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Mars by Ben Bova 
Mars has been a hot topic lately, so it seemed
only right to pick up Ben Bova’s book on the subject, aptly titled Mars.
This has got to be one of the most realistic, believable science fiction novels
I’ve ever read. The story deals with Earth’s first manned expedition to the
red planet. A multi-national team, unofficially led by a Native American
geologist, makes the arduous trip sometime in the not-so-distant future. Bova
doesn’t specify exactly when this novel takes place, but you get the feeling
that it could happen any day. Through a series of flashbacks, he details the
personal backgrounds and the political intrigues driving the expedition. The
main character, Jamie Waterman, unthinkingly sets off a storm of controversy
almost from the beginning, when all he really wants is to explore a planet that
has consumed his dreams for years. Each of the scientists on the trip have their
own agendas, but they are all hoping against hope that they will be the ones to
find life and ensure a return trip to Mars. Interspersed with the flashbacks are
realistic portrayals of the daily routines the explorers follow. Bova clearly
describes the tedious, but extremely critical maintenance of the hard suits, the
various experiments conducted for the sake of science, as well as the excitement
of actually exploring the planet’s surface. Back on Earth, every action the
team takes is dissected and examined, both politically and scientifically, to
determine the merit of ongoing explorations.
Some may feel that Bova’s characterizations are
stereotyped and take exception. Perhaps I’m not very politically correct, but
I believe that Bova took great pains to ensure that his characters were human,
possessing both flaws and assets. These characters represent almost a dozen
different nations. He may have painted them with a broad brush by giving them
stereotypical attributes, but I didn’t find any of his characters to be
unbelievable or offensive. Ultimately, all of these people from different
cultures learn to work together as a team. Considering the events waiting for
them on Mars, this is a good thing!
Reviewed by Diane
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Return to Mars by
Ben Bova 
This sequel to Bova’s best seller Mars is perfectly capable of
standing on its own merits. There are plenty of references to the earlier novel,
but they are used primarily to provide background information. Rest assured you
could read Return to Mars without needing to read its predecessor.
Six years have elapsed since the return of the first Mars expedition. The
main character, Dr. Jamie Waterman, has not fared all that well back home on
Earth. A combination of luck, experience and political campaigning earns him a
berth on the second expedition to Mars. As mission director, it is now Jamie’s
turn to call the shots, and take the heat for any errors in judgment that occur
on this trip.
Jamie’s Navaho mysticism is even more evident this time around. It becomes
a running theme throughout the story. He has formed a strong affinity to Mars,
and deep down, believes that Mars is truly his home. Bova uses less racial
stereotyping in this novel, but there are some deliberate racial slurs. They may
be necessary to the plot, but it would be easy to find them offensive. Bova
works with a smaller cast of characters this time and focuses almost exclusively
on the activities taking place on Mars. Much to Jamie’s dismay, the scientific
goals are in danger of being overshadowed by the commercial ventures that funded
the trip. Jamie fears that Mars will be turned into a tourist trap and compares
it to the arrival of the Europeans in North America. The small group of
scientists learns to work together despite their personal differences and make a
number of amazing discoveries. However, it becomes increasingly apparent that
all is not right within the group and that seemingly random accidents may
actually be sabotage.
While I enjoyed this novel, I didn’t find the plot to be as realistic or
probable as the events Bova described in his previous effort. The character
development was somewhat sparse and I had a real problem with the way Jamie
handled some of his altercations. On the plus side, Bova keeps the mystery
building until the very end. He also offers a unique solution to Jamie’s
commercialization concerns. Bova’s knowledge of scientific and technological
information is still readily apparent. He provides enough information to make
things understandable without being overwhelming. Overall, I’d say this was a
good, fast-paced novel with an interesting mystery thrown in for good measure.
Reviewed by Diane
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Moonrise by
Ben Bova
Buy This Book Paperback
Bova’s forte seems to be writing science fiction
novels that are so realistic and plausible, the reader hardly notices the high
tech science because the plots are so engrossing. Moonrise is another
great example of his skill. The action in this book takes place after the
incidents related in Bova’s earlier novel, Mars, so there are some
similarities in the settings and technology he describes but each is a
completely separate story.
In Moonrise, Bova describes man’s attempt
to colonize the Moon and make it a viable place to live and work. It tells the
tale of the Masterson Corporation and the political and corporate intrigues
involved in keeping one man’s vision alive. That man is Paul Stavenger and as
the story opens, the reader finds Paul in a life and death struggle with the
very technology that will permit Moonbase to become a success. Bova has written
this novel in two sections. The first deals with Paul Stavenger and, through the
use of flashbacks, lays out the background and history of the Masterson
Corporation, Moonbase and Paul’s link with the two through his relationship
with Joanna Masterson. The second portion of Bova’s tale takes place a number
of years later. The seeds of destruction for Moonbase were sown years ago and,
although the current players are oblivious to their danger, old hatreds and
resentments still linger.
Bova keeps the tension high in this novel.
Although much of the danger is obvious to the reader, it is because we know
things that the characters are unaware of. Waiting for the characters to put all
the clues together was sometimes nerve-wracking! One of the things I enjoy most
about Bova’s writing is that he doesn’t let the science fiction get in the
way of, or overpower, the plot and his characters. The technology is fascinating
and realistic, but it is the characters and their actions that drive the story.
Bova deftly leads the reader through the convoluted paths of corporate
infighting, political maneuvering and plain old personal betrayal, backstabbing
and treachery. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to
reviewing Bova’s follow-up novel, Moonwar, in the near future.
Reviewed by Diane
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Moonwar
by Ben Bova 
The action in Moonwar picks up seven years after the climactic ending
of Moonrise, the first book in this series. The corporate and political
conflicts from the first novel have continued to grow and are now at crisis
stage. Moonbase’s survival and profitability is completely reliant on the
nanotechnology that has been outlawed on Earth. The highly militant New
Morality, including the fanatical nanoluddites, have turned their attention to
the one place in the universe still using nanotechnology. Staffed entirely by
corporate employees, researchers and scientists, virtually weaponless and with
the entire force of the United Nations bearing down upon them, Moonbase seems to
have few alternatives left.
But, Douglas Stavenger has a dream to fulfill. Unable to return safely to
Earth because of the nanotechnology within his own body, he has made Moonbase’s
destiny his own. Declaring Moonbase an independent entity, the struggle to
outwit the UN without bloodshed begins. Stavenger faces all sorts of obstacles,
including corporate maneuvering, treachery from within the Moonbase organization
and political bureaucracy.
Despite the premise of impending war, this novel didn’t seem to have the
same urgency as Bova’s earlier novel. Many familiar characters from the first
book are present and Bova has introduced some new ones as well. Bova’s science
fiction is as realistic and interesting as ever and I found the passages on
nanotechnology absorbing (no pun intended). Still, the plot seems just a bit
tired… especially the parts involving corporate intrigue and betrayals, and
the characters don’t seem to be as well fleshed out as in his previous novels.
Bova also includes a few new subplots involving some ancillary characters, but
most seem to go nowhere and don’t contribute very much to the main storyline.
Since Return to Mars was published not long after Moonwar, I can’t
help but wonder if Bova’s focus was divided between these two novels. Neither
seemed as good as their predecessors. Despite all that, I did enjoy this novel,
if only because I was interested in the initial characters and the future of
Moonbase and wanted to see what Bova would do with them. Rumor has it that Bova
may return to Moonbase for yet another novel. Hopefully, he’ll find a way to
breathe new life into the series and keep his readers happy.
Reviewed by Diane
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