort of interpersonal relationship or human emotion, I just want to crawl under a rock and die. There was a lot of the cringey stuff in this one, and it was all very very very very bad. I feel sorry for his wife.
January 7, 2024
This book is a very frustrating read. It is both entertaining and not entertaining at the same time. I have aspects of the book I enjoyed, and aspects of the book I didn't enjoy. I disagreed with so much of the decisions the author made with book...and yet I found it entertaining throughout.
The book has many plot and situational similiarities to the first book in the series, Mars. That was my favorite read last year, and I absolutely was excited to read more in this universe. Because this book is so similar, it actually still has that fun space exploration feel to it.
One of the problems I have with the book is the way that Bova writes his romances, particularly with Jamie. Promiscuity is something that many if not most fiction writers include in their books, and it is no surprise (yet frustrating0 to find it here. However, it was most disheartening that after the whole dynamic between Joanna Brumado and Jamie Waterman in the last book, setting up their romance and future together, that Bova would completely leave Joanna out of this book, have them get divorced off screen for no real reason, and leave Jamie alone again so that he can have a new love interest in this book. That is a particularly frustrating element to people like me who really appreciated that relationship in the previous book. It also feels cheap that because Jamie was the main character he needed a romance and thus he needed to be divorced from Joanna so that he has the opportunity to have a romance. There were other characters present in the book that could have had POVs elevated for a romance (in fact, one of the minor characters has a romance that is referenced throughout the book, why aren't they used as POVs instead?!) The divorce also just bothers me from a moral level, but thats another discussion.
The main plot of this book is about Jamie finding that cavern where he believes is a Martian settlement, as well as him and Dex trying to stop Dex's father from ruining the moon with business. This was entertianing, but not near as entertaining as the whole political elements in the first book about how to staff the mission to Mars.
One of the themes about this book is about how Mars is similar to the Indian Tribes, and is in danger of being overtaken by greedy men who just want money out of their land. I found this theme (which was one of the if not THE most prominent theme in the book) to be very weak. The reason that the dealings with Indian Tribes was bad was because they were humans living on the land. There are no humans on Mars (or any other current intelligent life), so utilizing Mars' resources seems ok to me.
The climax and resolution to the book were interesting, and included a bit of a mystery. I had suspicions, and changed my answer like 2 or 3 times until I was sure I knew who it was...and then I was shocked to learn who it actually was. A good mystery. Well written.
Overall, the book is entertaining, but nowhere near as good as book 1 (Mars). I think Ben Bova had the wrong goals with writing the book, and made several wrong decisions for the characters and the themes and direction of the story, even though the book was pretty entertaining throughout. I'll give it a 7 out of 10.
The book has many plot and situational similiarities to the first book in the series, Mars. That was my favorite read last year, and I absolutely was excited to read more in this universe. Because this book is so similar, it actually still has that fun space exploration feel to it.
One of the problems I have with the book is the way that Bova writes his romances, particularly with Jamie. Promiscuity is something that many if not most fiction writers include in their books, and it is no surprise (yet frustrating0 to find it here. However, it was most disheartening that after the whole dynamic between Joanna Brumado and Jamie Waterman in the last book, setting up their romance and future together, that Bova would completely leave Joanna out of this book, have them get divorced off screen for no real reason, and leave Jamie alone again so that he can have a new love interest in this book. That is a particularly frustrating element to people like me who really appreciated that relationship in the previous book. It also feels cheap that because Jamie was the main character he needed a romance and thus he needed to be divorced from Joanna so that he has the opportunity to have a romance. There were other characters present in the book that could have had POVs elevated for a romance (in fact, one of the minor characters has a romance that is referenced throughout the book, why aren't they used as POVs instead?!) The divorce also just bothers me from a moral level, but thats another discussion.
The main plot of this book is about Jamie finding that cavern where he believes is a Martian settlement, as well as him and Dex trying to stop Dex's father from ruining the moon with business. This was entertianing, but not near as entertaining as the whole political elements in the first book about how to staff the mission to Mars.
One of the themes about this book is about how Mars is similar to the Indian Tribes, and is in danger of being overtaken by greedy men who just want money out of their land. I found this theme (which was one of the if not THE most prominent theme in the book) to be very weak. The reason that the dealings with Indian Tribes was bad was because they were humans living on the land. There are no humans on Mars (or any other current intelligent life), so utilizing Mars' resources seems ok to me.
The climax and resolution to the book were interesting, and included a bit of a mystery. I had suspicions, and changed my answer like 2 or 3 times until I was sure I knew who it was...and then I was shocked to learn who it actually was. A good mystery. Well written.
Overall, the book is entertaining, but nowhere near as good as book 1 (Mars). I think Ben Bova had the wrong goals with writing the book, and made several wrong decisions for the characters and the themes and direction of the story, even though the book was pretty entertaining throughout. I'll give it a 7 out of 10.
August 25, 2022
Enjoyed going back to Mars and "exploring" it with the various characters. Not quite up to par with the first book but still a fun and riveting read.
June 18, 2019
Return to Mars finishes what Mars started--and I really feel like they might have been better as one book. There was such a huge tantalizing idea dangled in front of us in the first book--not only life on Mars, but intelligent life?--only for a rush to the ending so that we never got to actually get answers. At least we do actually get answers in Return to Mars, but in such a way that it really feels like half the same book.
Plotwise, Return to Mars does at least explore some interesting ideas in how Martian exploration may actually take shape in the future, with private backing and a profit motive, rather than as a purely government run, scientific endeavor. It's an interesting contrast to Mars at least, even if it feels like they've taken a number of steps back from the first mission in effort to cut costs (one assumes).
It's also interesting to see how many different threads you can fit into the story. While the main thread I was originally interested in was exploring the potential dwellings Jamie saw in the first book, but there are a number of other interesting threads, involving other aspects of life on Mars, going to visit the Pathfinder far across the surface of Mars, and a traitor in their midst trying to sabotage the mission.
Which--is really strange and intriguing. We have journal entries from the very beginning from the point of view of someone you know is going to snap and do terrible things at some point (and you're not disappointed), but Bova does a good job of keeping it up in the air just who exactly is the 'bad guy' until the last moment. Fairly impressive that. And while I feel it's not likely that we'd actually miss something like that in someone sent on a mission to Mars... it would certainly be just about this terrifying if we did.
Honestly, I think Mars and Return to Mars could have been stronger combined into a single book. Return to Mars seems to have a bit more momentum, but I felt the mission in Mars was more believable. As a pair... they're still pretty well worth reading. Among the better of the Grand Tour books.
Plotwise, Return to Mars does at least explore some interesting ideas in how Martian exploration may actually take shape in the future, with private backing and a profit motive, rather than as a purely government run, scientific endeavor. It's an interesting contrast to Mars at least, even if it feels like they've taken a number of steps back from the first mission in effort to cut costs (one assumes).
It's also interesting to see how many different threads you can fit into the story. While the main thread I was originally interested in was exploring the potential dwellings Jamie saw in the first book, but there are a number of other interesting threads, involving other aspects of life on Mars, going to visit the Pathfinder far across the surface of Mars, and a traitor in their midst trying to sabotage the mission.
Which--is really strange and intriguing. We have journal entries from the very beginning from the point of view of someone you know is going to snap and do terrible things at some point (and you're not disappointed), but Bova does a good job of keeping it up in the air just who exactly is the 'bad guy' until the last moment. Fairly impressive that. And while I feel it's not likely that we'd actually miss something like that in someone sent on a mission to Mars... it would certainly be just about this terrifying if we did.
Honestly, I think Mars and Return to Mars could have been stronger combined into a single book. Return to Mars seems to have a bit more momentum, but I felt the mission in Mars was more believable. As a pair... they're still pretty well worth reading. Among the better of the Grand Tour books.
December 26, 2011
Unlike most books in a series, I actually enjoyed this one a bit more than the first one. It's probably because the scene was set in the first book with all the necessary technological explanations. This book has quite a bit of mars exploration in it, building on the things described in the first book, but there is a lot more going on with the characters in this one.
This was written 6 years after the first one so the tech did not have any glaring anomalies like the first one did. The only thing that bothered me was the idea that a school bus sized rover can run on solar power.
Looking forward to finishing off the trilogy with Mars Life in the next few days.
This was written 6 years after the first one so the tech did not have any glaring anomalies like the first one did. The only thing that bothered me was the idea that a school bus sized rover can run on solar power.
Looking forward to finishing off the trilogy with Mars Life in the next few days.
February 27, 2023
Bova, Ben. Return to Mars. EOS, 1999. Grand Tour 7.
In Return to Mars, the seventh of Ben Bova’s series of near-future space colonization novels, Jamie Waterman leads an expedition back to Mars to search for evidence of ancient life. Also on the mission is Dex Trumball, the ambitious son of an industrial magnate who hopes to turn Mars into a theme park for rich tourists. The mission is beset by rivalries, both sexual and scientific. It also seems to suffer more than its share of accidents. Is it just Murphy’s Law, or is there a saboteur? Can Jamie and his love interest, psychologist Vijay Shektar, find solutions and save the mission? Along the way, there is plenty of talk about Martian geology and the possibilities for microbial life. 4 stars.
In Return to Mars, the seventh of Ben Bova’s series of near-future space colonization novels, Jamie Waterman leads an expedition back to Mars to search for evidence of ancient life. Also on the mission is Dex Trumball, the ambitious son of an industrial magnate who hopes to turn Mars into a theme park for rich tourists. The mission is beset by rivalries, both sexual and scientific. It also seems to suffer more than its share of accidents. Is it just Murphy’s Law, or is there a saboteur? Can Jamie and his love interest, psychologist Vijay Shektar, find solutions and save the mission? Along the way, there is plenty of talk about Martian geology and the possibilities for microbial life. 4 stars.
April 18, 2023
This was a good sequel to Ben Bova's first book Mars and my imagination was captivated by what the characters discovered. It left me with so many more questions and "what ifs".
February 21, 2025
"Return to Mars" is the somewhat weaker sequel to its predecessor, "Mars." Overall, I found the pacing of the storyline to be slower, using the original plot outline as tangents that occasionally detracted from the main plot, making it feel less cohesive than the original. However, I encourage readers to persevere through the early chapters, as those initial sections lay the groundwork for deeper themes. The final third of the book features more complexity in character interactions, which adds layers to their motivations and relationships. Additionally, the plot intensified with heightened suspense, culminating in a gripping climax that redeemed the slower start. Ultimately, while it may not surpass "Mars," "Return to Mars" still offers rewarding moments for those who stick with it.
Ben Bova is a master at capturing the intricacies of human emotion and interaction within the context of science fiction. In "Return to Mars", we follow Jamie Waterman, who has returned to the harsh and captivating landscape of Mars as the leader of the second ambitious expedition aimed at uncovering the mysteries of the Red Planet. This follows the earlier journey to the red planet (Mars) that ended on a suspenseful note with the discovery of cliffside structures resembling the dwellings of ancient Pueblo people, suggesting that Mars may have once been home to intelligent life. This mission is backed by the wealthy industrialist Darryl Trumball, a man whose ambition is eclipsed only by his desire to see his son, Dex, thrive as one of the mission’s lead scientists.
The mission's primary goal is to explore Martian terrain and discover sustainable living conditions, study the unique biology found in Martian lichen, and explore the giant volcano Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in our solar system. Natural challenges such as an unexpected, violent dust storm threaten their safety, and the alarming discovery of liquid water in an underground hot spring brings excitement and peril. They will also attempt to retrieve a valuable item from previous Mars missions that date back to the early Pathfinder expeditions.
As the story unfolds, we witness the palpable tension that simmers beneath the surface, particularly between Jamie and Dex. Both men are undeniably strong personalities, "alpha males", but they approach challenges with contrasting temperaments. Jamie, marked by an air of stoicism and intense self-discipline, often comes across as serious and overly reserved, while Dex embodies a spirited and extroverted demeanor that frequently leads to friction.
Compounding the difficulties are the interpersonal dynamics of the tightly knit crew, who have been confined together for months in the cramped quarters of the spacecraft, the limited space of small rovers and pressurized domes. The stress of isolation in their mission takes a toll on one expedition member, whose mental health deteriorates under the weight of pressure. This tragic descent into madness raises questions about the human psyche when pushed to its limits in the unforgiving environment of Mars.
While the story features exciting elements of science fiction, like the challenges posed by Mars' harsh environment and the dangers of exploring such an unwelcoming place, it also tackles important real-world issues. The narrative highlights the huge financial challenges of funding large-scale scientific projects and the conflicts that arise when business interests overshadow the pursuit of knowledge. It raises serious concerns about the risks of contaminating Mars with careless exploration and commercialization, including the potential for tourism or even settlement.
Ben Bova is a master at capturing the intricacies of human emotion and interaction within the context of science fiction. In "Return to Mars", we follow Jamie Waterman, who has returned to the harsh and captivating landscape of Mars as the leader of the second ambitious expedition aimed at uncovering the mysteries of the Red Planet. This follows the earlier journey to the red planet (Mars) that ended on a suspenseful note with the discovery of cliffside structures resembling the dwellings of ancient Pueblo people, suggesting that Mars may have once been home to intelligent life. This mission is backed by the wealthy industrialist Darryl Trumball, a man whose ambition is eclipsed only by his desire to see his son, Dex, thrive as one of the mission’s lead scientists.
The mission's primary goal is to explore Martian terrain and discover sustainable living conditions, study the unique biology found in Martian lichen, and explore the giant volcano Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in our solar system. Natural challenges such as an unexpected, violent dust storm threaten their safety, and the alarming discovery of liquid water in an underground hot spring brings excitement and peril. They will also attempt to retrieve a valuable item from previous Mars missions that date back to the early Pathfinder expeditions.
As the story unfolds, we witness the palpable tension that simmers beneath the surface, particularly between Jamie and Dex. Both men are undeniably strong personalities, "alpha males", but they approach challenges with contrasting temperaments. Jamie, marked by an air of stoicism and intense self-discipline, often comes across as serious and overly reserved, while Dex embodies a spirited and extroverted demeanor that frequently leads to friction.
Compounding the difficulties are the interpersonal dynamics of the tightly knit crew, who have been confined together for months in the cramped quarters of the spacecraft, the limited space of small rovers and pressurized domes. The stress of isolation in their mission takes a toll on one expedition member, whose mental health deteriorates under the weight of pressure. This tragic descent into madness raises questions about the human psyche when pushed to its limits in the unforgiving environment of Mars.
While the story features exciting elements of science fiction, like the challenges posed by Mars' harsh environment and the dangers of exploring such an unwelcoming place, it also tackles important real-world issues. The narrative highlights the huge financial challenges of funding large-scale scientific projects and the conflicts that arise when business interests overshadow the pursuit of knowledge. It raises serious concerns about the risks of contaminating Mars with careless exploration and commercialization, including the potential for tourism or even settlement.
July 17, 2025
This book is a great follow up to the first Mars book. There are a variety of different characters and issues that come up on this expedition. I’m firstly grateful that it wasn’t about funding another mission but it goes straight to the story of this 2nd team going to Mars.
Jaime is back and this time he is the leader of the mission bound and determined to find his lost village from the first book. Of course he is tied down by interests on Earth (mostly financial) and it’s a delicate balance researching the red planet and finding ways to keep expeditions coming to Mars for further exploration.
The character Dex initially incredibly annoying turns into a character you end up rooting for as he balances his desire to explore but also appease his wealthy father who sponsored the trip and will continue to sponsor it if it proves profitable and gives him the everlasting legacy he desires.
You also have Vijay the strange love interest of two people on this trip. This character I did like at times but also felt it was a somewhat similar characteristics from the first Mars book where sex is more an exploration on a new planet rather than any kind of love experience.
I do wish the mystery that presented itself about halfway through the book had been left more a surprise but it’s spelled out pretty quickly in the final chapters and that was a tad disappointing. I’m looking forward to the final book of this “trilogy” next month.
Jaime is back and this time he is the leader of the mission bound and determined to find his lost village from the first book. Of course he is tied down by interests on Earth (mostly financial) and it’s a delicate balance researching the red planet and finding ways to keep expeditions coming to Mars for further exploration.
The character Dex initially incredibly annoying turns into a character you end up rooting for as he balances his desire to explore but also appease his wealthy father who sponsored the trip and will continue to sponsor it if it proves profitable and gives him the everlasting legacy he desires.
You also have Vijay the strange love interest of two people on this trip. This character I did like at times but also felt it was a somewhat similar characteristics from the first Mars book where sex is more an exploration on a new planet rather than any kind of love experience.
I do wish the mystery that presented itself about halfway through the book had been left more a surprise but it’s spelled out pretty quickly in the final chapters and that was a tad disappointing. I’m looking forward to the final book of this “trilogy” next month.
July 23, 2025
I just had the chance to read Return to Mars, having recently re-read Bova's Mars. I've always been a fan of Bova's SF, which always put people before the SF to my mind. Return to Mars, like Mars, was great hard SF, it really sold the idea of being on an expeditionary team on the red planet... but the characters are equally strong. Bova does play up the character's racist attitudes, which isn't exactly wrong, but could be uncomfortably prevalent... but I'm familiar with this from Bova's other writing, and so I swallowed it down and kept going.
Both books are very similar in their attention to the possibilities of life on Mars, and the main characters' conflicts over the idea. But Return passed on the wonderful "mystery illness" vehicle of the first book, and instead went big on the "village" idea established in the first book. Once the story reached the village elements, it moved along maybe too fast to its conclusion, leaving elements unanswered that I would've wished to see more.
Still, I loved the way Return to Mars played out, with many great story elements, but nothing that threw me out of the story or left my eyes rolling. I'll take that kind of hard SF anytime.
Both books are very similar in their attention to the possibilities of life on Mars, and the main characters' conflicts over the idea. But Return passed on the wonderful "mystery illness" vehicle of the first book, and instead went big on the "village" idea established in the first book. Once the story reached the village elements, it moved along maybe too fast to its conclusion, leaving elements unanswered that I would've wished to see more.
Still, I loved the way Return to Mars played out, with many great story elements, but nothing that threw me out of the story or left my eyes rolling. I'll take that kind of hard SF anytime.
July 15, 2024
No connection to main characters of grand tour (Fuchs and Humphries and others corporations). If you do not care 50s soft porn or poor hornry dialougs, it is a pass as near future sci fi. Bova was good at predicting what we will experience and wars and games behind it in politics.
Some labels are different now. Far right is Far left now! as we are witnessing and experiencing in reality. Big co., colonising planets, human nature as it always has been, political correctness, idea of elite antisocial totalitarians. In grand tour at least we see some of these aspects in politics.
It would odd if a sci fi reader does not like or not familiar with politics. Part of the sci fi is a way of warn to society and next generations. Sometimes kind of ideas or solutions in stories are fatal or does not work in reality (like communism and partly socialism delusions) sometime writer had a practical idea. But all in all it is good to think about them with story reading or related podcasts. Elite antisocial idea has been a failure by the way. Far from reality and kind of revenge by owning people's properties and rights by antisocials.
If someone is looking for great story of such kind, Asteroid wars is an underrated sci fi series by Bova.
Some labels are different now. Far right is Far left now! as we are witnessing and experiencing in reality. Big co., colonising planets, human nature as it always has been, political correctness, idea of elite antisocial totalitarians. In grand tour at least we see some of these aspects in politics.
It would odd if a sci fi reader does not like or not familiar with politics. Part of the sci fi is a way of warn to society and next generations. Sometimes kind of ideas or solutions in stories are fatal or does not work in reality (like communism and partly socialism delusions) sometime writer had a practical idea. But all in all it is good to think about them with story reading or related podcasts. Elite antisocial idea has been a failure by the way. Far from reality and kind of revenge by owning people's properties and rights by antisocials.
If someone is looking for great story of such kind, Asteroid wars is an underrated sci fi series by Bova.
October 4, 2020
In "Return to Mars" Jamie Waterman, part Navajo geologist, is back on the Red Planet with a new team of colleagues, and this time he is in charge. But with the ambitious son of the expedition's wealthy financier on board, things are destined not to run smoothly.
This was the book I needed to read after being disappointed by half a dozen others (which I promptly returned to the library!) "Return to Mars" cured my reading blues - and I own the book, so I can revisit it whenever I want. Not only is this volume a worthy follow-up to the first in Bova's Mars series, it is even more engrossing than its predecessor.
Originally published in 1999, the science is a little dated, but not sufficiently to spoil the adventure or detract from the spell-binding landscape of Mars as depicted in the 544 pages of this book.
This was the book I needed to read after being disappointed by half a dozen others (which I promptly returned to the library!) "Return to Mars" cured my reading blues - and I own the book, so I can revisit it whenever I want. Not only is this volume a worthy follow-up to the first in Bova's Mars series, it is even more engrossing than its predecessor.
Originally published in 1999, the science is a little dated, but not sufficiently to spoil the adventure or detract from the spell-binding landscape of Mars as depicted in the 544 pages of this book.
April 22, 2021
The political and commercial pressures placed upon the continued exploration of Mars cause tension and strife amongst the crews sent to explore the planet. The previous discovery of simple life leads to further revelations as more sites are found to contain Martian survivors. Ancient structures also give rise to the realization that once long ago the planet had advanced societies with culture, intelligence, beliefs, dreams and it all came to a terrible end.
With a stroke of genius, the planet is saved from total exploitation by the brilliance and determination of the crew, once they ally themselves and work together against the pressures from Mother earth. Another great book in this series, look forward to reading more.
With a stroke of genius, the planet is saved from total exploitation by the brilliance and determination of the crew, once they ally themselves and work together against the pressures from Mother earth. Another great book in this series, look forward to reading more.
February 28, 2023
I think I have found a an author that I will be reading all of his books, starting with the grand tour. It is too bad we lost him during the pandemic. This was my second book and I am already on my third. I notice that I quickly find a central character that is so easy to fall into role of hero with a few faults that we are willing to forgive. There are several storylines, mysteries, an evil guy that wants to thwart exploration of the stars and a leading lady with a couple of romantic side stories. What’s not to enjoy. Ben Bova was an atheist. I am a Seventh Day Adventist Christian and believe that there are others out there watching us and angels that want us to succeed. I look forward to seeing some of the positive things in space that Bova thought were out there!
June 15, 2017
The sequel to Mars could quite easily be read stand-alone. Following the discovery of life on the Red Planet a team once more ascends to conduct further research. In true sequel style there is more of everything that made the first one great. The action starts straight away on Mars, with the scene already set Bova wastes no time with the planning stage. Multiple missions with a new and diverse team mix up the action and suspense as Return provides gripping page after gripping page. The science element is never bewildering ensuring a compelling read. Flawless execution - a must for any sci-fi reader.
June 23, 2017
Follow up novels are seldom as good as the original, this is the exception. I have yet to be disappointed by a Ben Bova novel. It will take some time since this work is lengthy, but it is well worth it. There is a mixture of some old and some new characters but you do not need to read the first novel to follow along in this one. Bova, Robinson and Heinlein are masters of the space stories about our solar system. The science was good and the action believable.
July 7, 2019
Jamie Waterman returns to Mars with four other men and three women for a much longer stay than with the first expedition. Conflicts arise, and the extended stay has an effect on the crew, to say nothing about what happens because of the mix of men and women.
I especially enjoyed the story and the Mars details, pretty factual even though the book was written in 1998. The group dynamics are also interesting. Was there intelligent life on Mars? If so, how did it disappear?
I especially enjoyed the story and the Mars details, pretty factual even though the book was written in 1998. The group dynamics are also interesting. Was there intelligent life on Mars? If so, how did it disappear?
August 21, 2021
I found it hard to keep interested in this book which took a while to finish. It didn't seem to speak to me through the characters, and it seemed heavily ladened with more science and biology than anything else. I like Ben's writing best when you inwardly smile along with the characters personalities although it seemed to be lacking this quality in this particular Grand Tour entry.
December 1, 2022
Fascinating
This has been an incredible series of books so far and this one wss no exception. There wasn't the gut wrenching action that was in the second moon novel but it had its own nail biting moments. This was so realistic that I could easily see these things happening in the real world.
This has been an incredible series of books so far and this one wss no exception. There wasn't the gut wrenching action that was in the second moon novel but it had its own nail biting moments. This was so realistic that I could easily see these things happening in the real world.
January 18, 2023
I was so very happy to be back on Mars. Even though it was a different crew I enjoyed learning the new characters and I loved the new plots.!
My only complaint was that I listened to it in the audiobook and the recording was not very good. You could definitely hear the parts that they had to edit or re-record. and there were alot of them!!
My only complaint was that I listened to it in the audiobook and the recording was not very good. You could definitely hear the parts that they had to edit or re-record. and there were alot of them!!
October 5, 2017
I loved the mixing of Native American culture and space exploration, although the antagonist was a bit of a stereotype. Some fun ideas, certainly not a classic like many of Bova's others, but I would recommend it.
October 21, 2017
Enjoyable read. The fact that the quotes at the top of some chapters from someone's diary remain of uncertain source late into the book speaks to the author's skill at writing nuanced characters. On the other hand, that's not how psychosis works.
September 3, 2019
Definitely a page turner
Great example of the kind of science fiction that could inspire young adults to pursue scientific studies. As for me, it's allowing me to access places where I will never set foot but wish I could!
Great example of the kind of science fiction that could inspire young adults to pursue scientific studies. As for me, it's allowing me to access places where I will never set foot but wish I could!
July 1, 2021
Really good book. Took me long enough to read it though. I read Mars years ago and loved the premise and was anxious to read this, but life kept getting in the way. It was nice to see Jamie go back to finish what he wanted to and so much more.
March 8, 2023
Having read the first book, I was not surprised that this sequel would be written. The author is really good at writing science fiction without the fantasy. The characters were good, everything made sense. Really good story, good read!
September 22, 2023
Very interesting scenario
I like this book because it's like educational science fiction with some romance. I would recommend this book to anyone that has the same interests. I rated it 5 star because it was very entertaining, and unexpected events.
I like this book because it's like educational science fiction with some romance. I would recommend this book to anyone that has the same interests. I rated it 5 star because it was very entertaining, and unexpected events.
April 30, 2024
I read part 1 about 12 years ago. I’m not sure why I put off continuing this series, but man am I glad I picked it back up. It’s an enticing tale that keeps you flipping pages well into the night. I highly recommend it!
May 15, 2017
Ben Bova writes well about sciences, machines, and occasionally politics, but his human characters are not good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews