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Mars One
Go on the adventure of a lifetime with a teen and his family after they are selected to colonize Mars in this thrilling new novel from multiple Bram Stoker Award–winning author Jonathan Maberry.Tristan has known that he and his family were going to be on the first mission to colonize Mars since he was twelve years old, and he has been training ever since. However, knowing that he would be leaving for Mars with no plan to return didn’t stop him from falling in love with Izzy. But now, at sixteen, it’s time to leave Earth, and he’s forced to face what he must leave behind in exchange for an uncertain future. When the news hits that another ship is already headed to colonize Mars, and the NeoLuddite terrorist group begins threatening the Mars One project, the mission’s purpose is called into question. Is this all worth it?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2017
41 people are currently reading
1042 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
515 books7,717 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-seller and Audible #1 bestseller, five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, anthology editor, comic book writer, executive producer, magazine feature writer, playwright, and writing teacher/lecturer. He is the editor of WEIRD TALES Magazine and president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. He is the recipient of the Inkpot Award, three Scribe Awards, and was named one of the Today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. His books have been sold to more than thirty countries. He writes in several genres including thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and mystery; and he writes for adults, middle grade, and young adult.
Jonathan is the creator, editor and co-author of V-WARS, a shared-world vampire anthology from IDW Publishing that was adapted into a NETFLIX series starring Ian Somerhalder (LOST, VAMPIRE DIARIES).
His young adult fiction includes ROT & RUIN (2011; was named in Booklist’s Ten Best Horror Novels for Young Adults, an American Library Association Top Pick, a Bram Stoker and Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading winner; winner of several state Teen Book Awards including the Cricket, Nutmeg and MASL; winner of the Cybils Award, the Eva Perry Mock Printz medal, Dead Letter Best Novel Award, and four Melinda Awards); DUST & DECAY (winner of the 2011 Bram Stoker Award; FLESH & BONE (winner of the Bram Stoker Award; 2012; and FIRE & ASH (August 2013). BROKEN LANDS, the first of a new spin-off series, debuted in 2018 and was followed by LOST ROADS in fall 2020. ROT & RUIN is in development for film by ALCON ENTERTAINMENT and was adapted as a WEBTOON (a serialized comic formatted for cell phones), becoming their #1 horror comic.
His novels include the enormously popular Joe Ledger series from St. Martin’s Griffin (PATIENT ZERO, 2009, winner of the Black Quill and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for Best Novel) and eleven other volumes, most recently RELENTLESS. His middle grade novel, THE NIGHTSIDERS BOOK 1: THE ORPHAN ARMY (Simon & Schuster) was named one the 100 Best Books for Children 2015. His standalone novels include MARS ONE, GLIMPSE, INK, GHOSTWALKERS (based on the DEADLANDS role-playing game), X-FILES ORIGINS: DEVIL’S ADVOCATE, and THE WOLFMAN --winner of the Scribe Award for Best Movie Adaptation
His horror novels include The Pine Deep Trilogy from Pinnacle Books (GHOST ROAD BLUES, 2006, winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel and named one of the 25 Best Horror Novels of the New Millennium; DEAD MAN’S SONG, 2007; and BAD MOON RISING, 2008; as well as DEAD OF NIGHT, and its sequels, FALL OF NIGHT, DARK OF NIGHT, and STILL OF NIGHT.
His epic fantasy series, KAGEN THE DAMNED debuts in May 2022. And he just signed to co-author (with Weston Ochse) a new series of military science fiction novels that launches the SLEEPERS series. Jonathan will also be launching a new series of science fiction horror novels for the newly established Weird Tales Presents imprint of Blackstone Publishing.
He is also the editor of three THE X-FILES anthologies; the dark fantasy anthology series, OUT OF TUNE; SCARY OUT THERE, an anthology of horror for teens; and the anthologies ALIENS: BUG HUNT, NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD (with George Romero), JOE LEDGER UNSTOPPABLE (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt); two volumes of mysteries: ALTERNATE SHERLOCKS and THE GAME’S AFOOT (with Michael Ventrella); and ALIENS V PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt). He is also the editor of DON’T TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, the official tribute to SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. His next anthology will be ALIENS VS PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt), debuting in spring 2022.
Jonathan was an expert on the History Channel documentary series, ZOMBIES: A Living History and TRUE MONSTERS. And he was participated in the commentary track for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: REANIMATED.
His many nonfiction works include VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (Citadel Press, 2006); THE CRYPTOPED
Jonathan is the creator, editor and co-author of V-WARS, a shared-world vampire anthology from IDW Publishing that was adapted into a NETFLIX series starring Ian Somerhalder (LOST, VAMPIRE DIARIES).
His young adult fiction includes ROT & RUIN (2011; was named in Booklist’s Ten Best Horror Novels for Young Adults, an American Library Association Top Pick, a Bram Stoker and Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading winner; winner of several state Teen Book Awards including the Cricket, Nutmeg and MASL; winner of the Cybils Award, the Eva Perry Mock Printz medal, Dead Letter Best Novel Award, and four Melinda Awards); DUST & DECAY (winner of the 2011 Bram Stoker Award; FLESH & BONE (winner of the Bram Stoker Award; 2012; and FIRE & ASH (August 2013). BROKEN LANDS, the first of a new spin-off series, debuted in 2018 and was followed by LOST ROADS in fall 2020. ROT & RUIN is in development for film by ALCON ENTERTAINMENT and was adapted as a WEBTOON (a serialized comic formatted for cell phones), becoming their #1 horror comic.
His novels include the enormously popular Joe Ledger series from St. Martin’s Griffin (PATIENT ZERO, 2009, winner of the Black Quill and a Bram Stoker Award finalist for Best Novel) and eleven other volumes, most recently RELENTLESS. His middle grade novel, THE NIGHTSIDERS BOOK 1: THE ORPHAN ARMY (Simon & Schuster) was named one the 100 Best Books for Children 2015. His standalone novels include MARS ONE, GLIMPSE, INK, GHOSTWALKERS (based on the DEADLANDS role-playing game), X-FILES ORIGINS: DEVIL’S ADVOCATE, and THE WOLFMAN --winner of the Scribe Award for Best Movie Adaptation
His horror novels include The Pine Deep Trilogy from Pinnacle Books (GHOST ROAD BLUES, 2006, winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel and named one of the 25 Best Horror Novels of the New Millennium; DEAD MAN’S SONG, 2007; and BAD MOON RISING, 2008; as well as DEAD OF NIGHT, and its sequels, FALL OF NIGHT, DARK OF NIGHT, and STILL OF NIGHT.
His epic fantasy series, KAGEN THE DAMNED debuts in May 2022. And he just signed to co-author (with Weston Ochse) a new series of military science fiction novels that launches the SLEEPERS series. Jonathan will also be launching a new series of science fiction horror novels for the newly established Weird Tales Presents imprint of Blackstone Publishing.
He is also the editor of three THE X-FILES anthologies; the dark fantasy anthology series, OUT OF TUNE; SCARY OUT THERE, an anthology of horror for teens; and the anthologies ALIENS: BUG HUNT, NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD (with George Romero), JOE LEDGER UNSTOPPABLE (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt); two volumes of mysteries: ALTERNATE SHERLOCKS and THE GAME’S AFOOT (with Michael Ventrella); and ALIENS V PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt). He is also the editor of DON’T TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, the official tribute to SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. His next anthology will be ALIENS VS PREDATOR: ULTIMATE PREY (with Bryan Thomas Schmidt), debuting in spring 2022.
Jonathan was an expert on the History Channel documentary series, ZOMBIES: A Living History and TRUE MONSTERS. And he was participated in the commentary track for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: REANIMATED.
His many nonfiction works include VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (Citadel Press, 2006); THE CRYPTOPED
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
November 28, 2017
So on June 9th 2017 I decided to take a figurative stroll into the crowded land of GR random books..Somehow i found myself reading the blurb of Mars One and all those positive reviews (basically all lies really) and i decided to read this book.. WORST MISTAKE EVER!!!
The plot of this book is a wasteland of nothing.. absolutely nothing happens.. Like holy shit!! i would have been happy if they had met aliens or something. The first half of the book is preparing to get on the damn space ship.. When you finally do get on the ship, it's just a whole bunch of nothingness, just meaninless, floating and talk about getting to Mars. Don't even get me started on the space talk, ARED, EVA, EMA or some shit like that micro g some Kelvin scale shit.... Meeeeehhnnn!!!
The author tries to spice it up with sabotage but holy shit snacks i'd already figured out who it was, i mean it was so freaking obvious it was quite frankly insulting to even put that in the book. We have brains oh Mr Maberry, that plot was as fickle as a spider web.. Like i can't believe that was the best this author could come up with.
See ehn quote me: this book is terrible beyond belief..a soul destroying, boring, uninteresting, lifeless excuse for a book
QUOTE ME!!!.
April 19, 2017
Mars One was a YA version of The Right Stuff meets Apollo 13 meets The Martian and I adored it! We have colonists who have been training to be astronauts (and colonists on Mars!) for years and years, and then we have the reality shows who are filming every minute of it. Then we have the Mars One journey to Mars, when bad things start happening to the ships.
Tristan is a 16 year old brilliant mechanic (not unlike Mark Watney - without the cussing - from The Martian). He's thrust into stardom, along with 3 other teens) when his family is chosen to be 3 of the first 40 colonists to Mars. The book follows Tristan's journey starting several months before they are blasted into space.
I was thrilled at the realistic aspects of the story and could easily believe that these events could actually happen in the next decade or two. The book is an easy read, and I figured out the twists pretty early on, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
Tristan was a very likeable character and a really good guy, much like Maberry's Benny Imura from his fabulous Rot & Ruin series.
If a book was ever written just for me, this was probably it as I love Mars, love space, love astronauts, and have always yearned to travel to Mars. I hope this story encourages teens to shoot for the stars thinking that they too, could be "first". Well done, Jonathan! I hope there's a sequel in the works because I want more!!
Tristan is a 16 year old brilliant mechanic (not unlike Mark Watney - without the cussing - from The Martian). He's thrust into stardom, along with 3 other teens) when his family is chosen to be 3 of the first 40 colonists to Mars. The book follows Tristan's journey starting several months before they are blasted into space.
I was thrilled at the realistic aspects of the story and could easily believe that these events could actually happen in the next decade or two. The book is an easy read, and I figured out the twists pretty early on, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story.
Tristan was a very likeable character and a really good guy, much like Maberry's Benny Imura from his fabulous Rot & Ruin series.
If a book was ever written just for me, this was probably it as I love Mars, love space, love astronauts, and have always yearned to travel to Mars. I hope this story encourages teens to shoot for the stars thinking that they too, could be "first". Well done, Jonathan! I hope there's a sequel in the works because I want more!!
April 15, 2019
I was yelling at this book almost the entire read. It was good but frustrating
July 20, 2021
This book was good, but not quite there for me. What I did enjoy was a lot of the science talk because it wasn't ever too much, it was a good mix. The characters were there, but I felt like they could have been more fleshed out than they were.
What I didn't like as much was how predictable it was, I saw everything coming from a mile away and in the end, I feel like things went far too smoothly at every turn. It was a compelling enough story to make me want to read, but I also found that because of its predictability-especially in the latter bit, I was dragging.
Overall, this was a decent story of our flight to the stars and what sort of things that could entail.
What I didn't like as much was how predictable it was, I saw everything coming from a mile away and in the end, I feel like things went far too smoothly at every turn. It was a compelling enough story to make me want to read, but I also found that because of its predictability-especially in the latter bit, I was dragging.
Overall, this was a decent story of our flight to the stars and what sort of things that could entail.
August 17, 2018
I was expecting this to be a hell of a lot better than it was. I kept waiting for it to get exciting and it just never does. You can identify the "mysterious saboteur" from a mile away and I think that teens, who this book is intended for, will be able to figure it out just as easily. Blah. Disappointed, because the premise was interesting.
October 13, 2018
Long. Not much happens.
September 5, 2020
This books is listed as being for ages 12 and up. Knowing that, it’s a pretty good book. It is definitely age appropriate. A large chunk of the book is leading up to the trip and not as many pages dedicated to after the ship takes off. Suddenly a lot of stuff happens and then the book is over. I would have preferred it flipped with less going on before and more things going on after they take off. But overall, it is an interesting story.
June 29, 2018
I loved it! 🌟
It was action packed, fast paced, suspenseful, mysterious and very atmospheric. I felt like I was there with them in outer space trying to reach Mars desperately.
I loved how short the chapters were because it felt like I was reading someone’s diary which allowed me to get to know the main character more.
I can definitely see this book as a movie! 🎥
Krisi
It was action packed, fast paced, suspenseful, mysterious and very atmospheric. I felt like I was there with them in outer space trying to reach Mars desperately.
I loved how short the chapters were because it felt like I was reading someone’s diary which allowed me to get to know the main character more.
I can definitely see this book as a movie! 🎥
Krisi
December 30, 2016
This was excellent! Very thought provoking ideas about something we may yet see.
And I really liked the playlist!
And I really liked the playlist!
December 13, 2024
This book could have been so good! And that's what made me so annoyed about it. Definitely could have used a better editor to hone down the story and help with pacing.
The first 1/3 of the book was him at home whining about having to leave his girlfriend. No thanks to a pining love story when I want to hear about Mars!
Then it was a boring section about training before they left. Then it was about how boring being in space is.
Then there was tons of action where I actually loved the book for a couple of chapters. He was having to problem solve and engineer solutions to crazy problems! Yes!
Then there was a twist we all saw coming from 100 pages ago, which made it annoying, not shocking.
I was also bugged about him and Luther's relationship. Just TALK to each other already, and work things out! Their friends yelling at them to stop all the time was not helping in the long run. Also his relationship with his mom! I was so bugged when she told him he was acting like a 6 year old. Give me a break. And then she was kissing and hugging him later. Clearly the author could not decide what kind of personality he wanted the mom to have.
All in all, would not recommend. Read the Martian instead.
The first 1/3 of the book was him at home whining about having to leave his girlfriend. No thanks to a pining love story when I want to hear about Mars!
Then it was a boring section about training before they left. Then it was about how boring being in space is.
Then there was tons of action where I actually loved the book for a couple of chapters. He was having to problem solve and engineer solutions to crazy problems! Yes!
Then there was a twist we all saw coming from 100 pages ago, which made it annoying, not shocking.
I was also bugged about him and Luther's relationship. Just TALK to each other already, and work things out! Their friends yelling at them to stop all the time was not helping in the long run. Also his relationship with his mom! I was so bugged when she told him he was acting like a 6 year old. Give me a break. And then she was kissing and hugging him later. Clearly the author could not decide what kind of personality he wanted the mom to have.
All in all, would not recommend. Read the Martian instead.
April 8, 2018
I loved this story about a boy's trip to Mars with his family. All the real space stuff was kind of cool; Maberry did his research about what works in space and what doesn't. The characters were likable and there was a fair amount of tension throughout the book created by not just one, but several things. The adventure moved along pretty well.
It was slightly predictable and I do wish we'd gotten slightly more of one of the characters introduced at the end. But those things were slight. Overall this is a fantastic read.
And MacLeod Andrews narrating the audio makes it even better. This was hard to put down.
It was slightly predictable and I do wish we'd gotten slightly more of one of the characters introduced at the end. But those things were slight. Overall this is a fantastic read.
And MacLeod Andrews narrating the audio makes it even better. This was hard to put down.
July 22, 2017
Because I loved the way Maberry wove good characters into a zombie plot in his other YA series I had been hoping this one would be an amazing Space Story. Instead; it was over 200 pages of YA romance between Tristan (white hetero American teen about to head to Mars, our Main Character) and Izzy (his girlfriend) and Mars One promo history info-dump, then a bit of boring "nothing happens in space!" and then like 150 pages that felt like a forced combo of The Martian and Apollo 13 with "Something goes wrong; use the on-board geniuses to fix it; rinse and repeat! Act heroic! Make a speech!" being the main thrust.
If you're hoping for an interesting story about 40 Earthlings learning to live on Mars, you WILL be disappointed. If you're hoping for great character development and moving beyond stereotypes or very flat characters to get some good philosophical discussions or thoughtful insights into different people's viewpoints; you will also be disappointed. The characters here had cultures/life-styles/abilities tossed on them like a thin veneer of interest but it really did not add much. Two LGBT characters but they were just "there"; a set of supposedly diverse characters who were mostly just "there" as well, and it all revolved around the white American hetero boy who is our main character for the entire story: Tristan. I want to support the fact that his mom was the main super-smart engineer but I was seriously just so bored of this story by the end that I couldn't even get excited by the daring things they try to do and by them finally figuring out the easily predictable Main Drama.
Recommended if you love Maberry's writing and don't mind the fact that [spoiler]They SERIOUSLY don't make it onto the planet until the last page. It takes TWO HUNDRED PAGES for them to even get in a rocket to leave Earth.[/spoiler] The writing might keep you hoping that something cool will happen and maybe the bits of long-distance romance and the [spoiler]sabotage intrigue[/spoiler] will keep you engaged and excited enough to happily reach the conclusion; instead of getting to the end as I did and wishing I'd known [spoiler] that they would not be doing ANY of this book actually ON Mars[/spoiler]
If you're hoping for an interesting story about 40 Earthlings learning to live on Mars, you WILL be disappointed. If you're hoping for great character development and moving beyond stereotypes or very flat characters to get some good philosophical discussions or thoughtful insights into different people's viewpoints; you will also be disappointed. The characters here had cultures/life-styles/abilities tossed on them like a thin veneer of interest but it really did not add much. Two LGBT characters but they were just "there"; a set of supposedly diverse characters who were mostly just "there" as well, and it all revolved around the white American hetero boy who is our main character for the entire story: Tristan. I want to support the fact that his mom was the main super-smart engineer but I was seriously just so bored of this story by the end that I couldn't even get excited by the daring things they try to do and by them finally figuring out the easily predictable Main Drama.
Recommended if you love Maberry's writing and don't mind the fact that [spoiler]They SERIOUSLY don't make it onto the planet until the last page. It takes TWO HUNDRED PAGES for them to even get in a rocket to leave Earth.[/spoiler] The writing might keep you hoping that something cool will happen and maybe the bits of long-distance romance and the [spoiler]sabotage intrigue[/spoiler] will keep you engaged and excited enough to happily reach the conclusion; instead of getting to the end as I did and wishing I'd known [spoiler] that they would not be doing ANY of this book actually ON Mars[/spoiler]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2017
Meet Tristin, sixteen-year-old high school student, astronaut-in-training, future colonist of the red planet, and semi-reluctant reality TV star. He’s been tapped to go to Mars since he was twelve. And it’s time to go. Too bad he’ll have to leave nearly everything and everyone behind, like his best friend, and especially his girlfriend. Talk about star-crossed lovers! But hell, it’s MARS, man. Can’t pass that up. He’s no ordinary kid, though. How many kids do you know that can repair a damaged starboard solar alpha rotary joint or a malfunctioning intake valve on an oxygenator? Still, he is quite young, the youngest on the mission. How’d you like it if all of your teenage angst and growing pains were played out in public for all the whole world to see … and then again in Space? A great coming-of-age-in-the-Space-Age story, and one kick-ass ride. One of those rare works that reads so visually that you might step away for a few minutes, return, turn on your TV, and only then realize you’d been reading. And those last thirty pages? Wow.
March 31, 2017
LOVED this book. My favorite book of the year, so far. A proper YA sci-fi. Not dystopian. Not fantasy. But sci-fi. Awesome.
Sixteen year old Tristan has known he was moving to Mars since he was ten. He and his family will be on Mars One, the first voyage of mankind to another planet. Tristan's even a trained engineer and is partly, mostly, excited to be part of history-in-the-making. But that's not making leaving his girlfriend, his love, behind on Earth any easier -- because Mars is, without a doubt, a one way trip.
Sixteen year old Tristan has known he was moving to Mars since he was ten. He and his family will be on Mars One, the first voyage of mankind to another planet. Tristan's even a trained engineer and is partly, mostly, excited to be part of history-in-the-making. But that's not making leaving his girlfriend, his love, behind on Earth any easier -- because Mars is, without a doubt, a one way trip.
June 11, 2017
This is another perfect 8th grade book. Great characters and plot - great mystery and story without the typical YA sex, drugs and language. At the same time, it felt very real. Can't wait to recommend it!!
April 17, 2018
If you can wait, this book definitely delivers, but boy does it take a long time for it to feel like something's happening!
We spend the first half of the story back home on planet Earth in the weeks leading up to take off. For some reason the author never satisfactorily explains, Tristan and Izzy are deeply in love and devastated to part (and raking in the dough while a reality tv show covers the drama).
Fast forward to the second half of the book, when things get a little more interesting. Someone on board is sabotaging the mission... can they catch the culprit before it's too late? Maybe if Tristan wasn't so oblivious...
Annoyingly obvious villain aside, I really enjoyed this. It's interesting to think about what a manned mission in today's social media society would play out like. And I love when YA sci-fi actually contains *gasp* science! I also love how hopefully Maberry wraps everything up. To me, that's the best part of science fiction... not just exploring new worlds, but new ways to define mankind.
We spend the first half of the story back home on planet Earth in the weeks leading up to take off. For some reason the author never satisfactorily explains, Tristan and Izzy are deeply in love and devastated to part (and raking in the dough while a reality tv show covers the drama).
Fast forward to the second half of the book, when things get a little more interesting. Someone on board is sabotaging the mission... can they catch the culprit before it's too late? Maybe if Tristan wasn't so oblivious...
Annoyingly obvious villain aside, I really enjoyed this. It's interesting to think about what a manned mission in today's social media society would play out like. And I love when YA sci-fi actually contains *gasp* science! I also love how hopefully Maberry wraps everything up. To me, that's the best part of science fiction... not just exploring new worlds, but new ways to define mankind.
May 28, 2017
Tristan and his family are amongst the few who will travel to and prepare the very first colony on Mars. It's a plan that's been in the works for years, with each and every chosen person and family having been vetted and tested exhaustively. What's more, for a family like Tristan's everyone has to be in agreement and on board. If just one of them waffles on the decision, they're all out. But none of them have and the day for launch is fast approaching.
The Mars One mission is a feat that the whole world will be watching with great anticipation. But not everyone is exactly supportive. A group calling themselves the Neo-Luddites has made their views on the mission very clear. As their final days on Earth come to an end, Tristan is faced with not only his final goodbyes - broadcast for all the world to see thanks to reality TV deals that help fund the mission - but also hoping that everything will go smoothly and without uproar from their detractors.
And that's only the beginning because once they're in space, all they'll have to rely on is each other.
This newest teen release from Jonathan Maberry doesn't have any zombies or elite soldiers. There's none of the horror I've personally come to know him for - at least not in the traditional sense. But there's plenty of thrills and chills, and even a little terror along the way.
Space does scare me. If I were given the option today, there's absolutely no way you could drag me onto a space ship. Well, maybe if you knocked me out first. I have no desire to travel in space - I've seen enough movies that show exactly what can go wrong - I'll keep my feet on the earth, thanks.
But in Mars One it's 2026 and a private company has funded and organized the very first mission to colonize Mars. They're not the only ones, China has plans to do so as well, but Mars One is going to be the first.
Tristan was just a kid when he and his family were picked to be part of the mission. His mother is an ace mechanic and his dad is a botanist. And they're not the only family going: a handful of equally qualified adults and their children will also be on board. So it's not just a mission full of scientists and astronauts, but one that includes four other teens as well.
The teens themselves are just as qualified to be there. Tristan's mom has a habit of dismantling every one of his possessions in an attempt to teach him how to fix just about anything. And she's succeeded, too. Of course this comes in handy as things begin to go wrong on board the two ships traveling to Mars!
While I enjoyed Mars One quite a bit, I have to admit it was something of a slow start for me. The first part of the book focuses on the latter days on Earth and I really wanted to get to the space adventure portion. But I have to admit that the story (and me as the reader) wouldn't have been served well by that - those last days on Earth are what gives us a chance to get to know Tristan and his family. So yes, skipping it would have gotten us to the action sooner, but I really don't want stories that are all action and no substance.
And that's what Maberry gives us with Mars One - a YA sci fi adventure with substance. There's ample attention paid to character and story development as well as the basics and mechanics of the mission itself. So in the end, these are characters I rooted for wholly (and - key - believed could and would be capable of the things they have to handle) and a plot that seemed as believable as if it were recounting the real preparation and dangers of man's first colony traveling to the Red Planet.
The addition of the inevitable reality TV aspect (because I very much believe that will be exactly what happens if/when a real colony mission starts getting discussed), added an extra layer of believability. Poor Tristan! I felt for him even more as his first love and breakup played out for all the world to see.
Mars One is, all in all, quite great fun. And even without the zombies, scary enough for this space phobic reader!
The Mars One mission is a feat that the whole world will be watching with great anticipation. But not everyone is exactly supportive. A group calling themselves the Neo-Luddites has made their views on the mission very clear. As their final days on Earth come to an end, Tristan is faced with not only his final goodbyes - broadcast for all the world to see thanks to reality TV deals that help fund the mission - but also hoping that everything will go smoothly and without uproar from their detractors.
And that's only the beginning because once they're in space, all they'll have to rely on is each other.
This newest teen release from Jonathan Maberry doesn't have any zombies or elite soldiers. There's none of the horror I've personally come to know him for - at least not in the traditional sense. But there's plenty of thrills and chills, and even a little terror along the way.
Space does scare me. If I were given the option today, there's absolutely no way you could drag me onto a space ship. Well, maybe if you knocked me out first. I have no desire to travel in space - I've seen enough movies that show exactly what can go wrong - I'll keep my feet on the earth, thanks.
But in Mars One it's 2026 and a private company has funded and organized the very first mission to colonize Mars. They're not the only ones, China has plans to do so as well, but Mars One is going to be the first.
Tristan was just a kid when he and his family were picked to be part of the mission. His mother is an ace mechanic and his dad is a botanist. And they're not the only family going: a handful of equally qualified adults and their children will also be on board. So it's not just a mission full of scientists and astronauts, but one that includes four other teens as well.
The teens themselves are just as qualified to be there. Tristan's mom has a habit of dismantling every one of his possessions in an attempt to teach him how to fix just about anything. And she's succeeded, too. Of course this comes in handy as things begin to go wrong on board the two ships traveling to Mars!
While I enjoyed Mars One quite a bit, I have to admit it was something of a slow start for me. The first part of the book focuses on the latter days on Earth and I really wanted to get to the space adventure portion. But I have to admit that the story (and me as the reader) wouldn't have been served well by that - those last days on Earth are what gives us a chance to get to know Tristan and his family. So yes, skipping it would have gotten us to the action sooner, but I really don't want stories that are all action and no substance.
And that's what Maberry gives us with Mars One - a YA sci fi adventure with substance. There's ample attention paid to character and story development as well as the basics and mechanics of the mission itself. So in the end, these are characters I rooted for wholly (and - key - believed could and would be capable of the things they have to handle) and a plot that seemed as believable as if it were recounting the real preparation and dangers of man's first colony traveling to the Red Planet.
The addition of the inevitable reality TV aspect (because I very much believe that will be exactly what happens if/when a real colony mission starts getting discussed), added an extra layer of believability. Poor Tristan! I felt for him even more as his first love and breakup played out for all the world to see.
Mars One is, all in all, quite great fun. And even without the zombies, scary enough for this space phobic reader!
March 29, 2019
This was pretty good! I've been really digging YA sci-fi lately and this was just what I wanted. My only complaint was that it was slow at the beginning. Tristan was preparing to leave for the Mars mission and saying goodbye to his best friend and girlfriend. I can't imagine how hard that would be and I did like seeing some of it, but it was too long for me. Once they actually started the mission, things picked up significantly. I liked that getting used to space was difficult for a lot of them, as I'm sure it is in real life. Things started going wrong and people were at risk and it was fairly intense. When you find out what's happening, it wasn't really a surprise. I felt like there were a lot of clues pointing in that direction, but I still enjoyed it. The narrator was great and overall it was a fun read.
August 2, 2017
While this took me a long time to read, that is not a reflection of the book itself. I really enjoyed this view of the colonization of Mars. The last third of the book flew by in my opinion. I was hooked. I suspected the big reveal, but that didn't change my view of the book. I'm a huge fan of space in general, so this book was right up my alley.
September 21, 2021
I've really enjoyed Maberry's other books they are over the top military thrillers so I expected the same from this. I was pleasantly surprised that this was a straight forward adventure of a teenager going to Mars with his family. But written in a way that was very enjoyable and relatable. The audio narration was excellent and I would recommend this to others.
June 18, 2023
A very fast paced story set in the very near future. I thought the characters were done well, and I enjoyed the "Going to Mars" playlist. I do wish we would have gotten some time on Mars however...
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Check out my YouTube channel for bookish videos and monthly wrap ups!
December 11, 2020
*Listened to audiobook* 4.5 ⭐
I really enjoyed this one. A group goes to colonize Mars but things start to go very wrong.
I really enjoyed this one. A group goes to colonize Mars but things start to go very wrong.
May 27, 2025
While I enjoyed this I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I think this would make a better series than a stand alone.
June 20, 2017
4.5. This was an extremely realistic look (as far as I can tell) of a expedition to Mars.
Almost five, because I figured out the ending, but what a ride!
Almost five, because I figured out the ending, but what a ride!
May 30, 2017
This review contains spoilers.
Mars One is a very good book for Young Adult readers. It is steeped in good science and very much current in terms of YA. In fact, I wish it had continued on to show the Mars colonists struggling to survive.
There may be drawbacks for adult readers. The villainy is rather simplistic and it is quite easy to see who the villains are by the time the colonists leave Earth. The reasoning behind the villainy is also very questionable.
I almost felt like the villains weren't necessary. What a grand adventure colonizing Mars. Aren't there enough problems just in the going and the doing?
Even so, I liked it and felt to be highly appropriate for teen readers.
Mars One is a very good book for Young Adult readers. It is steeped in good science and very much current in terms of YA. In fact, I wish it had continued on to show the Mars colonists struggling to survive.
There may be drawbacks for adult readers. The villainy is rather simplistic and it is quite easy to see who the villains are by the time the colonists leave Earth. The reasoning behind the villainy is also very questionable.
I almost felt like the villains weren't necessary. What a grand adventure colonizing Mars. Aren't there enough problems just in the going and the doing?
Even so, I liked it and felt to be highly appropriate for teen readers.
August 30, 2024
A nice, gentle young adult science fiction book about the space race to Mars. A quick read, despite there being over a hundred chapters.
May 25, 2017
Every day people go to work or to school and have to leave someone they care about for 8 or 10 hours in the day. Or perhaps they go on a business trip and not see that same person for a week. But what if you had leave your girlfriend or boyfriend forever. And not just your girlfriend or boyfriend, but your entire class at school, your best friend since first grade, or the people you work with and never ever be able to see them in person again.
That is only part of the story Jonathan Maberry's new book. Because Tristan has to do just that. He has a best friend and girlfriend he loves. But he is going to Mars. Yes, that planet Mars! And he will never come back to earth again. He won't have that life with his girlfriend where they get married and live happily ever after. He and his parents are going to be in the first wave of colonists to go and try and establish a habitat on Mars.
This book was science fiction at it's best. Maberry's characters jump off the page and you become friends with them. This book is part science, part mystery, and huge part human relationships. Maberry does a awesome job of not only getting to the point where this type of space travel is possible, but also getting inside the minds of the first colonists and what it will be like them.
That is only part of the story Jonathan Maberry's new book. Because Tristan has to do just that. He has a best friend and girlfriend he loves. But he is going to Mars. Yes, that planet Mars! And he will never come back to earth again. He won't have that life with his girlfriend where they get married and live happily ever after. He and his parents are going to be in the first wave of colonists to go and try and establish a habitat on Mars.
This book was science fiction at it's best. Maberry's characters jump off the page and you become friends with them. This book is part science, part mystery, and huge part human relationships. Maberry does a awesome job of not only getting to the point where this type of space travel is possible, but also getting inside the minds of the first colonists and what it will be like them.
May 17, 2017
Because of Bradbury, I love Mars. I'll give almost any book taking place on Mars a shot. This book? I read it and enjoyed it, but I won't spoil it. It's an all-ages thriller with some very keen insight on interstellar technology. For that alone, I was intrigued. And this is the very first book I've ever read by Maberry, so I knew I was in for a good story. Though a more inveterate reader may have issues. Such as, I knew who the culprit was way before it was revealed. Didn't take away from the story, but things like that really hang on a reader's neck. Still a decent read. I can totally see a movie made from this book.
May 23, 2017
When it comes to Jonathan Maberry, I usually expect tons of action and tons of horror. This book lacks the latter and features less of the former, being much more focused on characters and feelings. It's different for him, but maybe sometimes, a little different is a lot good. Although the story does suffer from some slow pacing - especially in its first 100 pages or so - and frequently drops hints of a greater conspiracy but leaves them hanging, untouched, for extended periods of time, it's still a very addictive read. The short chapters and the surprising emotional emphasis help.
This, I think, is going to be a standalone novel, but if there's a sequel, I'd be happy to give it a read. Oh, and the playlist at the end. Terrific choices, especially the TONS of David Bowie. And who says YA characters shouldn't be allowed to appreciate good music from before they were born?
This, I think, is going to be a standalone novel, but if there's a sequel, I'd be happy to give it a read. Oh, and the playlist at the end. Terrific choices, especially the TONS of David Bowie. And who says YA characters shouldn't be allowed to appreciate good music from before they were born?
May 25, 2017
Loved this!!!! Great book-loved how personal it became, I was so interested in the events- I am hoping for a book II!!!
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